Copycat Arby’s Cheese Sauce in 15 Minutes
If you’ve ever dunked a curly fry into that warm, tangy orange sauce at Arby’s and wondered what’s actually in it, this arby’s cheese sauce copycat gets you there with five pantry staples and one saucepan. It’s smooth, a little sharp, and pours instead of clumps.
You can have it ready before the fries even finish baking, and it holds up on sandwiches, pretzels, or a plate of nachos just as well as it does on curly fries.
Why This Cheese Sauce Sticks Around
I like that this comes together in one pan with no double boiler and no processed cheese product hiding in the ingredient list. The flour and butter build a base that keeps the sauce from breaking, so it stays glossy instead of turning oily or grainy.
The mustard powder is doing more work than you’d think. It’s not enough to taste on its own, but it gives the sauce that faint tang that makes it taste like the real thing instead of plain melted cheddar.
It also reheats without much fuss, which matters if you’re making it for a group and don’t want to babysit the stove all night.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter: the base of the roux
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour: thickens the sauce so it clings instead of running
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk: use whole milk if you can, low-fat makes a thinner sauce
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded from a block: pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch that makes the sauce grainy
- 4 oz American cheese, cubed: this is what gives it that Arby’s-style smoothness and pourable body
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder: adds a faint tang without tasting like mustard
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika: for color and a light smoky note
- 1/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- pinch cayenne pepper (optional): for a little background heat
Variations and Substitutions
- Spicier version: stir in 1/4 tsp extra cayenne or a splash of hot sauce for a sauce closer to a nacho cheese dip.
- Pepper jack swap: replace the cheddar with pepper jack for a sharper, spicier edge that works well over baked potatoes.
- Dairy-free version: use a plant-based butter, a dairy-free shredded cheddar, and unsweetened oat milk. The texture will be a bit looser, so use closer to 1 1/4 cups of the milk substitute.
- Smokier version: swap the smoked paprika for 1/4 tsp chipotle powder for a deeper, smokier finish.
- No American cheese on hand: swap in 4 oz of cream cheese instead. It won’t taste identical, but it keeps the sauce just as smooth. If you like this kind of cheese-forward dip, my homemade queso dip uses the same trick.
How to Make Arby’s Cheese Sauce
Step 1: Melt the Butter and Toast the Flour
Melt the 2 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until it foams up, about 1 minute. Whisk in the 2 tbsp flour right away and keep whisking for about 1 minute, until the mixture smells lightly toasted and turns a pale golden color.
This is the roux, and it’s what keeps your sauce from separating later. Don’t walk away here. Flour burns fast once it hits a hot pan, and a scorched roux will make the whole sauce taste bitter.
Step 2: Whisk in the Milk
Pour in the 1 1/2 cups whole milk in two additions, whisking hard after each pour to work out any lumps. Bring it up to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often, and let it thicken for about 4 minutes until it coats the back of a spoon.
You’ll notice the mixture go from thin and floury-looking to smooth and slightly glossy. If you still see small lumps, keep whisking through the simmer, they’ll smooth out as the flour cooks fully.
Step 3: Stir in the Cheese
Lower the heat to low and add the 8 oz shredded cheddar and 4 oz cubed American cheese a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding more. Stir in the 1/2 tsp mustard powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, and the pinch of cayenne if using, and keep stirring over low heat for about 2 minutes.
The sauce will turn a warm orange-gold color and go completely smooth, thin enough to run off a spoon in a steady ribbon. Keep the heat low here. Cheese sauce that gets too hot too fast can turn grainy and never fully smooths back out.
Step 4: Spoon Into a Bowl and Serve Warm
Taste the sauce and add a little more salt if it needs it, then pour it into a serving bowl right away while it’s still warm and pourable. Serve it alongside fries, pretzel bites, or a roast beef sandwich for dipping or drizzling.
It thickens as it sits, so serve it soon after it’s done for the loosest, most pourable texture.
Tips for Silky, Lump-Free Cheese Sauce
- Shred your own cheese from a block. It melts smoother than the bagged pre-shredded kind, which is coated in starch to keep it from clumping in the bag.
- Keep the heat low once the cheese goes in. High heat is the main reason cheese sauces break or turn stringy.
- If your sauce ever looks oily or separated, whisk in a tablespoon of milk off the heat, it usually brings it back together.
- Make a double batch if you’re serving a crowd, since this sauce disappears fast next to a plate of fries.
Adjust the milk if you want a different consistency for how you’re serving it.
| Consistency | Milk Amount | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Thick, spoonable | 1 1/4 cups | Dipping pretzels or veggies |
| Pourable (as written) | 1 1/2 cups | Drizzling over sandwiches or fries |
| Thin, queso-style | 1 3/4 cups | Nachos and chip dipping |
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate leftover sauce in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheating: warm it gently over low heat on the stove, whisking in a splash of milk to loosen it back up. The microwave works too, just heat in 20-second bursts and stir between each one so it doesn’t separate.
What to Serve With Arby’s Cheese Sauce
This is a dipping and drizzling sauce first, so it earns its keep next to something crisp. Curly fries or steak fries give you that same crunchy-then-melty bite you’d get at the drive-through, and a roast beef sandwich turns into something closer to a French dip when you spoon this over the meat.
Soft pretzels or pretzel bites are another good match, since the salt on the pretzel plays off the tang from the mustard powder in the sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this cheese sauce ahead of time?
Yes, make it up to 2 days ahead and store it covered in the fridge. Reheat it slowly over low heat with a splash of milk to bring back the pourable texture.
Why did my cheese sauce turn grainy or separated?
It’s almost always from heat that’s too high once the cheese goes in, which causes the fat and protein to separate. Pull it off the heat, let it cool for a minute, and whisk in a tablespoon of cold milk to bring it back together.
Can I freeze leftover cheese sauce?
It’s not the best candidate for freezing, since the texture tends to turn grainy once thawed and reheated. If you do freeze it, thaw it in the fridge overnight and whisk hard while reheating to smooth it back out.
What can I use instead of American cheese for that smooth texture?
Cream cheese works well as a stand-in, about 4 oz, and gives a similarly smooth, pourable result. Velveeta is another option if you want something closer to the original texture.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt the 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the 2 tbsp flour, and cook for about 1 minute until lightly golden.
- Whisk in the 1 1/2 cups milk in two additions and simmer for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Lower the heat and stir in the 8 oz cheddar and 4 oz American cheese a handful at a time, along with the 1/2 tsp mustard powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, and cayenne if using, until smooth.
- Taste and adjust salt, then pour into a bowl and serve warm.
