Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H. Aside from the awesome fixings, the real key to the best nachos is the best nacho cheese sauce! You must have great nacho cheese for great nachos. Period. Today I’m bringing to you my favorite way to make nacho cheese. It’s incredibly quick and easy to make, and it incorporates a little trick I learned when I worked at a movie theater during my teen years. In the concession stand, it was my job to dump a big can of unflavored processed American cheese into a nacho cheese warmer. To make nacho cheese, we swirled in pickled jalapeno juice, along with a healthy portion of pickled jalapenos, into the cheese and served it up over corn tortillas. It doesn’t get any better than this! It gives your nacho cheese that spicy kick that it needs. Brings me back to my old movie theater days. I still love movie theater nachos. We love this recipe, and I’m happy to share it. It’s perfect for game day, or any day, for making homemade nachos or serving with Doritos or chips as a nacho cheese dip. Let’s talk about how to make nacho cheese, shall we? Make a Simple Roux. Stir in the flour and stir continuously for 2-3 minutes to form a roux. Add the Milk. Stir in the milk and allow to simmer. It will bubble just a bit around the edges. Stir in the Cheese. Reduce the heat to medium low heat, then slowly add the cheese a bit at a time. Continue stirring until it all melts through. Add the Pickled Jalapeno Juice. Stir in the pickled jalapeno juice (and some of the pickled jalapenos, too, if you want!). Keep stirring until the cheese sauce is nice and smooth. Adjust and Serve. Taste and adjust for salt, then serve with tortilla chips! Boom! Done! Your spicy, homemade nacho cheese sauce is ready to go! Someone grab a bag of tortilla chips, please! I need some nachos, stat! This will make you about 2 cups of nacho cheese. These can produce slightly grainy nacho cheese, though the flavor is fantastic. Consider a combination. Don’t use pre-shredded cheeses, as they contain anti-caking ingredients and don’t melt consistently.
Pickled Jalapeno Juice is Key
This is the trick I learned from working at the movie theater for years. It works great, and gives you that authentic theater nachos experience. You can also add in a bit of cayenne pepper or hot sauce for extra heat.
The Perfect Cheese Sauce
Use your nacho cheese for something other than nachos! Spoon some onto your hot dog for a great Nacho Cheese Dog. Swirl it into soups for a cheesy version, like my Southwest Chicken Soup. Swirl it into a bowl of chili or to make Chili Cheese Mac.
Keep Your Nacho Cheese Warm and Creamy
Serving it as a dip? It is best to keep your nacho cheese dip warm in a small crockpot or slow cooker, or on low heat on the stove. Stir it regularly, as it can begin to clump and harden if even heat is not applied. Stir in a bit of milk if it starts to lose its creaminess. To reheat it, add it to a pot and slow add in a bit of butter or milk while heating on medium-low. Continue stirring until it melts again to the consistency you prefer. Be careful not to overheat the cheese. That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my nacho cheese dip recipe. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy! NOTE: This recipe was updated on 1/27/23 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 2/7/22.
