Skip the jar: this cheese sauce is made with real cheddar, takes five minutes and is ridiculously smooth. Movie night, game night or a Tuesday, it all counts.
The trick to a smooth cheese sauce
Two ingredients keep this sauce silky instead of greasy or grainy. Cornstarch coats the cheese and stops it from clumping. Evaporated milk has less water than regular milk and contains proteins that help the cheese melt evenly. Together they give you a dip that stays smooth, even as it cools.
Grate your own cheese
It’s tempting to use a bag of pre-shredded cheese, but it is coated with starch to keep the shreds apart, and that coating makes the sauce gritty. A block of sharp cheddar and a box grater take two minutes and make all the difference.
Toppings
- Pickled jalapeños and a splash of their brine add heat and tang.
- Spoon over some black beans, sour cream or guacamole to turn this into dinner.
- Swap half of the cheddar for Monterey Jack or pepper jack for a milder or spicier sauce.
Try it on this recipe card
- Kitchen Timer: The sauce only needs 3 minutes. Start the timer right from the step.
- Unit Conversion: Switch to Metric: 8 oz of cheddar becomes 225 g.
- Instruction Tips: The tip about pre-shredded cheese sits between the steps.
- Print Recipes: Print the recipe to keep it on the fridge.
Cheesy 5-minute Nachos
586kcal
Ingredients
Cheese sauce
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ¾ cup evaporated milk
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños chopped, plus 1 tbsp of the brine
- ½ tsp ground cumin
To serve
- 8 oz tortilla chips
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- ½ cup salsa
Method
- Toss 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese with 1 tbsp cornstarch in a small saucepan until every shred is coated.
- Add 3/4 cup evaporated milk, 2 tbsp pickled jalapeños with the brine and 1/2 tsp ground cumin. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring all the time, until the cheese melts into a smooth sauce, about 3 minutes. Don’t let it boil.
- Pour the sauce into a warm bowl, sprinkle with 2 scallions and serve right away with 8 oz tortilla chips and 1/2 cup salsa.
Grate the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated to stop it from clumping, and that coating makes the sauce grainy.
Nutrition
Calories586kcalCarbohydrates45gProtein21gFat35gSaturated Fat14gCholesterol70mgSodium760mgPotassium370mgFiber4gSugar6gVitamin A810IUVitamin C5mgCalcium550mgIron1mg
Notes
No stove? Mix everything in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, for 2 to 3 minutes.
Leftover sauce thickens in the fridge. Warm it up with a splash of milk.