Spicy Nacho Cheese Sauce in just 10 Minutes!
on Feb 25, 2022
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Spicy Nacho Cheese Sauce is seriously everything! Scoop it up with nachos and chips, pour it over veggies (yes!!), eat it with pretzels and toasted bread – there’s no stopping you with this one. Just ten minutes to a silky smooth, cheesy, spicy sauce!
Yes! Yes! Yes! Let’s celebrate because we are in cheese heaven today.
I’m going to be honest. I’m not a big fan of overly cheesy food. Like I would never order a cheese stuffed pizza crust. Nah. Not a fan. But for some reason, give me a bowl of this spicy nacho cheese sauce and I can scoff it down all by myself. And lick my fingers in the process.
But my favourite way to serve this sauce? Pouring it all over loaded nachos. Warning: that stuff is addictive!
If you start searching for cheese sauces on your online grocery store, you’ll get a dozen brands selling them. But guys, this tastes 200% better than store bought.
Making your own vs buying
- Tastes cleaner, better than store bought. No sticky mouth or weird after taste here
- You know exactly what’s going into the sauce which is just eight ingredients. No chemicals, stabilizers etc
- You can make it your own. Play around with the flavours – add some chiles or jalapenos or extra mustard or even leave the garlic out
- It only takes TEN minutes to make!
Have I convinced you yet?
Here’s a quick picture of all the ingredients you need for the cheese sauce:
Only Rule: Use the right cheese
Making this nacho sauce is incredibly easy and there’s only one rule to follow. Use good quality cheese and use a cheese block instead of pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is usually tossed in cornflour or another kind of agent that keeps it from clumping, which actually makes it a bad choice for homemade cheese sauce. Pre-shredded cheese will make your sauce taste powdery and won’t give you the same silky smooth texture.
Richa’s top tips for the best Nacho Cheese Sauce
- Use a block of cheese and shred it yourself instead of buying pre-shredded cheese
- Cook your butter and flour on a low flame for about 60-75 seconds. This will ensure there’s no flour-y taste
- Always take the pot off heat before adding your cheese. The base bechamel mixture that we make will be hot enough to melt the cheese. If you heat your cheese it can split and become too stringy
- I’ve used coloured cheddar because I like that colour but you can use any mild or medium cheddar in this recipe
And that’s really it. Just keep things in mind and you’ll have a great tasting, homemade cheese sauce every single time! Now let’s get scooping! Also, try my No Brainer Loaded Nachos Platter recipe for INDULGENCE OVERLOAD.
More Snacky Dips
- Egyptian Beetroot Dip – Healthy and Easy!
- Lebanese Pecan Red Pepper Dip | Muhammara
- Garlicky Yogurt Party Dip
- How to make Hummus at home that’s light and airy
- Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Watch how to make nacho sauce recipe video
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Spicy Nacho Cheese Sauce in just 5 Minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons All purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup Whole milk, 1 & 1/2 cup separated
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon English mustard
- 1.5 cups Cheddar, shredded (approx)
Instructions
- Add oil, butter and garlic to a saucepan and heat gently. Add the flour and cook it while stirring for a minute.
- Whisk one cup milk in slowly so that there are no lumps. Keep whisking while bringing this to a simmer. Once it starts simmering, reduce the flame and cook for another minute, and then take this off the flame.
- Stir in salt (if using), paprika, mustard and finally the cheese. Whisk till the cheese has completely melted. Add half a cup of warm milk (bordering on hot) while whisking – this helps melt the cheese more effectively and getting the sauce to the right consistency. If the cheese still doesn't melt completely, add a splash of milk and put the pan back on the heat for a few seconds. Keep stirring till the cheese melts and then take the pan immediately off the heat. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Use a block of cheese and shred it yourself instead of buying pre-shredded cheese
- Cook your butter and flour on a low flame for about 60-75 seconds. This will ensure there’s no flour-y taste
- Always take the pot off heat before adding your cheese. The base bechamel mixture that we make will be hot enough to melt the cheese. If you heat your cheese it can split and become too stringy
- I’ve used coloured cheddar because I like that colour but you can use any mild or medium cheddar in this recipe
- Storage: This cheese sauce is best consumed immediately. But if you’d like to store it, you can transfer it to an airtight jar once its cool and refrigerate for up to four days.
- Reheating: To reheat, add a splash of milk and microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring after every 30 seconds till its reheated.
What cheddar do you use ?
I like using a brand called Colliers. Their mild coloured cheddar gives cheese sauce a deep yellow colour and has a great flavour. Plus it melts well