5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (2024)

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$2.83 recipe / $0.47 serving

by Beth - Budget Bytes

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4.13 from 243 votes

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I know, it seems kind of weird that I’m posting this homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce recipe the dayafter 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.

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (2)

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 saucemyself, with real, simple ingredients. To my surprise (and probably to my detriment), this homemade nacho cheese recipe made with real cheddar cheese isextremely 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 Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (3)

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce

4.13 from 243 votes

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

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (5) Servings 6 (1/4 cup each)

Cook 5 minutes mins

Total 5 minutes mins

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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.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 183.1kcalCarbohydrates: 4.92gProtein: 8.13gFat: 14.65gSodium: 337.23mgFiber: 0.32g

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

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Video

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (7)

How to Make Nacho Cheese – Step by Step Photos

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (8)

Start by placing 2 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp flour in a small saucepot.

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (9)

Heat the flour and butter over medium flame and whisk together until they become bubbly and foamy. Continue whisking for about 60 seconds. Thismixture 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.

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (10)

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).

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (11)

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.

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (12)

Whisk in 6oz. (or about 1.5 cups) shredded mediumcheddar, 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.

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Finally, season the nacho cheese sauce with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp chili powder.

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (14)

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.

5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (15)

This post either just ruined your life or made your day. Or maybe both.

Try These Other Great Party Appetizers:

  • Black Bean Taquitos
  • Double Spinach Artichoke Dip
  • Crispy Baked Honey Sriracha Chicken Drumsticks
  • Raspberry Balsamic Baked Chicken Wings
  • Pizza Rolls
5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best melting cheese for nachos? ›

A: While you can technically use any type of cheese for nachos, some cheeses work better than others. The best options include Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, and Queso Blanco.

How much nacho cheese do I need for 100 people? ›

If you can only find 15-oz cans of nacho cheese sauce, you'll need about 18 to 26 cans (too many!). I say buy bigger cans or make a large batch of cheese sauce with Velveeta (serves 24) at that point.

What keeps nacho cheese liquid? ›

Salts such as sodium citrate and sodium hexametaphosphate are known in the cheese industry as melting salts. Their primary purpose is to swap sodium ions for calcium ions bound to the casein proteins in cheese. In doing so, they loosen these proteins and make them water-soluble. We used two different recipes.

How long does homemade nacho cheese last? ›

Allow the nacho cheese sauce to cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can freeze the nacho cheese for up to six months.

What kind of cheese do Mexican restaurants use on nachos? ›

Asadero Cheese

Because of its spectacular melting properties, it's an ideal base for queso on nachos, burritos, tacos, enchiladas or any Mexican dish.

What cheese is the hardest to melt? ›

Acidity: Some cheeses are also too acidic to melt well, like paneer, feta, and ricotta. These are generally cheeses that were curdled with acid rather than rennet. They're often great cheeses for grilling or frying, because they hold their shape even when heated.

How many people does a large can of nacho cheese serve? ›

At 3 oz servings thats about 42 servings.

Does 7 Eleven charge for nacho cheese? ›

The secret to great 7-Eleven food

Something very important to know about 7-Eleven is that most locations have a nacho cheese and chili dispenser proudly advertised as free to use, plus a condiment bar next to the hot dog rollers. If you're lucky and the bar is fully stocked, you've just hit the jackpot.

Why is nacho cheese so addictive? ›

And some even go as far to speculate that the milk protein found in cheese, called casein, may stimulate cheese cravings. During digestion, casein is broken down into casomorphins, which are thought to have an opiate-like effect.

What is the white stuff in nacho cheese? ›

They're most likely calcium lactate crystals, also known as “cheese crystals.” They are completely safe to eat, and usually signify that a cheese is flavorful and well-aged. Calcium lactate crystals form naturally during the aging process and are most commonly found in aged cheddars, including Smoked Medium Cheddar.

Why does my nacho cheese get watery? ›

Why does my Cheese Sauce become watery once opened and refrigerated? Once a cheese container is opened, the product is exposed to its surroundings where various enzymes can break down the thickness or viscosity of the cheese-based sauce.

What cheese is best for nachos? ›

A Monterey Jack cheese will have the oozy-melty quality sought after in the best nachos, while a standard sharp cheddar will offer a little tang.

Is nacho cheese left out overnight still good? ›

To keep yourself safe from bacterial growth or spoilage, you should only keep cheese out for four hours, according to Adam Brock, director of food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

How to tell if nacho cheese is spoiled? ›

Open the jar and give it a whiff; If you're getting a rancid or sour, ammonia-like scent, Chef Reader explains it's time to toss what's left. While you could also taste your dip, this could result in a bout of food poisoning, so we suggest just following your nose.

What kind of cheese is used at Mexican restaurants? ›

Two of the most common Mexican cheeses you probably heard are cotija and queso fresco. These two popular Mexican kinds of cheese have distinctive characters that they add to various Mexican dishes. Queso fresco and cotija cheese are the most common and are often compared to each other for multiple reasons.

What kind of cheese melts on tacos? ›

Cotija, either crumbled or grated will be the most authentic. Alternates would be Añejo, Enchilado or Chihuahua. For additional richness, crema (a sour cream product) can be added. Other Mexican cheeses like panela, queso asadero and queso fresco do not have much in the way of flavor to effectively garnish a taco.

Is Monterey Jack a good melting cheese? ›

Monterey Jack is the cheese goddess of melting. With a high fat and moisture content, this semi-hard American cheese will melt on cue for baked pasta, grilled cheese sandwiches, and any quesadilla it lays its eyes on.

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