Some nights you want dinner on the table in twenty minutes with minimal washing up and maximum flavour. This cheesy mustard sauce is the answer to those nights.

It's a simple cheese sauce – butter, flour, milk, and cheddar – lifted with a half teaspoon of Dijon mustard that adds just enough tang to make it interesting. Poured over a pork chop with boiled potatoes and broccoli, it turns a perfectly respectable midweek plate into something that feels considerably more considered than the effort involved.

I make this cheesy mustard sauce regularly. It takes about ten minutes and uses ingredients that are almost always in the kitchen.

Ingredients for Cheesy Mustard Sauce

(serves 1)

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 100–125ml whole milk
• 75g cheddar, grated
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: a little grated Parmesan, a pinch of smoked paprika

Method

1. Make the roux Melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the flour and stir continuously for a minute or two until the mixture is smooth and very lightly golden. This is the base that gives the sauce its body.

2. Add the milk Pour in the milk gradually, whisking as you go to keep it smooth. Keep stirring over a gentle heat until the sauce thickens — this takes three or four minutes. If it thickens too quickly, add a splash more milk and stir through.

3. Add the cheese and mustard Lower the heat and stir in the grated cheddar until fully melted and silky. Add the Dijon mustard, taste it, and season with salt and pepper. If you want more mustard heat, add a little more — half a teaspoon is a starting point, not a rule.

4. Serve Pour generously over your pork chop, potatoes, and broccoli. A pinch of smoked paprika on top if you want a finishing touch.

A few notes

Cheddar is the natural choice here — it melts well and has enough flavour to stand up to the mustard. A little Parmesan added alongside the cheddar gives it an extra savoury depth and is worth trying if you have some to hand.

Whole milk gives the best result. If the sauce thickens more than you'd like as it sits, a splash of warm milk stirred through brings it back.

Dijon is the mustard to use — it's sharp and clean without being aggressive. English mustard would work, but it's considerably more forceful, so use less.

This sauce also works well over cauliflower, leeks, or any robust vegetable that benefits from something rich and savoury alongside it.

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Footnote: Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef.