There are just some things that are better made with Velveeta. We all know that gooey, melty goodness that is the golden cheese product. Over the last year, I’ve spent a lot of time focused on nutrition and fueling our bodies in a healthy way, which has meant eliminating foods like my dearly beloved Velveeta from our diet. This left me wondering, “Is there a way to make copycat Velveet at home, using real cheese?” This recipe is pretty darn close to the real thing and it’s surprisingly simple to make. I love the fact that I can feel good about feeding it to my kids. I use this to make any sort of cheese dip or casserole that calls for Velveeta. It’s a 1:1 substitute. The only difference is that with real food ingredients, this recipe is not shelf stable to infinity and beyond (you can thank my 3 year old for that reference).
Why can I feel good about this version? Well to start, its only 5 ingredients. Cheddar cheese, milk, cream, salt, and gelatin. The gelatin is the magic ingredient – it gives it that creamy texture that solidifies it, but provides a great melt. Why can I feel good about the gelatin? I’m not talking any off the shelf gelatin here. I’m talking about 100% grass fed bovine gelatin. It’s essentially collagen that has been cooked. There are a whole host of benefits to consuming gelatin in this form, some of which are that it provides collagens (which support bone and joint health), protein (but does not contain tryptophan, etc that meat does, which can cause inflammation), and is high in amino acids. I use Vital Proteins Unflavored Beef Gelatin (found at Whole Foods – my Whole Foods has little packets, of which you’ll need less than 1 packet to make this recipe).
Alright, now that the geeky food knowledge stuff is out of the way, let’s get started. Add the milk and cream to a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Don’t turn on the heat – you want to just let the gelatin sit for a few minutes. After 5-10 minutes, turn the heat on to low or medium low. You want to slowly heat the milk mixture.
In the meantime, shred the cheddar cheese in a food processor. You do not want to use pre-shredded cheese for this recipe, as you won’t get as good of a melt (and I have other issues with pre-shredded cheese containing unwanted ingredients, but that’s a whole notha’ thing). Anyway, just use cheese and only cheese. 😉 . Sprinkle a little salt on the cheese.
When the milk mixture is warm, pour it into the food processor and let the food processor run for about a minute. You want the cheese to melt completely and should end up with a smooth mixture. Transfer to a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate. If you are using in a sauce or casserole, use it right away – no need to let it solidify fully in the fridge.
Homemade Velveeta
Ingredients
3/4 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp heavy cream
2 tsp grass fed gelatin
12 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Pour the milk and heavy cream into a small saucepan. Do not turn on the heat. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let it sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the heat to medium low and heat until just steaming, being careful not to let it get to a boil. You want it hot enough to melt shredded cheese, but not boiling.
While the gelatin sits for 5 minutes, shred the cheddar cheese in a food processor. Add the salt to the food processor. Pour in the heated milk mixture and turn the food processor on. Let it run for about 1 minute, until the cheese is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Transfer to a bread loaf pan that has been lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate. If you are using in a casserole or dip, put it straight into your other recipe – no need to solidify it. Otherwise, refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
You do not want to use pre-shredded cheese for this, as it has ingredients added to prevent the shreds from sticking together. You’ll get a smoother melt from a block of cheese that you shred.