Nacho Cheese Sauce (2024)

You know that irresistible nacho cheese sauce you get at bowling alleys, ball parks, and stadiums? Believe it or not, you can replicate that delicious flavor in the comfort of your own home with this nacho cheese sauce recipe!

Nacho Cheese Sauce Ingredients

These are the simple ingredients you'll need to make this nacho cheese sauce recipe:

· Butter and flour: This nacho cheese starts with a roux made of equal parts butter and all-purpose flour.
· Milk: You'll need a cup of whole milk.
· Cheese: For this classic nacho cheese recipe, opt for sliced processed American cheese.
· Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the savory flavor of the nacho cheese.

How to Make Nacho Cheese Sauce

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade nacho cheese sauce:

1. Make the roux with butter and flour.
2. Pour in the milk and whisk until thick.
3. Add cheese and salt, then cook until the cheese is melted.

How to Use Nacho Cheese Sauce

Of course, this nacho cheese sauce is perfect for making classic nachos! Pour it over tortilla chips and finish with your choice of toppings (ground beef, jalapenos, and diced tomatoes are all crowd-pleasing options). It's also fantastic drizzled over sliced potatoes or inside quesadillas or grilled cheese sandwiches.

How to Store Nacho Cheese Sauce

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.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"Just what I was looking for," according to Cleatina Rougau. "I adjusted for more servings and I added onions and bell peppers. It came out fantastic."

"This particular recipe is for that fake-tasting NACHO CHEESE that we all love," says Chef Boyar-G. "The cheese that we get poured over chips at a ballgame or at the movies."

"Love this recipe," raves tlp73. "I dice up some jalapeño peppers and add a little of the juice from the jar to the cheese to give it a little kick."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Nacho Cheese Sauce (2024)

FAQs

What is nacho cheese sauce made of? ›

Butter and flour: This nacho cheese starts with a roux made of equal parts butter and all-purpose flour. Milk: You'll need a cup of whole milk. Cheese: For this classic nacho cheese recipe, opt for sliced processed American cheese. Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the savory flavor of the nacho cheese.

How to make cheese sauce that doesn't harden? ›

For Smooth, Stable Cheese Sauces, Cornstarch and Evaporated Milk Are Your Friends. How to make a stable emulsion of melted cheese using two basic pantry staples.

How many cans of nacho cheese 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!).

What cheese is best 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.

What is the best way to melt cheese for nachos? ›

To help keep your cheese stringy, shred it to expose more surface area so the cheese will melt more quickly, bring it up to room temperature before heating so it doesn't require as much heat energy to melt, and use low, gentle heat.

What makes nacho cheese liquid? ›

To create the smooth, creamy texture of cheese sauce, you'll need an emulsifier: an ingredient that helps different compounds that usually don't mix well together (like water and fat), bind in a stable way. This is where sodium citrate (aka sour salt) comes in.

How do you keep cheese sauce creamy? ›

Always keep the sauce over low heat so it's warm but not bubbling. If you have the time to bring your cheese and milk to room temperature first, that's another way to prevent a grainy, lumpy mess.

What thickens cheese sauce? ›

Egg yolk. Grated cheese. Grated cheese, such as cheddar or parmesan, can also act as a thickener in a cheese sauce and becomes a great binding agent in the cooking process. Try, for example, incorporating it into crustless quiches and cauli-pizza dough.

What is the best melting cheese for sauce? ›

What is the best melting cheese? Cheeses with more moisture and lower melting points - cheddar is one of the most popular choices, but Swiss and Gruyère are also terrific options. Which melts better, mild or sharp cheddar? Mild cheddar melts more smoothly than sharper (more aged) cheddar.

How much queso for 60 people? ›

1 batch of sauce makes 4 cups. Plan on approx. 1/2 cup per person, give-or-take depending on how much other food is being served. For serving, keep queso sauce warm in a small slow cooker or fondue pot.

How do you store extra nacho cheese? ›

Store-bought nacho cheese sauce will last up to four weeks in the refrigerator, while homemade cheese sauce will last only about four days. Store it in an airtight container to keep out moisture and contaminants.

How long does nacho cheese last in dispenser? ›

How long can I keep bags of opened, heated sauce in the dispenser? Typical hold times for heated cheese sauce in the dispenser are 5 days for Cheese sauces, with exception of 3 days for Supreme White Cheddar (G05124), and 7 days for chili.

What is the secret to good homemade nachos? ›

Packaged, pre-shredded cheeses contain stabilizers which hinder their meltability. Shred your own cheese instead of chopping or tearing it: Smaller pieces will melt quicker, which means your nachos will be perfectly gooey without charred or overdone chips. One layer of chips and toppings is good.

What cheese do Mexican restaurants use for nachos? ›

Asadero Cheese

It elicits a subtle tanginess that offers a little more dimension than Oaxaca cheese. Because of its spectacular melting properties, it's an ideal base for queso on nachos, burritos, tacos, enchiladas or any Mexican dish.

What brand of nacho cheese do movie theaters use? ›

Since then, the unmistakable aroma of Ricos Nacho Cheese Sauce has become synonymous with the joyous spirit of entertainment venues, sports arenas, and movie theaters across the globe.

Does nacho cheese have real cheese in it? ›

Nacho cheese is a real cheese in that it is made from cheese, but turns out it's not a real kind of cheese. And we're not talking "not real" in some sort of moral obligation to say that cheese you can pour out of a can or is a powder used on Doritos doesn't deserve to call itself cheese.

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.

Is Taco Bell nacho cheese sauce real cheese? ›

Nacho Cheese Sauce: Nonfat milk, cheese whey, water, vegetable oil (canola oil, soybean oil), modified food starch, maltodextrin, natural flavors, salt, dipotassium phosphate, jalapeno puree, vinegar, lactic acid, cellulose gum, potassium citrate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, citric acid, annatto and oleoresin paprika ( ...

What's the difference between nacho cheese and queso? ›

"Nacho cheese" is a specialized cheese sauce designed for nachos, a popular snack, or appetizer, known for its smooth, creamy texture and mild, slightly tangy flavor. In contrast, "queso cheese" is a more general term that encompasses various cheeses used in Mexican cuisine, available in different f…

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Dong Thiel

Last Updated:

Views: 5889

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (59 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Dong Thiel

Birthday: 2001-07-14

Address: 2865 Kasha Unions, West Corrinne, AK 05708-1071

Phone: +3512198379449

Job: Design Planner

Hobby: Graffiti, Foreign language learning, Gambling, Metalworking, Rowing, Sculling, Sewing

Introduction: My name is Dong Thiel, I am a brainy, happy, tasty, lively, splendid, talented, cooperative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.