Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
Cheese
- 10 ounces mild cheddar cheese, grated by hand
Seasonings
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Melt Butter and Add Flour: In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the all purpose flour. Stir to combine thoroughly.
- Cook Roux: Continue to cook the butter and flour mixture, stirring constantly until the raw flour taste is gone and the mixture starts to bubble and become foamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Evaporated Milk: Slowly pour in the evaporated milk while stirring continuously to combine. Keep stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, ensuring it holds its shape when you run your finger through it.
- Add Cheese: Reduce the heat to low and add the grated mild cheddar cheese. Stir continuously until all the cheese melts and the sauce becomes smooth and creamy.
- Season and Serve: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the salt and paprika. Serve the nacho cheese sauce warm with your favorite chips or as a dip.
Notes
- Use a block of cheese and shred it yourself for a smoother, creamier sauce with better flavor.
- Cook the flour and butter mixture for at least a minute to eliminate raw flour taste and avoid a chalky sauce.
- Mild cheddar provides the best balance of flavor without being overly sharp and appeals to most palates.
- Try adding Rotel, pico de gallo, chopped green chiles, or diced jalapenos to the cheese once melted for extra flavor.
- Substitute paprika with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, or cayenne pepper to customize the spice profile.
- If the pan is too hot when adding cheese, turn off the heat and remove the pan briefly to prevent cheese from scorching.
- Keep the sauce warm for parties by transferring to a crock pot or slow cooker on the warm setting.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
