Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 slices American cheese, chopped
- 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno brine
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, optional
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Place a medium saucepan over low heat and let it warm gently.
- Add the butter and let it melt, then whisk in the flour until a smooth paste forms.
- Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth.
- Cook over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking, until slightly thickened.
- Add the cheddar cheese, American cheese, jalapeno brine, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne pepper if using.
- Stir slowly over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is smooth and glossy.
- If needed, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra milk to loosen the sauce.
- Serve warm with tortilla chips.
Notes
- Keep the heat low so the cheese melts smoothly without turning grainy.
- Freshly shredded cheddar melts better than pre-shredded cheese.
- Add extra milk a little at a time if the sauce thickens too much.
- This sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently with a splash of milk.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dip
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: nacho cheese sauce, copycat cheese dip, cheese sauce for chips, creamy cheese dip, homemade nacho sauce