Quick & Creamy Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce
Make a rich, smooth nacho cheese sauce from scratch in under 10 minutes. This recipe uses real cheddar cheese and is perfect for dipping chips or topping nachos.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 10 min
- Yield: About 1.5 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for a kick)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for one minute, stirring constantly to create a roux.
- Gradually whisk in the whole milk until the mixture is smooth. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let it boil rapidly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the shredded cheddar cheese, salt, and cayenne pepper (if using). Stir until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth and velvety.
- Serve immediately over nachos, fries, or use as a dip for tortilla chips.
Notes
- Shred your own cheese for the smoothest texture; pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking agents that can make the sauce grainy.
- If the sauce becomes too thick upon standing, whisk in a tablespoon of milk or water until you reach your desired consistency.
- This recipe makes a great game day cheese dip.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 175
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 3
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 9
- Cholesterol: 40
Find it online: https://cheffinity.com/quick-creamy-homemade-nacho-cheese/