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.
This is my go-to nacho cheese sauce recipe! It’s so easy and quick. I make it as directed but add in roughky chopped pickled jalapenos at the end before serving. Thank you!
Yum!!
Can I use 1% milk?
I wouldn’t suggest it. That will affect both the flavor and texture of the cheese sauce.
I did it with 2% and it turned out beautifully!
How long is this good for in the fridge?
This one is definitely best eaten when it’s first made. It may not stay smooth when reheated. I have another cheese sauce that is more stable and holds up really well to refrigeration and reheating. It uses evaporated milk instead of a flour roux to emulsify the cheese. You can find the recipe within this post: Spicy Roasted Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce
Made this cheese sauce it was awesome. I made it to go on horseshoe sandwiches. This sandwich is from the Midwest. I didn’t use the chili powder I only used salt. Came out great.
Oooh those sound good!
Thank you for this recipe! I used sharp cheddar because it was on sale and I used Kosher salt and Penzey’s taco seasoning and it was fabulous!
Why add flour?
It helps to thicken the sauce.
It thickens, like Kelly said, but it also helps emulsify the cheese into the milk. Without it the cheese just sort of clumps up into a melted blob, separate from the milk.
Thank you for the recipe suggestion! I used your “concept” but incorporated my flavor …. I replaced the flour with steel cut oats turned to flour in my Bullet blender. I also used almond milk (unsweetened) bc it’s the only milk type product I consume. I also used Gouda cheese (block shredded as suggested) so your recipe with my “flavor” (what I’m used to eating). I used the spices you suggested. I also made this over my range (as you suggested). In a slow cooker, I added salsa (organic from Costco … strong flavors) and shredded roasted breast meat chicken … on low (temperature). When the cheese dip was complete, I folded it into the slow cooker. Homerun! I really like your dip suggestion bc I’m NOT a Velvetta fan. Thank you for your recipe. Accolades from my visitors too!
WOW! I’ll have to try it out your way and see! Sounds delicious.
This is a really good base. I added extra salt, more chili powder, and used a few splashes of hot sauce. I used almond milk because it’s all I had and it worked fine. Thanks!!
Great base for a cheese sauce, but tasted more like a gravy than a cheese sauce. I added more milk and cheese, and some chopped jalapeños with juice. You really have to play around with it.
Kids loved this recipe Thankyou
This cheese sauce has a great consistency either cold of hot. If you want more of a kick, substitute cayenne pepper for the chili powder and add more to taste.
Add in an extra 2/3 cup of milk, more salt + chili powder, use sharp cheddar and it becomes edible
Maybe Lucy just really wanted some cheese okay? Maybe she was real hungry and just wanted some classic nacho cheese in her life, but no. Lucy if you ever read this I hope you got the nacho cheese you deserved.
P.S. will be trying this recipe tho I’m hungry for totchos
Would’ve given zero star if it would have let me. This is the blandest nacho cheese ever do you not have taste buds? This is awful, I wish I would’ve bought a jar of cheese instead. Learn how to cook.
I’ve made this sauce before and spiced it to my own taste, which is what mature adults do who know how to cook. What we don’t do is leave snarky troll-like comments. This is a solid recipe…for whomever is reading this, play with the flavors to make it your own.
I’m thinking she doesn’t know how to cook and that’s why it came out bland 😂😂😂😂
Wow. How rude! If you didn’t like it you should have said it was not to your taste or it lacked seasoning. No need to insult!
Also, people have different expectations from recipes. Some people prefer less seasoning. I have friends that are like that. So just because you didn’t like it doesn’t mean that someone else might not. Would you talk that way if you weren’t hiding behind a computer? Learn some manners!
The first time I made this I grated my own cheese…..came across the recipe again a year later and used shredded cheese….omg it tastes like 2 completely different recipes the only way to make this is if you grate your own cheddar.
The problem with pre-shredded cheese is that it’s usually coated with something (sometimes flour) to make it not stick to itself. This will severely alter the flavor of anything you are making. Definitely agree–shred your own cheese!