This nacho cheese sauce recipe will knock your socks off and leave your guests impressed! Easy to do, and tastes great! Keep reading to get all the tips and tricks for this delicious nacho cheese sauce recipe!
Hey, humans of the interwebs! I hope you’ve had a good weekend and you’re hopefully getting some sunshine wherever you are. We spent the weekend prepping for summer: weeding, mowing, tilling, the works. With the warm weather, we’ve also been planning and prepping for summer parties and barbecues. With barbecues comes barbecue food. You can go traditional with burgers, chips, and corn, or you can go rogue and make your own nacho sauce. Why nacho sauce? This cheesy side goes over nachos, burgers, tacos, pretty much anything. I’d venture to say that almost anything tastes better with nacho cheese! It’s guaranteed to please a crowd. Here’s how to make nacho cheese.
How To Make Nacho Cheese
Tools
To make a decent sauce, you really only need a few basics: a large pot or dutch oven, a solid whisk, and a spicy serving bowl. Add in a dash of patience, some terrific cheese, and you’ve got a recipe for a great topping! When it comes to the types of cheeses you use, the sky really is the limit. Here are two basic recipes, but feel free to mix and match depending on your preferences!
Classic Sauce
This is your “classic” nacho sauce. It has a cheddar base and works well with just about everything. I’d suggest getting a dip-sized crockpot or fondue pot to keep things warm and melty.
Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ c. butter melted
- 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. all-purpose flour
- 3 c. cold milk
- ½ tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. ground dried chipotle pepper
- ¼ tsp. ancho chile powder
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
- ½ lb. sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- ¼ lb. Monterrey Jack cheese shredded
- ¼ lb. Muenster cheese shredded
Instructions
- Start by melting your butter in a large pot (or Dutch oven), then sprinkle in the flour to make a roux. Whisking constantly until the mixture is thick and creamy. Allow this mixture to cook for 1-2 minutes. Then slowly pour the cold milk into the roux and whisk it constantly. Simmer the mixture, stirring it occasionally, until it thickens. This should take about five minutes. Stir in the spices: paprika, ground chipotle, ancho chile, cayenne, and salt.
- When everything is combined, reduce the heat to low (this is crucial) and add in your cheeses! Do it a handful at a time and continue to stir until it's completely melted. Then, salt to taste. Keep warm in a device of your choosing and serve.
Nacho Cheese Sauce: Queso Blanco
If you want something a little extra special, why not try out a Queso Blanco? This dip is made with white American cheese and has a different flavor profile than the classic Nacho cheese. Plus, this recipe is made in the microwave, and who doesn’t love that?
Queso Blanco
Ingredients
- ½ lb. white American cheese shredded
- 2 tbsp. chopped green chilies canned
- 1 tbsp. pickled jalapeno slices diced
- 1 tbsp. pickled jalapeno juice
- ⅓ c. milk
- ¼ c. water
- dash cumin
Instructions
- Start by combining all of the ingredients in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Place this in the microwave and cook for 5 minutes, making sure to stop and stir every minute. If the dip needs an extra 60 seconds or so in the microwave, go for it. It will start out thin but should thicken as it melts. Serve and enjoy!
Nacho Cheese Sauce: Twists
Want to kick it up a notch? Add in a can of Rotel or diced jalapenos. You could mix in freshly diced tomatoes, canned corn, or even ground beef to add a little bulk to your sauce. You can serve this sauce with pretzels, sheet pan nachos, or pulled pork sandwiches. The only limit is your imagination! You can keep these cheese sauces warm in a crockpot, but it’s so delicious that you will want to eat it straight from the pan!
What would you add to your sauce? What would you put it on? Let me know in the comments below and happy dipping!
Makes you hungry just reading about it, right? Let me know what you think of these recipes. If you would like another dip idea, keep reading.
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