How to Thin Canned Nacho Cheese for Nachos
This simple queso recipe is The Best Queso Dip Recipe (aka Cheese Sauce) I've ever made!
Best Queso Recipe
You say party, I say nachos.
Party! Nachos! Party! Nachos!
Sorry… When we get to the end of football season, everything tends to come out in chant format.
What I meant to say, was that it would be a shame to have a Super Bowl Party and forget the spicy cheese sauce.
You've probably tried the 2-ingredient version with one unnamed block of highly processed cheese product and one can of tomatoes and chiles.
I'm not knocking either of these products, or the queso they make.
I'm just saying… You can do better.
This my friends, is The Best Queso Dip Recipe I've ever made.
Start with fresh onions, garlic and jalapeños, sautéed until soft, then add creamy half & half, smoky chipotle peppers, and three fabulous cheeses, including smoked cheddar to add a huge punch of flavor.
This is the Best Queso Recipe, Perfect for Nachos, Burritos, and All Your Dipping Needs!
The reason so many people stick with said processed 2-ingredient cheese sauce is that it's nice and smooth.
However, if you know how to thicken your queso recipe and use quality cheeses (without fillers) you can create the best cheese sauces you've ever tried.
How to Thicken your Cheese Sauce
The best way to thicken your homemade queso is to use cornstarch as the thickening agent instead of flour.
It can be tricky to know when to choose cornstarch and when to choose flour. But the general rule of thumb is that if you plan to cook something a long time, use flour, and if you need your thickening agent to act quickly, use cornstarch.
Flour produces a much better flavor over time, but must be cooked quite a bit to ensure your recipe is smooth, not gritty.
Tips For Homemade Queso Dip
- In this queso recipe, there are so many bold ingredients to add flavor, so we don't need to rely on the flour to build flavor. Cornstarch is the answer for a very smooth creamy consistency.
- It's also important to mention that block cheese, shredded at home, produces a much better texture than pre-shredded cheese covered in additives to ward off clumping.
- Once you've scalded the half & half (also important for texture) keep the heat down and be patient as you slowly stir in the fresh shredded cheese.
You'll be amazed by how rich, creamy, and zesty this smoky homemade queso sauce is.
Check the Recipe Card for Instructions on How to Make the Best Queso Recipe!
Pour The Best Queso recipe over tortilla chips, fries, broccoli, burgers, yourself...
Just kidding, let's stick to food!
Pour it over all things food, and enter cheese-lover's heaven.
Not quite what you are looking for? Try our:
- Amazing & Easy Queso Blanco
- 3-Ingredient Cheese Dip
Looking for more cheesy recipes? Try some of your favorites:
- Baked Brie Bites
- Fresh Ricotta Cheese Recipe
- Creamy Sausage Cheese Dip
- Homemade Cheese Spread
The Best Queso Recipe
Cheese sauce makes or breaks any nacho recipe. The Best Queso recipe is easy and flavorful, with sharp and smoky notes.
Servings: 8
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
- 1 1/2 cups half & half, or evaporated milk
- 2 chipotle chiles, diced (canned in adobo sauce)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 8 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
- 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
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Place a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add the butter, shallots, garlic and jalapeño. Saute for 3-4 minutes to soften, then add the half & half and chipotle peppers.
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Whisk in the cornstarch. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, so the half & half can scald (not necessary with evaporated milk). Then lower the temperature to medium-low. Next stir in the cream cheese and mustard.
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Slowly start adding the shredded cheese. Stir and add by the handful, until the sauce comes together. If you prefer your cheese sauce a little thinner, add an extra splash of half & half. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a slow cooker or fondue pot.
NOT A FAN OF SMOKED CHEESE? If you don't like smoky flavors, use all sharp cheddar.
Serving: 0.5 cup , Calories: 280 kcal , Carbohydrates: 5 g , Protein: 13 g , Fat: 22 g , Saturated Fat: 14 g , Cholesterol: 72 mg , Sodium: 439 mg , Potassium: 153 mg , Fiber: 0 g , Sugar: 1 g , Vitamin A: 790 IU , Vitamin C: 3.4 mg , Calcium: 377 mg , Iron: 0.5 mg
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How to Thin Canned Nacho Cheese for Nachos
Source: https://www.aspicyperspective.com/the-best-queso-cheese-sauce/