Description
A creamy, smooth copycat of Taco Bell’s iconic nacho cheese sauce—perfect for dipping tortilla chips, drizzling over nachos, fries, or tacos.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded American cheese or Velveeta-style cheese
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp pickled jalapeño juice
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux.
- Slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly until smooth.
- Cook until mixture thickens, about 2–3 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add shredded cheese, stirring until melted.
- Add salt, paprika, cayenne (if using), garlic powder, onion powder, and jalapeño juice.
- Stir until sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Serve warm immediately.
Notes
- Use American-style cheese for the smoothest texture.
- Add more milk to thin if needed.
- Best served fresh but can be reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American