A rich, creamy cheese queso made from scratch with real cheddar.
Skip the plastic-tasting processed blocks and yellow canned sauces from the grocery store aisle. Making a rich, creamy homemade nacho cheese sauce from scratch is incredibly simple, taking just a few minutes on the stove. This easy nacho cheese recipe relies on real sharp cheddar cheese, standard pantry staples, and simple seasonings to create a smooth, velvety sauce perfect for pouring over tortilla chips, dipping soft pretzels, or topping baked potatoes and tacos. Unlike store-bought queso, you control exactly what goes into it—no artificial thickeners or fillers, just honest, real food your family will love.
Makes: About 4 cups - Wide mouth 1/2 pints work best.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream (or use more milk)
- 4 cups freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1–2 teaspoons pickled jalapeño juice (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and cream until smooth.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the cheeses a handful at a time, stirring until completely melted before adding more.
- Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, and jalapeño juice if using.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately while warm.
To Keep Warm
Transfer to a small slow cooker on the Warm setting. Stir occasionally and add a splash of milk if it becomes too thick.
Optional Add-Ins
- ½ pound browned ground beef - WB 3 hours - PC 75 min pints | 90 mins quarts
- ½ pound cooked breakfast sausage - WB 3 hours - PC 75 min pints | 90 mins quarts
- ½ cup diced green chilies
- ¼ cup diced pickled jalapeños
- 1 cup Rotel-style tomatoes with green chilies (drained)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Canning
This is a rebel canning recipe. It does not follow USDA guidelines. Use at your own risk.
Pressure Can - 15 min
Amish Water Bath Canning - 1 hour
Looking for More Canning Times?My Canning Times & Altitude Guide is a handy kitchen reference that includes hundreds of water bath, steam bath, and pressure canning processing times, plus easy altitude adjustment charts and step-by-step instructions for determining the correct processing time based on your elevation. It's the same guide I keep in my own kitchen when preserving food throughout the year.
Have questions or want to share how your batch turned out? Join our community, where we discuss recipes, food preservation, and homestead cooking every day. Come pull up a chair and swap stories with us over in our Facebook group, [Rebel Canning With Amish Woman].
