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Home Dips

Nachos Cheese Dip (and Sauce!)

By:Nagi
Published:23 Oct '14Updated:18 Feb '20
240 Comments
Recipe v Video v

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!

Nachos Cheese Dip that stays silky smooth even when it cools! Just 5 min to make, without using processed cheese! recipetineats.com

“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.

Nachos Cheese Dip that stays silky smooth even when it cools! Just 5 min to make, without using processed cheese! recipetineats.com

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!

Nachos Cheese Dip that stays silky smooth even when it cools! Just 5 min to make, without using processed cheese! recipetineats.com

Nachos Cheese Dip & Sauce that does not harden when cooled, and doesn't split when reheated. Just 5 min to make, without using processed cheese! recipetineats.com

“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

Nachos Cheese Dip & Sauce that does not harden when cooled, and doesn't split when reheated. Just 5 min to make, without using processed cheese! recipetineats.com

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This dip does not harden when cooled, and doesn't split when reheated. Just 5 min to make, without using processed cheese. #dip #cheese #nachos #sauce

Nachos Cheese Dip & Sauce

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 2 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 7 mins
Appetizer, Dip
Tex-Mex
4.81 from 56 votes
Servings6 -8
Tap or hover to scale
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This dip is great not only because it's a two-in-one recipe, but because unlike most other cheese dips and sauces, it does not separate and congeal as it cools and it is just as good (if not better) served cool or at room temperature as it is warm. It's also a super simple recipe which takes minutes to prepare and only 5 or so minutes to cook.

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:

1. Pre shredded cheese contains additives to avoid clumping. As a result, sometimes they do not melt as well as you'd hope into liquid form, like this dip (melting on toast, on casseroles etc is ok). The end result can be a bit grainy which is not very nice.
Consequently, it's safest to use freshly grated cheese.
Use any melting cheese you want. My favourite combination used to be half cheddar, half Monterey Jack because I thought that made the flavour similar to what you get at Mexican restaurants in the States but for some reason Monterey Jack is no longer sold at my local grocery store. Now I use cheddar and/or Colby.
2. This will keep in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days and reheats well. It's a perfect make-ahead cheese sauce / dip!
3. This needs to be made with evaporated milk. You can't use long life, powder milk or ordinary milk.
**Update: Further to a reader question, I tested freezing it and discovered that this freezes very well. I wasn't sure it would because plain evaporated milk should not be frozen but the addition of cheese must change the physical properties because this freezes perfectly. You would never know this was frozen once thawed.**
3. Pre shredded cheese contains additives to avoid clumping. As a result, sometimes they do not melt as well as you'd hope into liquid form, like this dip (melting on toast, on casseroles etc is ok). The end result can be a bit grainy which is not very nice.
Consequently, it's safest to use freshly grated cheese.
Use any melting cheese you want. My favourite combination for the Nachos Cheese Dip on which this recipe is based used to be half cheddar, half Monterey Jack because I thought that made the flavour similar to what you get at Mexican restaurants in the states but for some reason Monterey Jack is no longer sold at my local grocery store. Now I use cheddar and/or Colby. 
4. Nachos Cheese Dip nutrition per serving.
Nachos Cheese Sauce and Dip Nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 85gCalories: 209cal (10%)Carbohydrates: 6.3g (2%)Protein: 12g (24%)Fat: 15.2g (23%)Saturated Fat: 9.6g (60%)Cholesterol: 50mg (17%)Sodium: 607mg (26%)Potassium: 180mg (5%)Sugar: 4.9g (5%)Vitamin A: 450IU (9%)Vitamin C: 3.3mg (4%)Calcium: 380mg (38%)Iron: 0.4mg (2%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

PS Watch how easy to this to make in my Nachos Cheese Dip / Sauce VIDEO!

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

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240 Comments

  1. Nimah says

    May 25, 2022 at 4:27 pm

    For the canned jalapeños, is that like the old El Paso jar of jalapeños? If not, can you let me know which? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Samantha says

      June 4, 2022 at 5:20 am

      You’re correct. That would be just fine, just don’t pour the juice in the jar out with the jalapeños :p

      Reply
  2. Tracy says

    May 19, 2022 at 8:43 am

    You can’t really make this in a crockpot can you?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 19, 2022 at 3:59 pm

      I don’t see why not Tracy! Just stir occasionally until fully melted! N x

      Reply
  3. Carissa says

    May 8, 2022 at 9:06 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 9, 2022 at 4:19 pm

      It’s totally addictive snack food!! N x

      Reply
  4. Kate says

    April 17, 2022 at 11:48 am

    5 stars
    Best cheese sausage EVER!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 17, 2022 at 10:43 pm

      I am thrilled that you liked the it Kate!! N x

      Reply
  5. Bron says

    November 19, 2021 at 8:44 pm

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
  6. Liz says

    November 5, 2021 at 9:57 am

    5 stars
    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)

    Reply
  7. R. Miller says

    November 1, 2021 at 3:59 pm

    5 stars
    Just made it for a youth group get together and it was delicious, smooth and easy to pour on tortilla chips.

    Reply
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