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.
Don’t judge. Nacho cheese dip is powerful stuff.
NO Processed Cheese, Please
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.
Spice it Up!
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.
Tips for Cheese Sauce Success
Here are a few tips to help make sure your homemade nacho cheese recipe is a success:
- Make sure to cook the flour in the butter for one minute. This helps cook out the “floury” flavor.
- Use medium cheddar for smoother results. Sharp cheddar tends to “break” or become grainy easier than medium cheddar.
- Remove the pot from the heat before stirring in the cheese. Overheating the sauce once the cheese has been added can cause the sauce to seize up and become thick and/or grainy. If needed, use only low heat to help the cheese fully melt.
- Use block cheese and hand shred it when possible. Pre-shredded cheeses sometimes contain a lot of anti-caking powders, which can cause a powdery flavor in your cheese sauce.
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
Servings 6 (1/4 cup each)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)
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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Nutrition
Video
How to Make Nacho Cheese – Step by Step Photos
Start by placing 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp flour in a small saucepot.
Heat the flour and butter over medium flame and whisk together until they become bubbly and foamy. Continue whisking for about 60 seconds. This mixture is called a “roux” and is what will thicken your sauce. Letting the roux cook for about 60 seconds slightly toasts the flour and gets rid of that raw floury flavor, but you want it to stay “blonde”, so if it begins to brown, remove it from the heat.
Whisk in one cup of whole milk. Turn the heat up slightly and let it come to a simmer (whisking frequently). Because the small volume, it should come to a simmer very quickly (about a minute).
When it reaches a simmer, the milk will thicken. When it’s thick enough to coat a spoon like in the photo, turn off the heat.
Whisk in 6oz. (or about 1.5 cups) shredded medium cheddar, one hand full at a time, until it is melted into the sauce. If needed, put the pot back over a low flame to help it melt, but the residual heat should do most of the work.
Finally, season the nacho cheese sauce with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp chili powder.
Taste the nacho cheese sauce and adjust the seasonings if needed. And that’s it! Now you have a real ingredient, really delicious, homemade nacho cheese dip.
This post either just ruined your life or made your day. Or maybe both.
Just wanted to send hugs and say thanks for ANOTHER great recipe! I am so grateful for having a nice cheese sauce that is free of processed junk! I cannot wait to make it! Who cares if it is after the NFL season. LOL
Sorry you are having a crappy week… Figured now was a great time to say thanks for all you do and send some love! Have a great day! :-D
THANK YOU! :D
I love your site and your recipes. Thanks so much for your blog.
That is a beautiful looking cheese sauce. Did you put a dash of chili powder on top for the photo or was it paprika?
Yep, that’s just a pinch of chili powder for texture/color in the photo. :)
Who knew cheese sauce was so easy to make! I need to try this soon.
I absolutely love nacho cheese I could drink it which I know is disgusting and unhealthy and soooo bad but it is soooo good! Haha I have never found a recipe that can recreate it as good but by the looks of this and your pictures it looks like ~I need to have a go!! Thank you for sharing xxx
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Pour it over a baked potato and broccoli! Maybe a sprinkle of bacon? Yummmmm
My mother’s cheese sauce rides again. And you can do it in the microwave. Melt butter, blend with flour, slowly blend in milk, zap, stirring every so often & then add cheese, stirring every so often.
Sorry you had a crappy week.
I wonder how this would be over some cooked elbow noodles? Like a stovetop Mac n cheese?
I actually came here to ask about Mac and cheese. I tried my own nacho cheese yesterday, and it came out too runny. Partly because I swapped out some of the milk for beer instead, and partly because I had less cheese than I thought I did. So I’m wondering how I can doctor it (besides adding more cheese) to make it a good sauce to go over pasta.
@Karen M That is actually how I make Mac n cheese – stovetop, all in one pan. I do often then put it into a 5 1/2 inch deep dish pie thing I have, top with bread crumbs and back for a bit, but it is also great right out of the pan :) !
My Mac n Cheese for 1 = 1/3 T butter, 1/3 T flour, 1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup cooked pasta, 1/3 cup cheese
@Beth – Sorry you had a bad week – hope this one is better!
This is actually the same sauce that you’d use for mac and cheese, just slightly thicker (it’s just a basic “cheese sauce”). All you need to do to thin it out is add a bit more milk. I’d try an extra 1/2 cup to 1 cup.
Oh, this looks so good and too easy. Good thing we don’t have any chips in the house.
i LOVE it!!! i can’t wait… but will have to… until after this month’s whole 30… er, whole 29.
Life ruiner. I have a huge block of pepper jack in my fridge and zero willpower…….
Oh yum! I never realised this could be so easy – just a basic really cheesey white sauce! Husband and I will give this a go this weekend….
Ruined my life and made my day both ring true! I’m literally going to make this as soon as I get home today.
Oh dear lord!!!! Now I just want this with salsa and chips for supper! Pfff thanks a lot Beth!!!! LOL
Made my day, ruined my diet! But then again, it’s unprocessed, real food, and will bring me joy, so that’s something :) Maybe I can dip veggies in it!