Alternative names | Cheese dip, cheese dipping sauce [1] |
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Serving temperature | Can be served cold, warm or hot |
Main ingredients | Cheese, sometimes prepared using processed cheese, dried cheese, or cheese powder |
Cheese sauce is a sauce made with cheese or processed cheese as a primary ingredient. Sometimes dried cheese or cheese powder is used. [2] [3] Several varieties exist and it has many various culinary uses. Mass-produced commercial cheese sauces are also made by various companies, in both liquid and dry forms. These prepared sauces are used by consumers and restaurants, and commercial formulations are used in the production of various prepared foods, such as macaroni and cheese mixes and frozen meals.
Many sauces are prepared with cheese or processed cheese as the primary ingredient.
Cheez Whiz is an American brand of processed cheese spread produced by Kraft Foods since the 1950s. It was developed as an easy way to prepare the sauce for Welsh rarebit. It was initially sold in glass jars, and today is sold in jars and spray cans. Cheez Whiz is commonly used for Philadelphia cheesesteak. [13]
Cheese sauce is commonly used as a dip for various foods, such as chips and vegetables. [14] It is also used as an ingredient or topping for many various dishes and side dishes, such as sandwiches, roasted potatoes, casseroles, pasta dishes, egg, fish and meat dishes and in soups. [14] [15]
Many dishes are prepared using cheese sauce:
Cheese sauce is a mass-produced product in the United States and other countries, such as China and Switzerland. [26] [27] In the U.S., commercial preparations are available to consumers in grocery stores and are used in family-style, casual and fast food restaurants. [1] [28] [29]
Mass-produced cheese sauce is typically prepared aseptically and then packaged in sterile cans, bottles and bag-in-box containers. [30] [31] Some varieties are sold in aerosol cans. [32] Commercial cheese sauces may be prepared using natural cheese, processed cheese, or both. [lower-alpha 1] Various food additives and preservatives may be used in commercial preparations to create a uniform product that is consistent and stabilized in texture, consistency, color and flavor, to enhance flavor, and to ensure freshness. [15] [34] Some additives and preservatives used may include carrageenan, citric acid, monosodium glutamate, sodium citrate, sorbic acid, and xanthan gum, among others. [15]
The industrial preparation and processing of liquid cheese sauces typically involve the shredding of bulk cheese products which is then placed en masse into a large processing container along with various dry ingredients and emulsifying salts. [15] [35] The mixture is agitated to create a slurry, and is then aseptically treated using various machines to heat and sterilize the product and make it pourable, after which sterile bottles, jars or cans are filled with the product. [15] Such aseptically processed cheese sauces are typically shelf-stable, requiring no refrigeration until opened. [15]
Bag-in-box cheese sauces are typically used in retail environments and involve the use of connecting a bag of aseptically-treated cheese sauce to a vessel that heats it and keeps it warm at a food-safe temperature. [31] A pump dispenser is used that delivers the sauce to various items, such as tortilla chips and sandwiches. [31] [34]
Cheese sauces are also mass-produced in a powdered dry mix form. [36] [37] These are produced as an instant food and purveyed to consumers in sauce mix packets and jars. [38] Dry mix packets are also provided in some dry macaroni and cheese products. [39] [40]
Commercial frozen cheese sauce is used as an ingredient in prepared frozen meals and prepared frozen vegetables. [41] [42] In some instances, particularly when a sauce has a high-fat content, the product may require emulsification to keep the product uniform and prevent it from separating. [41] Factors in frozen sauces such as their overall fat content and the size of particulates in them plays a role in how various frozen cheese sauces are formulated, cooked, treated and processed. [41]
Additionally, commercial cheese sauce formulations have been used as an ingredient in processed canned vegetables in the United States. [43] [44]
Circa the later 2000s, the Campbell Soup Company began to modify its canned cheese sauce formulas based upon the company's perceived consumer preferences in various geographic regions in the United States. [45] The company concluded that the sauce was not considered hot enough (pungent) for average consumers in the American Southwest and West while being too hot for consumers in the Eastern United States. [45] At the time, to better serve its customer base, Campbell's began manufacturing a hotter product in their California and Texas plants compared to their other plants. [45]
In July 2018, Kraft Heinz issued a voluntary nationwide product recall in the United states of around 100,000 jars of cheese dip, [46] [47] due to a potential for the growth of Clostridium botulinum because of ingredient separation. [47] It was only distributed in the United States, and consumers were advised not to eat it, even if it lacked signs of spoilage. [47] [48]
Pasta is a type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking. Rice flour, or legumes such as beans or lentils, are sometimes used in place of wheat flour to yield a different taste and texture, or as a gluten-free alternative. Pasta is a staple food of Italian cuisine.
Kraft Dinner (KD) in Canada, Kraft Mac & Cheese in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, Cheesey Pasta in the United Kingdom and internationally is a nonperishable, packaged macaroni and cheese product. It is made by Kraft Foods Group and traditionally cardboard-boxed with dried macaroni pasta and a packet of orange processed cheese powder. It was introduced under the Kraft Dinner name simultaneously in both Canada and the U.S. in 1937. The brand is popular with Canadians, who consume 55% more boxes per capita than Americans.
Macaroni and cheese is a dish of cooked macaroni pasta and a cheese sauce, most commonly cheddar sauce.
Cheez Whiz is a brand of processed cheese sauce or spread produced by Kraft Foods. It was developed by a team led by food scientist Edwin Traisman (1915–2007). It was first sold in 1952, and with some changes in formulation continues to be in production today.
Apple butter is a highly concentrated form of apple sauce produced by long, slow cooking of apples with cider or water to a point where the sugar in the apples caramelizes, turning the apple butter a deep brown. The concentration of sugar gives apple butter a much longer shelf life as a preserve than apple sauce.
Onion powder is dehydrated, ground onion that is commonly used as a seasoning. It is a common ingredient in seasoned salt and spice mixes, such as beau monde seasoning. Some varieties are prepared using toasted onion. White, yellow and red onions may be used. Onion powder is a commercially prepared food product that has several culinary uses. Onion powder can also be homemade.
Cheese spread is a soft spreadable cheese or processed cheese product. Various additional ingredients are sometimes used, such as multiple cheeses, fruits, vegetables and meats, and many types of cheese spreads exist. Pasteurized process cheese spread is a type of cheese spread prepared using pasteurized processed cheese and other ingredients.
Italian cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine consisting of the ingredients, recipes and cooking techniques developed across the Italian Peninsula and later spread around the world together with waves of Italian diaspora. Some of these foods were imported from other cultures. Significant changes occurred with the colonization of the Americas and the introduction of potatoes, tomatoes, capsicums, maize and sugar beet — the latter introduced in quantity in the 18th century. It is one of the best-known and most appreciated gastronomies worldwide.
Clam dip is a dipping sauce and condiment prepared with clams, sour cream or cream cheese, and seasonings as primary ingredients. Various additional ingredients can be used. It is usually served chilled, although it is sometimes served hot or at room temperature. It is used as a dip for potato chips, crackers, bread, and crudités. Commercial varieties of clam dip are mass-produced by some companies and marketed to consumers in grocery stores and supermarkets.
Macaroni pie is a casserole dish based on baked macaroni and cheese. Primary ingredients include elbow macaroni, cheese, and milk. Although early records from the 1700s suggest this dish was first created in Barbados, spread across the Americas during the slave-trade era, and eventually made its way back to Europe, various variations now exist. For example, some recipes from 19th-century American cuisine include various meats. In Scotland, it is typically prepared using a hot water crust pastry, while in other areas the dish may not have any crust.
Bean dip is a type of dipping sauce made using beans or refried beans as a primary ingredient. It is typically served with tortilla chips, and can also be served with other foods such as crackers and crudités. Various types of beans are used, and fresh-cooked, canned or flaked beans can be used. Various additional ingredients are used in its preparation, such as onion, garlic, chili peppers and spices, and it is sometimes garnished with some ingredients. Bean dip can be served cold, at room temperature, or hot. Bean dip is sometimes used as an ingredient in the preparation of other dishes such as burritos and quesadillas.
Velveeta Shells & Cheese is a shell pasta and cheese sauce food product that debuted in the United States in 1984, as part of the Velveeta brand products. Its ingredients, texture, and flavor are very similar to macaroni and cheese. The product is a shelf-stable food.
Cheddar sauce, cheddar cheese sauce, or cheese sauce is a traditional sauce used in English cooking. The sauce is based upon white sauce, which is known as one of the 'mother sauces', and cheddar cheese. It could be seen as an English equivalent of the French Mornay sauce. The sauce is made by adding an amount of cheddar cheese to white sauce and then spiced using English mustard, Worcestershire sauce and pepper among other ingredients.
This is a categorically-organized list of foods. Food is any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is produced either by plants or animals, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals. The substance is ingested by an organism and assimilated by the organism's cells in an effort to produce energy, maintain life, or stimulate growth.
Crab dip, sometimes referred to as Maryland crab dip, is a thick, creamy dip that is typically prepared from cream cheese and lump crab meat. Other primary ingredients such as mayonnaise may be used. Various types of crab preparations, species and superfamilies are used, as are a variety of added ingredients. It is typically served hot, although cold versions also exist. Hot versions are typically baked or broiled. It is sometimes served as an appetizer. Accompaniments may include crackers and various breads. Some U.S. restaurants offer crab dip, commercially produced varieties exist, and some stadiums offer it as a part of their concessions.
Cream of broccoli soup is a soup prepared with broccoli, stock and milk or cream as primary ingredients. Ingredient variations exist, as do vegan versions. It is also a commercially, mass-produced soup, often sold in cans. Several recipes use canned cream of broccoli soup as an ingredient, such as its use with cooked chicken dishes and as a sauce.
Chili mac is a dish prepared using chili con carne and macaroni as primary ingredients, which is often topped or intermingled with cheese. Some versions are made using prepared or homemade macaroni and cheese. It is a common dish in the cuisine of the Midwestern United States, and is also popular in other areas of the United States.
Fried cheese is a dish of cheese that is fried in oil. Fried cheese can be dipped in a batter before frying, and can be pan-fried or deep fried. It can be served as an appetizer or a snack. Fried cheese is a common food in Brazil and the Dominican Republic, and is typically served as a breakfast dish in Costa Rica, Cyprus, Greece, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. Fried cheese is served as a tapas dish in Spain; fried cheese balls are delicias de queso 'cheese delights'. Fried cheese is also found in Italian cuisine. Fried cheese is typically served hot, right after being cooked. It may be accompanied with a dipping sauce or coated with a dressing.
Avocado sauce is a sauce prepared using avocado as a primary ingredient. Commercial sauces are typically prepared to have a thin, sauce-like consistency that is pourable. Commercial preparation involves mixing the avocado using high-speed blenders, which breaks up the pulp. Spices, water and emulsifiers are added, and the resultant product is then typically frozen to prevent browning. Popular brands include Kumana and Herdez.
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