Can You Freeze Cheese Sauce?
Updated on March 2, 2023
The cheese sauce is one of my kid’s favorite sauces and mine as it is super easy to make and goes with loads of different meals.
Cheese sauce goes great with cauliflower, pasta courgette and bacon, fish pie, and of course we cannot leave out lasagna!.
As we use it so regularly at home it got me wondering one day:
Can you freeze cheese sauce? The answer is yes you can freeze cheese sauce for up to 6 months. Although the sauce may split in the thawing process, the taste does not change at all. To bring the sauce back together whisk it in the heating process
Are you wondering if you can also freeze store-bought cream sauce or packet sauce? Or you may be wondering how to reheat the sauce from frozen for best results. Keep on reading as we answer these and all other questions you may have!
Can You Freeze And Reheat Homemade Cheese Sauce?
Yes, you can freeze and reheat homemade cheese sauce.
Homemade cheese sauce will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Any longer than that and the quality of the taste will be compromised. To prevent your cheese sauces from curdling stir well when reheating.
The cheese sauces that freeze the best are those made with camembert, cheddar, edam, mozzarella, muenster, parmesan, provolone, romano, and swiss. Any cheese sauce made with cream cheese or cottage cheese will not freeze well, as these cheeses do not freeze well.
To freeze your cheese sauce, separate it into small portions according to your needs. This is important because you can’t refreeze already frozen and thawed cheese sauce.
I usually place my sauce into ice tray cubes to flash freeze the sauce in small portions and avoid the portions from clamping together. Once they are firm to the touch, transfer the frozen portions into an airtight container, freezer bag or vacuumed sealed bag and freeze.
Do not leave the portions in the tray for longer than 1 hour or you run the risk that your sauce will suffer from freeze burns.
While freeze burns does not pose a health risk to your or your family, it will change the taste of your food.
To reheat your homemade cheese sauce, place your portions into the refrigerator overnight to defrost. Put the thawed sauce into the pan and heat over medium heat, stirring or whisking constantly to prevent the cream cheese sauce from curdling.
Can You Freeze Canned Cheese Sauce?
No, you cannot freeze cheese sauce in a can, as cans should not be frozen. According to the USDA, freezing cans can cause health problems.
Furthermore, canning is a method of food preservation that extends the shelf life of foods for an extended period of time (source: Foodsguy.com). The likelihood is that the can will preserve the cheese sauce better and for longer than the freezer. So no need to open the can to just freeze the content.
If however you opened the can and had some leftover cheese sauce, the cheese sauce without the can be frozen.
Simply place your leftover sauce into ice cube trays for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the sauce is firm to the touch. Once the cheese sauce is firm to the touch, transfer your cubes into an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
Do not leave the cubes in the tray uncover for longer than 1 hour or your cheese sauce can suffer from freezer burns.
According to the U.S Food and Drug Administration, freezer burns do not pose harm to you or your family’s health, it can however compromise the flavor and quality of the cheese sauce.
Canned cheese sauce, like regular cheese sauce, will change its appearance when defrosted. It will be runnier, the color might change slightly, and the surface will curdle, this is due to the separation and molding of fat. To bring the sauce back to life simply stir, or whisk, constantly when reheating over medium to high heat.
Can You Freeze Packet Cheese Sauce?
Yes, you can freeze packet cheese sauce after it has been made. It is however not recommended to freeze your packet cheese sauce without being made as the moisture of the freezer will spoil it.
Made packet cheese sauce, like regular cheese sauce, will change its appearance when defrosted. It will be runnier, the color might change slightly, and the surface will curdle, this is due to the separation and molding of fat. To bring the sauce back to life simply stir, or whisk, constantly when reheating over medium to high heat.
Can You Freeze Cheese Sauce Made With Cream?
No, you cannot freeze cheese sauce made with cream, as cream sauces often break. For best results add the cream after the cheese sauce has been thawed and once you are ready to use all your sauce.
If however, you have already frozen your cheese sauce with cream, and want to try and save it; I recommend you place the thawed sauce on a saucepan over low to medium heat whisking vigorously.
Do not let the sauce boil.
If you see the sauce start to break, take it off the heat, pour it into a blender and add a tablespoon of very hot water, then blend until the sauce is smooth and creamy again (Source: Food52).
Can You Freeze Store Bought Cheese Sauce?
Yes, you can freeze store-bought cheese sauce, but not in the glass container it comes in or it will break.
Instead, transfer the sauce into ice cube trays for approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until the sauce is firm to the touch. Once the cheese sauce is firm to the touch, transfer your cubes into an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag.
Do not leave the cubes in the tray uncover for longer than 1 hour or your cheese sauce can suffer from freezer burns.
According to the U.S Food and Drug Administration, freezer burns do not pose harm to you or your family’s health, it can however compromise the flavor and quality of the cheese sauce.
In the refrigerator, store-bought cheese sauce will last up to 4 days, while in the freezer the sauce will last up to 6 months.
Store-bought cheese sauce, like regular cheese sauce, will change its appearance when defrosted. It will be runnier, the color might change slightly, and the surface will curdle, this is due to the separation and molding of fat. To bring the sauce back to life simply stir, or whisk, constantly when reheating over medium to high heat.
Can I Freeze Cheese Sauce For Babies?
Yes, you can freeze cheese sauce for babies for up to 6 months.
Simply place your cheese sauce into ice tray cubes to flash freeze the sauce in small portions. Once they are firm to the touch, transfer the frozen portions into an airtight container, freezer bag or vacuumed sealed bag and freeze until needed.
Do not leave the portions in the tray for longer than 1 hour or you run the risk that your sauce will suffer from freeze burns.
While freeze burns do not pose a health risk to your baby, it will change the taste of your food.
How Do You Store Cheese Sauce In The Freezer?
Ensure that you store your cheese correctly by following these simple steps:
Step 1
Allow your cheese sauce to cool down completely.
Leave the sauce at room temperature for no more than 2 hours or you run the risk that the natural bacteria from the food grow at dangerous levels causing food poisoning (source: USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA)).
If after 2 hours your sauce is still hot, place it in the fridge for an hour or two.
Do not place your cheese sauce in the freezer while it is still hot, or you run the risk to bring the temperature in your freezer up, potentially defrosting other foods! (source: Ministry for Primary Industries)
Step 2
Once your cheese sauce has completely cooled down, place the sauce in ice tray cubes and into the freezer.
Placing the sauce into ice tray cubes will allow you to flash freeze small portions.
Flash freezing small portions will allow you to thaw what you need and will prevent clamping. It also has the added benefit that thawing will be much faster with small cubes than a container full of sauce.
Step 3
Label your airtight container, freezer bag, or vacuum-sealed bag before transferring the sauce from the ice cube trays.
This will allow you to identify the sauce and keep on the use-by date. Remember that the sauce will preserve well in the freezer for up to 6 months. Beyond that, the quality of the taste will start to diminish.
Step 4
Transfer your cheese sauce cubes into the labeled airtight container, freezer bag, or vacuum-sealed bag once the sauce in the tray feels firm to the touch.
Do not leave the cheese sauce in the ice cube trays for longer than 1 hour without covering it, or you run the risk that the sauce will suffer from freeze burns.
While freeze burns does not pose a health risk to your or your family, it will change the taste of your food.
Step 5
Place your airtight container, freezer bag, or vacuum-sealed bag back in the freezer, and freeze for up to 6 months.
How Do You Cook Frozen Cheese Sauce?
I recommend defrosting your frozen cheese sauce in the refrigerator prior to cooking it, then place it in a saucepan over low to medium heat and stir continuously until the sauce has reached 167 °F (75 °C). Sometimes dairy products can separate when frozen. Cooking it from frozen won’t allow you to stir the sauce continuously to allow it to come together again before it curds.
Conclusion
Cheese sauce can definitely be prepared ahead of time and frozen for up to 6 months. Simply ensure you store your sauce in an airtight container, freezer bag, or vacuumed sealed bag to avoid freezer burns.
Don’t forget to label your bag to avoid freezing the sauce for longer than 6 months. While freezing it longer will not cause any health concerns, the flavor will be compromised.
Once you are ready to use your delicious cheese sauce, defrost it in the refrigerator and place it in a saucepan over low to medium heat until it has reached 167 °F (75 °C).
Voila, prepare a meal that will wow your family and friends in minutes!