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overhead shot of nachos on plate with meat, toppings and cheese sauce

Nacho Cheese Recipe

This homemade Nacho Cheese recipe is warm, creamy and loaded with melty cheese flavor. With 15 minutes, it's ready to serve and so much more delicious than store-bought. It's the perfect easy sauce to make from scratch for game days, parties, and topping your favorite foods.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Appetizer, dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 12 ounces canned evaporated milk
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar or velveeta
  • 1/4 cup milk see note
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles optional

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. If using pickles or onion and jalapeños, cook for 3-5 minutes
  2. Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and onion powder and cook for 30 seconds more.
  3. Add the evaporated milk and cream cheese to the pan and cook, stirring over medium heat until the cream cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
    Enjoy!

Notes

Storage:
  • Store leftover nacho cheese in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4–5 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave in short intervals, stirring often, adding a splash of milk if needed to restore the creamy texture.
  • Prep and cook the sauce in advance: allow it to cool, then store in the fridge until you're ready to serve. Reheat gently on the stove over medium heat, adding in a splash of milk to smooth the consistency.