If I had to pick my favorite part of any live sporting event, it would be getting a plastic tray filled with that creamy, nacho cheese mystery sauce and some salty tortilla chips to munch on.
Is that lame? Perhaps. But, I love cheese sauce. The thing I don't like is all the fake stuff like additives and pasteurized-processed-cheese-food that get put into the stadium version.
Check out this easy, 6-ingredient nacho cheese recipe you can make at home in no more than 15 minutes - no fake cheese involved.
Tip: As the sauce cools, it will get slightly less creamy (since it's all natural!). Keep it warm or perhaps serve it in a crock pot for maximum creamy and delicious-ness.
Easy-peasy, cheesy nacho sauce
Recipe adapted from Fifteen Spatulas
8-ounces sharp cheddar cheese (block, not pre-shredded)
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
1 CUP whole milk
1/4 tsp salt (to taste)
1/8 tsp paprika (to taste)
Optional: freshly-chopped tomatoes, green onion, and jalapeño for garnish.
First things first: grate your cheese! Using the block cheese is much better than the pre-shredded cheese in a bag. That stuff has anti-caking agents in there that can mess with the creamy mojo of your queso.
Put a saucepan on the stovetop on medium to medium-high heat (depending on how hot your stove typically gets). Drop 2 TBSP butter in the pan and let it get all melty and bubbly - but not super browned.
Then, add 2 TBSP flour, whisking vigorously and non-stop to create a "roux." (Yes, it's a French word, but I promise it's not complicated.)
Once your flour and butter have incorporated nicely, whisk in 1 CUP of whole milk (not ice cold). Whisk until creamy, then add salt and paprika. Let sauce bubble and thicken a bit (but don't over-boil it).
Reduce heat to low on your stove and add in all that shredded cheese. Whisk until super nice and creamy!
Congratulations! You now have a bowl of delicious, creamy, natural cheese sauce. Garnish as you like and serve with chips.
Reheating: As sauce cools, it may become less creamy. Reheat sauce on the stove instead of the microwave. Add a little water if you need to to loosen it back up.
Watch the how-to video here: https://youtu.be/QYAfa7bQhOw
