Cinema Style Nacho Cheese Sauce

Name: Cinema Style Nacho Cheese Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ingredients: 25 g Butter; 20 g All Purpose Flour; 1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk; 1 Cup Milk; 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper; 1/2 tsp Dijon Mustard; 50 g Monterey Jack Cheese; 30 g Red Leicester Cheese; 30 g Cheddar

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

If you’ve ever wondered how to make nacho cheese sauce, this recipe is perfect for you. Great for movie nights, you can bring that cinema experience a little closer to home with your own cinema style nacho cheese recipe. Using only natural cheeses, this super-quick, easy recipe is perfect for the whole family to enjoy.

Page Contents

A bowl of nacho cheese surrounded by nachos and a separate bowl of guacamole.

A Nacho Cheese Dip Without Velveeta

Nacho Cheese Dip is usually available at the cinema, but exactly which ingredients go into it?

In America, to achieve that silky smooth texture of a nacho sauce, they often add a processed cheese called Velveeta to the recipe. However, this isn’t available to purchase in the UK, so we need to make our nacho cheese sauce without Velveeta. Thankfully, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s easily achievable. In addition, there’s no need to use burger cheese slices either, this recipe uses only natural cheese.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick and Easy – It’s ready in under 10 minutes and doesn’t need many ingredients.

Healthier – This dip only uses natural cheeses, so kids can enjoy it too.

You Can Make it Ahead – It’s super easy to reheat. Just pop it in the microwave and for 30 second intervals until it’s ready.

Overhead view of the cinema style nacho cheese with a hand dipping in a nacho.

Equipment Needed

Saucepan: A medium-sized saucepan to heat and cook the cheese sauce.
Whisk or Spoon: A whisk or spoon to stir and combine the ingredients smoothly.
Grater: A cheese grater to grate the cheese if using a block of cheese.
Measuring Scales: Weighing Scales to accurately measure the ingredients.
Stovetop: To heat all the ingredients to make the cheese sauce

Ingredients

Flour and Butter – These two ingredients are combined over a low heat to create a roux. This gives the sauce a thick consistency and without this, the nacho cheese would be too runny.
Evaporated Milk and Full-Fat Milk – We use a combination of the two for the base of the cheese sauce. Evaporated milk will make your sauce a little more creamy.
Dijon Mustard and Cayenne Pepper – For that added depth or flavour and a little spice.
Cheddar, Monterey Jack Cheese and Red Leicester Cheese – All the cheese we need for an extra cheesy dip!

Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce

This homemade cheesy dip is full of flavour and a lot more healthy than regular store-bought cheese dip. You can be a little more rest assured knowing exactly what you are feeding to your children by avoiding cheeses that have been overly processed and contain more salt.

The red Leicester cheese also gives it that typical bright yellow colour that your associate with the cheese dip you get in the cinema.

When it’s movie night, you can make the night feel extra special by serving this super simple cheese dip alongside a big bag of your favourite chips or crisps like Doritos!

Step-By-Step How To Make The Easiest Nacho Cheese

A step-by-step collage for how to make nacho cheese dip.

Step 1: Preparing the Roux:

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.
Add the flour and whisk together to form a roux.
Stir the roux over low heat for about a minute.

Step 2: Creating the Cheese Sauce:

Combine the milk and evaporated milk.
Slowly add the milk mixture to the roux while whisking continuously.
Whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and thick, without any lumps.
Stir in the mustard and pepper.
Add the grated cheese and stir until melted.

Step 3: Serving the Sauce:

Serve the cheese sauce immediately while it’s warm.
Alternatively, allow the sauce to cool and transfer it to an airtight container in the fridge for later use.

A hand tipping the bowl of three cheeses into the sauce.

Keeping The Cheese Sauce Runny

This cheesy dip recipe is perfect for parties served with a range of things to dip. You can serve it with a big bowl of tortilla chips, vegetable sticks, breadsticks. To keep the cheese sauce runny, we recommend serving it in a fondue pot or in heat proof bowls, served on a heating tray.

FAQ

How do I store homemade nacho cheese?

You can store any leftover cheese you may have in the fridge. Place it in an airtight container and store for up to 2 days.

What cheeses work best for nacho cheese?

As well as the cheese we have used in this recipe, other cheeses that work well in nacho cheese are the types that melt well. These include gruyere, white American cheese, pepper jack cheese, Mexicana cheese and provolone.

How do I keep my nacho cheese from solidifying?

The trick is to keep it warm. Nacho cheese will solidify as it cools. Keeping it warm over a low heat will keep the sauce from becoming solid.

Can I freeze cheese sauce?

Yes, this recipe can be frozen and gently reheated with a little extra milk when you want to use it.

A front view of the cheese sauce in a white bowl. There are nachos surrounding the bowl and a separate bowl of guacamole in the background.

Pro Tips and Guidance

Make it spicier – This nacho sauce is mild in flavour, but you can spice up your nacho cheese dip with the addition of jalapenos. Finely chop some jalapenos to your taste and mix into the cheese sauce. Alternatively, you can also increase the amount of cayenne pepper you add to your sauce, to suit your own taste or mix in some hot sauce.

Serve it warm – This dip is best served warm. When your sauce gets cold, it will begin to solidify. You only need to reheat it to make it fluid again. Serve it in a fondue pot or on a heating tray if you want to prolong the sauces temperature.

Substitute the cheese – If you cannot find Monterey jack cheddar, you can substitute it for more regular cheddar instead.

Alter the consistency – If you want a runnier cheese sauce, simply add more milk to the recipe. When you want it thicker, reduce the amount of milk you add.

Nacho cheese dip in a bowl surrounded by nachos.

How To Use This Cheese Sauce

This homemade cheese sauce is pretty versatile and ready in under 10 minutes. And it isn’t just for dipping tortilla chips!

Pour it over some wedges or chips and create your own loaded fries.
Use it as a sauce for your burgers and wraps.
Top chilli con carne with turkey mince with it.
Pour it Over Chicken.
Use it as a dip for flatbread.
Pour it Over broccoli or cauliflower and create a delicious side dish that will encourage the kids to eat their veggies.

Storage

Storage: Once prepared, allow the Nacho Cheese Sauce to cool completely before storing. Transfer any leftover sauce to an airtight container or jar.

Refrigeration: The Nacho Cheese Sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Simply cover the container tightly and place it in the fridge.

Freezing: Allow the cheese sauce to cool completely before freezing. Then, transfer the sauce to a freezer-safe container or divide it into smaller portions for easier thawing and portioning later on. Make sure to leave some headspace in the container as the sauce will expand when frozen. Seal the container tightly to prevent freezer burn and place it in the freezer. It will keep for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Remove the container of frozen sauce from the freezer and transfer it to the fridge, allow it to defrost for several hours or overnight until fully thawed.

Reheating: To reheat the refrigerated Nacho Cheese Sauce, add a little more milk and gently warm it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until it reaches the desired temperature. Be cautious not to overheat the sauce to prevent it from becoming grainy or separating. Alternatively, you can reheat individual servings in the microwave, using short bursts of heat and stirring in between until warmed.

Note: The texture of the cheese sauce may slightly change upon reheating, but it can still be enjoyed as a delicious topping for your favourite nachos or other dishes.