Broccoli and White Wine Cheese Sauce

I have to admit, I am not a huge veggie lover.  I have tried to venture out as an adult and have started to enjoy some veggies but let me tell you, I would eat just about anything covered in this cheese sauce 🙂 Simply delightful. I have paired it with broccoli tonight but you can use it over just about any veggie, or use as a fondue sauce for bread, apples, etc.

Ingredients:

Broccoli

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp flour

2 cups milk

2 cups (or more if you’d like) shredded cheddar cheese (feel free to change up the cheeses, just be sure to pick ones that melt well)

2 Tbsp white wine

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt (or more to taste)

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

We want to start by making a basic roux – the thickening agent for most sauces, soups, and gravies, etc.  Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan, add flour while stirring.  Cook roux for 2 minutes over medium-high heat or until it just starts to get a little golden in color.  As mentioned in previous recipes, the longer you cook your roux, the more taste it acquires but the less thickening power it has. 

 

Slowly add milk while stirring. After the first cup of milk is added, cook until you see it thickening then add 1/4 cup at a time, waiting each time until thickened.  Once all of the milk is added and your sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon (see picture), add cheese and wine.  Stir until melted. 

 

Add pepper and onion powder.  Slowly add garlic salt, tasting each time to determine if it will need more garlic salt or pepper. Turn heat to low. Stirring occasionally while broccoli cooks.

 

 

You all probably have your own ways of steaming your veggies; my method of choice is a steamer basket inside a large sauce pan.  Whatever you do, do not over-steam your broccoli. You want the stems to still be a little firm when you remove from the pan to serve. I recommend serving the broccoli and the sauce separately so your family or dinner guests can add as little or as much as they choose.