Super Easy Nacho Cheese Sauce

This nacho cheese sauce is extremely easy to make, I've been making it since I was little, and only takes around fifteen minutes. It's perfect for having some friends over, family gatherings, or just watching the big game.  It always goes pretty fast, so make sure to make a little extra when you have a lot of people over!


Also, if you like my instructable, don't forget to vote for it in the SodaStream Party Food Contest

Step 1: What You Need

First things first. To make this cheese sauce, you will need:

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons of butter (NOT margarine)
2 Tablespoons of flour
1 Cup of milk
Roughly 1/4 of a 32oz package of Velveeta, or around 8 oz

Equipment:
Small pot or saucepan
Stirring utensil

Step 2: The Roux

Melt the butter in the small pot over low heat. Make sure the butter does not start to bubble or burn. To do this, you may have to lift the pot slightly off of the burner or simply stir continuously until all of the butter has melted.

Once the butter has melted, add the flour to the pot and stir until the flour and butter are thoroughly mixed. It should have a pasty consistency. This is mixture is what's known as a roux and it will help to thicken the milk added in the next step.

Step 3: White Sauce

Once you've made your roux, add the milk to the pot, ensuring that the milk and roux are thoroughly mixed. Heat on medium to low for roughly three minutes, depending on how thick you want your cheese sauce to be. The longer you cook it, the thicker it gets, and vice versa. I usually don't cook mine for very long but you can compensate in the next step if you don't think you cooked it for long enough. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken as it cools to a safe temperature to eat. Make sure to stir frequently, almost constantly so the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan and burn. This is what's known as a basic white sauce and is used in making many sauces, gravies, etc.

Step 4: Add the Cheese

Next, take the Velveeta and cut it into pieces. The pieces don't have to be very small, you just don't want a large chunk of Velveeta since it will take a while to melt. Keep the burner on low, stirring the cheese sauce to melt the chunks of Velveeta. Once the Velveeta has melted, it's done!

Step 5: Serve

It's now ready to serve, although still pretty hot. I usually add some hot sauce for a little kick, but the nacho sauce tastes just fine without it. Serve with your favorite brand of tortilla chips or add a little on a chili dog to make a chili cheese dog.

The sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days-assuming it's still around by then!

As always, feel free to ask questions or leave comments or suggestions below.


Don't forget to vote for it in the SodaStream Party Food Contest if you liked it!

Comments

[HeideL1]

There are some classic mistakes in this recipe.. One is the making of a roux (butter and flour mixed with milk) you need this with real cheese because it keeps it smooth.. Velveeta is made to melt.. Next is the amount of milk to cheese! If you're only making 8oz of Velveeta? 1/2 cup of milk is all that's needed! This is supposed to be for NACHO cheese.. Ummm where's the rest? This would work for french fries i guess.. But Nachos?? Here.. Try this.. 16oz Velveeta, diced jalapeños get the jarred kind (2-3 tablespoons per taste) and about 2 tablespoons juice from jalapeño jar, 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup evaporated milk (this is the secret to keeping the cheese from solidifying later) 1/2 cup milk is fine. Melt together on stove (med-low to med) add small shakes of hot sauce for that nacho cheese "bite" until you like the flavor. There's no way to measure as tastes vary widely.. Or leave it without.. Good luck!!

[taria]

and this works? keeps it nice and smooth and semi thick so you can pour it over nachos?

[CoryH8]

[CoryH8]

I made this because it sounded great. The end results were not that great. The mixture almost completely took away the taste of the Velveeta cheese. It was creamy and looked good, but completely bland.

[TiffanyB22]

I'm Making This Now!!!

[SarahJ26]

probably an obvious question, but I've always struggled making nacho cheese, does this recipe have to be done with velveeta? Or does any meltable queso work?

[TeresaB13]

I made it it was pretty good and easy to make

[JoshConover]

It turned out great! I spiced mine up with a tablespoon of Valentina hot sauce and a couple squirts of Tabasco. Love it!

[angel.rachelle]

Btw you don't have to use real butter. My mom is a professional cook and I asked her. :)

[JoshuaM6]

Will it taste any good with water substituted for the milk?

[zeekums]

I guess you could but it would probably make is less creamy. Typically you add water to a roux for a thicker soup or stew. Adding milk is how you get a thicker creamer sauce.

[yongnicolle424]

what type of milk and butter to use?

[yongnicolle424]

how many people does this serve?

[eden.c.palmer]

i just made it...super easy and tastes really good!

[AlisonSutto]

I had to add salt and some hot sauce to this as I found it to be very bland. The hot sauce added a much needed zip more reminiscent of nacho cheese for me. I'm still searching for that ball park nacho sauce.

[eric.yan.98]

can you switch the velveeta with american cheese?

[dward15]

What is the benefit of making a roux first?
Why not just melt the velveeta down?
(serious question)

[tipaklong]

If you just melt the cheese, it will harden when it cools down again (let's say you made a lot and you want to keep some in the fridge). Making the cheese sauce from the Bechamel (roux + milk) allows the cheese to stay fluid when it cools down. Of course, the thickness of the sauce will depend on how much "roux to liquid" ratio you used.

[bman2011]

Drain,salt, and add to the chesse some rotel, and it makes the chesse sauce have small pits of chilis in it. My family loves it, but make sure the rotel is not too hot

[bigmama1079]

Well done, but... Velveeta? I'm not a cheese snob, but processed cheese just has this terrible metallic taste to it. Maybe it's just me...

Either way, thanks for the 'ible