Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe

I know, it seems kind of weird that I’m posting this homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce recipe the day after the super bowl. But, the reason I made this nacho cheese sauce has nothing to do with the super bowl and everything to do with the fact that I have just had a crappy week. 🙂 After a series of unfortunate events and two recipe flops, I had an, “Ugh, I give up. Just give me some chips and nacho cheese.” moment.

Rather than going totally off the deep end and buying a gelatinous block of Velveeta, I decided to try to make the nacho cheese sauce myself, with real, simple ingredients. To my surprise (and probably to my detriment), this homemade nacho cheese recipe made with real cheddar cheese is extremely fast and easy to make.

The nacho cheese recipe below is the very basic version of nacho cheese, which you can customize or embellish in many different ways. Try substituting half of the cheddar with pepper jack, or stirring in a 4oz. can of diced green chiles. Experiment with the seasonings by adding a pinch of garlic powder, cumin, or even cayenne pepper. Stir in a few sliced green onions, or a can of Rotel tomatoes (drained). You can really have fun with this one.

Here are a few tips to help make sure your homemade nacho cheese recipe is a success:

New to cheese sauce? Try making our no-roux Easy Cheese Sauce that melts together smoothly in minutes and is absolutely fool-proof!

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce

This rich and tangy homemade nacho cheese only takes about 5 minutes to make and uses only real, simple ingredients.

Total: 5min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 Serving, calories 183.1 kcal, Carbohydrate 4.92 g, Protein 8.13 g, Fat 14.65 g, Fiber 0.32 g, Sodium 337.23 mg

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp butter ($0.22)
• 2 Tbsp flour ($0.02)
• 1 cup whole milk ($0.30)
• 6 oz. medium cheddar, shredded (about 1.5 cups) ($2.25)
• 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
• 1/4 tsp chili powder ($0.02)

Instruction:

1. Add the butter and flour to a small sauce pot. Heat and whisk the butter and flour together until they become bubbly and foamy. Continue to cook and whisk the bubbly mixture for about 60 seconds.
2. Whisk the milk into the flour and butter mixture. Turn the heat up slightly and allow the milk to come to a simmer while whisking. When it reaches a simmer, the mixture will thicken. Once it’s thick enough to coat a spoon, turn off the heat.
3. Stir in the shredded cheddar, one handful at a time, until melted into the sauce. If needed, place the pot over a low flame to help the cheese melt. Do not overheat the cheese sauce.
4. Once all the cheese is melted into the sauce, stir in the salt and chili powder. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. If the sauce becomes too thick, simply whisk in an additional splash of milk.

Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce

Nacho Cheese Sauce is ridiculously easy to make, and tastes so much better than store bought. Enjoy it as a dip or on a plate of nachos.

Prep: 2min

Total: 7min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 0.25 cup

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 0.25 cup, calories 220 kcal, Carbohydrate 4 g, Protein 11 g, Fat 18 g, Saturated Fat 11 g, Cholesterol 54 mg, Sodium 286 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 2 g

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese or processed American cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instruction:

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Whisk in flour and cayenne pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Whisk in milk and bring to a simmer.
4. Reduce the heat to low and add in cheese.
5. Stir until cheese is melted.

Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce

Nacho Cheese Sauce is easy to make at home. It’s perfect for game day, appetizer night, Summer get togethers, and more.

Prep: 5min

Total: 5min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 230 kcal, Carbohydrate 6 g, Protein 13 g, Fat 16 g, Saturated Fat 10 g, Cholesterol 54 mg, Sodium 323 mg, Sugar 4 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces extra sharp Cheddar cheese
• 4 ounces Pepper Jack cheese
• 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
• 12 ounces evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce (such as Frank’s)

Instruction:

1. In a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan set over low heat, combine cheese and cornstarch. Toss to combine.
2. Add evaporated milk and hot sauce and whisk constantly until cheese is melted. Continue whisking about 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and has thickened.
3. If cheese has thickened too much, add additional evaporated milk.
4. Serve immediately.

Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce

FAQ

What cheese is best to melt for nachos?

What is nacho cheese sauce made of?

How do you keep nacho cheese creamy?

How to make nacho cheese Gordon Ramsay?

1. Heat 1 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. While milk is warming up, combine remaining 1/4 cup milk and cornstarch in a small bowl. …
3. Once milk is hot and just barely beginning to steam, add in taco seasoning, cheese and cornstarch-milk slurry. …
4. Continue heating and occasionally whisking.