Nacho Cheese Sauce – The Country Cook

The cheese dip is very gooey when freshly made. I like to serve my Nacho Cheese Sauce in a mini crock pot (paid affiliate link) so I can keep an eye on it. I’d keep the Crockpot on the warm or low setting while I’m actively serving it. This helps keep it from thickening up too much or cooling too quickly when serving.

So, unfortunately, since this a homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce, it is only natural that it thickens up faster than the shelf stable ones you’d buy at the store. This recipe doesn’t have the additives and preservatives that the storebought ones do, so it will thicken as it cools. That’s just the nature of the beast! That’s part of why I like to keep it on the warm setting while serving so it doesn’t thicken up as easily.

I would warm this back up slowly so it doesn’t separate. Use short bursts of time on a reduced amount of heat in the microwave- not on high. Stir in between bursts of microwaving until it gets to your desired heat and consistency.

For a nice little zing in your cheese sauce, try half cheddar and half pepper Jack.

Yes! I love my cheese grater. It’s fantastic for freshly shredding cheese. This specific Cheese Grater (paid affiliate link) that I use locks on the counter so it doesn’t slide around. This makes it super easy to use. Plus, it’s great for slicing veggies. 

So, I used some optional cayenne pepper for a touch of heat. You can add more if you want more of a heat kick. If you like jalapenos, you could add some of those and maybe some of the juice from the jar of pickled jalapenos. Maybe try a cand of diced green chiles. You could top with some pico de Gallo, diced tomatoes, or even some cooked and seasoned ground beef. If looking for a simple touch, a little cumin may be just what you need.

So many options! Besides the usual soft pretzels, french fries, tater tots, or nacho chips, this would be great to drizzle on a baked potato, or on some broccoli, cauliflower, or other vegetables. You could even use this as a sauce and just dip those things in it!

Typically this happens if you over-cook your cheese or try to melt the cheese on too high of a temperature.

Leftover sauce can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. You may need to add a little milk, after it’s heated, to help it thin out again and not be too thick.

Yes and no. So, you can try to freeze your sauce to keep it longer. But, there is a high probability that it will separate when you go to thaw it and reheat it later. Dairy doesn’t freeze, thaw and reheat well like other products. Since this is made with no additives and preservatives, the odds of it breaking are much higher. Ultimately, I don’t think freezing is all that great of an option, but you could attempt it.

No, this is not a recipe that you should can and make shelf stable. Unfortunately, it is not recommended to can recipes that contain so much dairy. Dairy is a low acidity food and is not safe to waterbath can. So the experts recommend that if you desire to keep it longer, you could attempt to freeze it. However, as mentioned above, there is a good chance that it will separate if frozen when thawing and reheating. If this happens to you, I’d suggest whisking to try to smooth and stir it all back together as you’re reheating it.