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This easy Nacho Cheese Sauce comes together in 5 minutes or less with just 4 ingredients โ and no roux! Itโs perfect for nachos or as a spicy dipping sauce, and you can easily control the heat depending on how many jalapeรฑos you add.
Megganโs notes
Iโve been making the easiest 3-ingredient, 5-minute homemade cheese sauce for years โ I put the cheese sauce on broccoli, serve it with appetizers like soft pretzels, even toss it with cooked macaroni for the easiest homemade mac and cheese.
As a classically-trained chef, Iโm always wondering what else I can do with the recipes I have, and this cheese sauce seemed ripe for a spicy makeover. It turns out all you need is a can of pickled jalapeรฑos, and itโs even easier if theyโre already diced.
Stir in a tablespoon or more (I like two tablespoons) and thatโs all it takes to make the homemade nacho cheese dip of your dreams. Enjoy it with tortilla chips, soft pretzels, and baked potatoes or on burritos, tacos, and quesadillas. So many options for the simplest nacho cheese sauce on the planet!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Shredded cheese:ย Itโs okay to use pre-shredded cheese here. Although they are tossed with agents to prevent the cheese from sticking together, it will still melt and thicken up fine.
- Cornstarch: The perfect thickener for this easy cheese sauce.
- Evaporated milk: This pantry-friendly milk substitute lends the perfect consistency.
- Salt: Itโs so important to taste your sauce as you season it or it might be bland. I keep a jar of tasting spoons next to my stove-top just for this purpose.
- Jalapeรฑos:ย Look for diced jalapeรฑos or buy whole or sliced and chop up yourself. I love San Marcos brand. I add just 1 tablespoon if Iโm serving kids.ย
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine cheddar cheese and cornstarch. Toss until cheese is evenly coated.
- Stir in evaporated milk and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt). Heat over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until cheese is melted and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in jalapeรฑos. Reduce heat to low, cover, and keep warm until serving time. Or, transfer to a slow cooker on the โwarmโ setting for serving.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield:ย This recipe makes about 2 cups Nacho Cheese Dip.
- Storage:ย Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat over low heat on the stove.ย
- Slow cooker:ย Make the recipe as directed below, on the stove, and then transfer it to your favorite slow cooker (I used one of the โmini sizesโ and there is room for a double batch of this cheese sauce recipe). Iโve left it on the โwarmโ setting for a few hours and all it ever needs is a little stir. It works really well!
- Regular cheese sauce: Just leave out the jalapeรฑos! For a milder nacho sauce, add a can of Ro*tel tomatoes and green chiles, drained.
- Cheese sauce for broccoli: I grew up eating Velveeta on frozen vegetables, and I can personally say that this homemade version is much tastier! Just leave out the jalapeรฑos (unless you want them in it, of course).
Nacho Cheese Sauce FAQs
Medium cheddar cheese melts easily without graininess, so I reach for that over sharp cheddar. Mozzarella, gruyere, Monterey Jack, and Havarti are also excellent melters. They will give a different flavor to your cheese sauce, though.
Some food purists implore you to shred cheese straight from the block, citing added anti-caking agents as a disaster for cheese sauce. However, shredded cheese is often tossed with cornstarch, and we are adding that here anyway. Iโve never had a problem making this cheese sauce with pre-shredded cheddar, and you shouldnโt either.
You can thicken cheese sauce by creating a roux on the front end (usually with butter and flour) or with a thickening starch such as corn starch, tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch.
Cheese sauce thickens as it cools, so if yours is getting too thick to handle, stir in milk (a tablespoon at a time) while heating your cheese sauce over medium-low heat.
Either thickener can work. I reach for cornstarch because itโs powdery consistency leads to a smooth, silky cheese sauce that doesnโt have a raw flour taste. Cornstarch is also a stronger thickener, so you can use less overall compared to how much flour youโd need to thicken the same amount of sauce.
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Nacho Cheese Sauce
Ingredientsย
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeรฑos or to taste (see note 2)
Instructionsย
- In a small saucepan, combine cheddar cheese and cornstarch. Toss until cheese is evenly coated.
- Stir in evaporated milk and salt and pepper to taste (I like 1 teaspoon salt). Heat over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until cheese is melted and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in jalapeรฑos. Reduce heat to low, cover, and keep warm until serving time. Or, transfer to a slow cooker on the "warm" setting for serving.
Notes
- Shredded cheese:ย Itโs okay to use pre-shredded cheese here. Although they are tossed with agents to prevent the cheese from sticking together, it will still melt and thicken up fine.
- Jalapeรฑos: Look for diced jalapeรฑos or buy whole or sliced and chop up yourself. I love San Marcos brand. I add just 1 tablespoon if Iโm serving kids.ย
- Yield: This recipe makes about 2 cups Nacho Cheese Dip.
- Storage:ย Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat over low heat on the stove.ย
This Nacho Cheese Sauce was just as you described โ super easy and really creamy. Actually used it for an easy mac and cheese. Just added cooked pasta to the sauce and we loved it!
Iโm glad you loved it, Cathy! Take care! โ Meggan