Homemade Real Food Nacho Cheese Sauce
Forget buying a jar of ready-made nacho cheese. Make your own at home in about 5 minutes, using real food ingredients.
I get really excited anytime I discover a health-ified version of highly processed food. Especially ones that taste better than the original. Case in point, this nacho cheese sauce that is rich, flavorful, and made with real ingredients.
The Dishing Up Nutrition Podcast
“Healthy” is such a subjective word nowadays.
The more I learn about nutrition, the less scared I am of fat – and the more scared I am of sugar. I have been listening to the Dishing Up Nutrition podcast, featuring several highly knowledgeable nutritionists and dietitians talking about the link between what you eat and how you feel. Each episode highlights a different issue – how to curb cravings, how to stop heartburn with proper nutrition, what to eat for back pain, and much, much more.
One thing the nutritionists encourage is eating plenty of healthy fats, like coconut oil, olive oil, avocados – and even cream. When I discovered this recipe on another blog, I was excited to try it out because it was made out of real ingredients, including cream. The end result is totally decadent and delicious. Much better than the nacho cheese sauce served on top of chips at sporting events. (And for the record, I totally love that cheese sauce!)
If you are trying to lose weight, address a health problem or simply feel better through nutrition, I urge you to check out the podcast. I am finding that all of the puzzle pieces are starting to fit together, as I am gaining more information how the body works and what role nutrition plays in that. I hope you find it as helpful as I have.
(While you’re at it, check out the documentary “Fed Up”. The podcast and the film back each other up. You’ll learn a lot. Trust me!)
How To Make Nacho Cheese With Real Cheese
What is typical nacho cheese made of? The ingredients for the nacho cheese you get at sporting events contains ingredients like cheese whey, modified food starch, vegetable oil, MSG, and artificial colors.
This homemade nacho cheese contains just 3 main ingredients:
- Heavy cream or half-and-half
- Cheddar cheese
- Corn starch
Spices and additional flavors can be added (like garlic powder and hot sauce), but the base recipe is simple. You simply heat the heavy cream to a simmer, toss shredded cheese with corn starch, and stir until the dip is creamy.
Scroll down for full recipe.
How To Use This Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce
- Pour over tortilla chips and add pickled jalapeño peppers
- Drizzle over steamed broccoli or baked potatoes
- Serve as a dipping sauce for fries
- Serve as a dipping sauce for homemade pretzels
- Use as a hamburger topping
- Use as a topping for scrambled eggs or an omelette
- Use on top of these fully loaded baja fries (pictured below)
What Kind Of Cheese To Use
I find that cheddar cheese makes the best tasting nacho cheese, but you can use a different kind of cheese if you prefer (colby, pepper jack, etc.)
Remember to shred your own cheese for this recipe – avoid using pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking ingredients that affect the texture of the final product.
Cheap recipe tips: Shred your own cheese from a block of cheddar. Buy heavy whipping cream at ALDI for $1.89 or buy the shelf-stable heavy whipping cream at Trader Joe’s for $1.29.
Homemade Real Food Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe
Heavy whipping cream will make this sauce thick, rich, and decadent. You can certainly use a mixture of cream and half-and-half, or use half-and-half exclusively.
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (or half-and-half or a mixture of both)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
- Garlic powder, to taste
Instructions
- Heat heavy whipping cream or half-and-half in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat, until it comes to a simmer.
- Toss cheese with cornstarch. Add to the simmering cream. Stir until cheese melts and sauce thickens, about a minute or so. Stir in sriracha sauce and garlic powder. Remove from heat and set aside. Store any leftovers refrigerated in a sealed container.