A silky smooth Nachos cheese dip that doesn’t harden or congeal as it cools!! It is just as good served warm, at room temperature or cold. When warm, it can be used as a cheese sauce to pour over nachos, chips or whatever else takes your fancy. It takes just over 5 minutes to make and is great to make ahead as it reheats well.
Use this to make a Ripper Beef Nachos!
“This Nachos Cheese Dip was an invention out of necessity. Because I love cheesy dips, and I wanted one that did not harden or congeal as it cooled.”
I am yet to meet a cheese I don’t love. Plus I have a weakness for all things snacky. If there’s something to nibble on within reach, it’s like my arm is on auto pilot.
Therefore, this Nachos Cheese Dip is pretty much all my weaknesses bundled into one bowl. Place this with a pile of corn chips in front of me and I stand no chance.
I know there are loads of cheese dip recipes “out there”. And I tried quite a few of them (the ones without processed cheese), but the thing that I found inconvenient was that as the dip cooled, the cheese in the dip would harden. And when the dip was reheated, the dip would split (the oil would separate).
Being a Cheese Loving Snack Monster, I went on a mission to create a warm cheese dip/ sauce that would not harden as it cooled and was not made out of processed cheese. I was actually quite amazed that every recipe I looked at had a fairly similar base to the ones I had already tried, so I knew they would not achieve what I was after. Mind you, this was about 5 or so years ago. So maybe the internet is flooded with non-congealing warm cheese dips now!
“The secret ingredient in this is evaporated milk. That’s how this stays creamy – warm or cold.”
This dip is made with evaporated milk which makes all the difference. I was making an Alfredo Sauce using evaporated milk when the thought occurred to me that it might work for a dip too. Bit of corn starch / corn flour to thicken it, plenty of cheese (it is a Cheese dip!) and some additional flavourings to make it a nachos cheese dip.
So cutting to the chase, here are 7 reasons why I am obsessed with this Nachos Cheese Dip / Sauce:
1. It is ridiculously easy (5 ingredients, < 10 minutes);
2. Perfectly smooth;
3. Easily adjustable to your own taste. Increase, decrease or remove the spice factor, add your own flavourings;
4. Doesn’t use processed “plastic” cheese;
5. Can be made ahead. It keeps perfectly in the fridge for at least a week (it has never lasted longer in my house);
6. Reheats without splitting; and
7. Is a 2 in 1 recipe – a dip and a sauce. When warm, it is quite loose, like a thick sauce. It is pourable over nachos, chips or whatever else takes your fancy. (UPDATE: I just got a great tip from a reader to use this over tots! Never thought of that – that’s a step up from fries!!) When it is cool, it thickens up to a thick dip consistency. And when it is refrigerated, it is a spreadable consistency, like peanut butter. It can also be thinned out simply by adding a bit of milk (ordinary or evaporated).
Now please excuse me, I need to go and blow my my calorie budget for the entire week. Happy snacking! – Nagi x
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Nachos Cheese Dip & Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups / 225g / 8oz shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, etc), shred your own (Important - read Note 1)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1 can evaporated milk (375g / 12oz)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped jalapeño peppers (fresh or canned)
- 1 tbsp hot sauce (or adjust to your taste)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (optional - adds extra flavour)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional - adds extra flavour)
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Toss the cheese and cornstarch together in a saucepan.
- Add all other ingredients, cook over medium heat, whisking often until the cheese is melted and smooth.
- Adjust to your taste if required - with extra hot sauce and salt.
- While hot, it will have a sauce like consistency - perfect for pouring over nachos.
- As it cools, it will thicken and become a dip-like consistency. Whisk occasionally to mix in the skin that forms on the top.
- Stir in additional evaporated (or even normal) milk to achieve the desired consistency if you want to use it as a pourable sauce. Note that when you reheat it, it loosens up.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
PS Watch how easy to this to make in my Nachos Cheese Dip / Sauce VIDEO!
This dip is amazing. I used fresh jalapeno pepper, half the salt, and also added smoked paprika!
Hi Nagi, if making your nachos cheese sauce and I don’t have on hand hot sauce and jalapeno , what could I sub with please. Love your recipes and tell everyone about your website. TIA. Sandra
I wanted to leave a comment for the Nachos of Your Dreams but couldn’t as it a cook book only recipe. This cheese sauce is soooo easy but is absolutely amazing!!! My only dilemma is now my husband will be expecting this standard every time we have nachos. Thank alot Nagi!! 😀
This is utterly delicious. I used 1/2 tasty, 1/2 Colby.
I’ve been looking for a cheese dip recipe for years. I’m going to add sweetcorn next time cos I can imagine that’s a perfect fit and I just LOVE corn.
Thanks Nagi.
This cheese sauce is outstanding. It is better than any recipe I’ve tried and even anything I’ve had in restaurants. I sometimes use it to make a Chorizo Queso dip. I am regularly harassed to make this for friends and family. I make a quadruple batch and store it in vacuum sealed Mason jars. Thank you so much!
Can I ask a dumb question? Why is evaporated milk necessary? My boy is lactose intolerant so was hoping to be able to use some substitute. Any suggestions?
The evaporated milk keeps the dip from separating as it is cooled. The article clearly explains the necessity of it.
Delicious. Only problem I tasted the fresh jalapeño and my mouth is still burning. So I didn’t add any hot sauce. The cheese sauce is yum. Having it as a dip with corn chips and guacamole before MYO burritos. Following your beef burrito recipe Nagi. If there’s any cheese sauce left going to put it in my burrito. Double YUM!
This is my go to nacho cheese sauce recipe. Bestest estest ever 👌👌😁😁
This is easy and so delicious, I have made it many times. I used a combination of Monterey Jack and Sharp Cheddar both of which I found at Costco Marsden Park – very easy to work with and melt beautifully. However they were out recently so I’ve waited for them to bring them back…which they have much to my family’s excitement!
I smother this over white corn strips with some fresh diced tomato, diced red onion and blobs of mashed avocado. Yum!
For the canned jalapeños, is that like the old El Paso jar of jalapeños? If not, can you let me know which? Thanks!
You’re correct. That would be just fine, just don’t pour the juice in the jar out with the jalapeños :p
You can’t really make this in a crockpot can you?
I don’t see why not Tracy! Just stir occasionally until fully melted! N x
YES YES YES! We wanted to try a cheese sauce for a nachos and of course had to see if Nagi had one first. This is so simple yet so yummy! Tried it before adding the garlic and onion powder and it makes suuuuch a difference!
It’s totally addictive snack food!! N x
Best cheese sausage EVER!
I am thrilled that you liked the it Kate!! N x
Yum yum yum! Thankyou once again Nagi! This nacho cheese sauce was delish! I had to freeze the leftovers to stop myself from polishing off the lot!
I bookmarked this a while ago as I have always wanted to make an “american style” nacho cheese sauce. Just got around to making it and it is delicious! I used harvarti and aged cheddar cheese. I followed your recipe and love it like that but for those who are not sure about seasonings – you can always add them at the end and adjust to your own taste. Also one tablespoon of cornflour is very low carb so I wouldn’t worry if anyone is following a low carb diet :o)
Just made it for a youth group get together and it was delicious, smooth and easy to pour on tortilla chips.
We are Texan living in Singapore and can definitely support that this the the best Tex-Mex cheese dip ever, anywhere. And I love that it uses real cheese vs the velveeta of my childhood. Thanks for this innovative version. All of my besties of every nationality think it’s the bomb!
So glad you enjoyed it! N x
Could you use this a sauce on loaded kranskys?
This is one my favorite sauces for when I feel snacks.
Of course! It’s cheese!!! N x
I’m a little confused on the amount of cheese. How much cheese should I use?