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overhead view of Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce in a mini dutch oven
Olga

I Made Homemade Nacho Cheese for the World Cup (Better Than Any Jar)

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Homemade nacho cheese sauce made with evaporated milk and real shredded cheese. Smooth, creamy, and ready in about 15 minutes.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Colby Jack cheese
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 pickled jalapeno finely diced
  • 1/2 tbsp pickled jalapeno jar juice adjust based on preference

Method
 

  1. Pour the evaporated milk into a medium saucepan. Add the onion powder, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Heat over medium until it comes to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  2. Whisk in the cornstarch. Keep whisking for about 1 minute until the milk thickens slightly and looks glossy.
  3. Add the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack a handful at a time, whisking after each addition until fully melted before adding more.
  4. Once all the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth, stir in the diced pickled jalapeno and the jar juice.
  5. Remove from heat. Pour into a ramekin for serving or transfer to a small slow cooker on the warm setting to keep it hot.

Notes

Tips

Shred the cheese yourself off the block. Pre-shredded bags have an anti-caking coating that can make the sauce grainy.
Add the cheese slowly, a handful at a time. Dumping it all in at once causes clumping.
The sauce thickens as it cools. If it gets too thick, whisk in a splash of milk to loosen it.
For a milder version, skip the diced jalapeno and just use the jar juice.
For more heat, use a whole jalapeno and a full tablespoon of juice.
Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove over low heat with a splash of milk. Do not freeze.

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