5 Minute Nacho Cheese Sauce Recipe {Video!} - Budget Bytes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best melty cheese for nachos? ›

Sharp cheddar gets my vote for nacho cheese. It melts smoothly without being stringy, while having a nice flavorful punch. You can use mild or medium cheddar if you prefer, but the flavor will be a bit blander. Monterey jack and pepper jack also melt really well into sauces and make a great white nacho cheese sauce.

“Salts such as sodium citrate and sodium hexametaphosphate are known in the cheese industry as melting salts. Their primary purpose is to swap sodium ions for calcium ions bound to the casein proteins in cheese. In doing so, they loosen these proteins and make them water-soluble. We used two different recipes.

I've made mozzarella from scratch using dried milk (using rennet) in the past and I've made ricotta cheese using evaporated milk. (And yes, I also have freeze dried mozzarella cheese in my storage.)

Flour or cornstarch can both thicken a liquid. In a small separate bowl, mix a tablespoon of either flour or cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cheese sauce until the mixture is smooth. Add the mixture back to the milky cheese sauce, and stir until combined and desired thickness is achieved.

Asadero Cheese

Because of its spectacular melting properties, it's an ideal base for queso on nachos, burritos, tacos, enchiladas or any Mexican dish.

Since then, the unmistakable aroma of Ricos Nacho Cheese Sauce has become synonymous with the joyous spirit of entertainment venues, sports arenas, and movie theaters across the globe.

Cheeses with more moisture and lower melting points make for mouthwatering, creamy cheese sauces. Cheddar is one of the most popular choices, but Swiss and Gruyère are also terrific options.

The secret ingredient for this nacho cheese sauce is Sodium Citrate, a commonly used ingredient in the molecular world for spherification. Sodium Citrate is the sodium salt of citric acid and the ingredient used to give club soda both its sour and salty taste.

substitutions. Flour and butter in a cheese sauce. If you are out, but find you have citric acid available and are in a pinch for time, you can also utilize the citric acid by mixing it with baking soda, which in the foaming reaction that follows, will neutralize the acidity which will then be aqueous sodium citrate.

Regular Milk (whole, 2% or skim)

How to Substitute: Place milk in a saucepan and simmer it on the stovetop for about 30 minutes until it has reduced by about 60%. To make the equivalent of a 12 ounce can of evaporated milk, simmer a quart of milk or 32 ounces, until it reduces to about 12.

Why does Velveeta melt so well? ›

The reason Velveeta melts so readily into a puddle of uniform-seeming goo is that it includes sodium alginate, an emulsifying salt that's extracted from brown algae.

That higher concentration of milk proteins means evaporated milk is more stable, so it's less likely to “break” or curdle. Evaporated milk also usually contains stabilizers, such as carrageenan, which help keep your mac's sauce super smooth and silky.

Once a cheese container is opened, the product is exposed to its surroundings where various enzymes can break down the thickness or viscosity of the cheese-based sauce. Use of utensils that have come into contact with saliva (double dipping) or any other food may accelerate the loss of viscosity of the cheese sauce.

This is due to the pasta absorbing more liquid over time, and the sauce itself becoming more “solid” as it cools. So, to ensure a creamy mac and cheese, make the sauce just a little looser than you think it needs to be. (Add more milk, a tablespoon at a time to adjust the consistency).

The Fix Is Simple—Add Water Back.

A generous splash of water is all it takes. Here's how fix a broken sauce: Add about ¼ cup of water to the pan and reheat the sauce to a vigorous simmer, whisking constantly. The bubbling action will help re-emulsify the butter and bring back that thick, glossy sauce.

What is the best melting cheese? Cheeses with more moisture and lower melting points - cheddar is one of the most popular choices, but Swiss and Gruyère are also terrific options. Which melts better, mild or sharp cheddar? Mild cheddar melts more smoothly than sharper (more aged) cheddar.

Queso asadero is Mexican cheese that's great for melting. It is soft, white and creamy with a mild taste, and is often used to make pizzas, quesadillas and queso fundido. The last cheese on this list is actually a cream.

Large platter of crisp fresh tortilla chips covered with seasoned beef, refried beans, nacho cheese sauce, crisp lettuce, diced ripe tomatoes, and cheddar cheese, and served with DQ® picante sauce on the side. Menu items may vary by location and are subject to change.

Processed American Cheese Food (technical name for American cheese these days) melts easily without breaking and so is the staple for convenience store and sports venue nachos everywhere. Cheddar is quite tasty, but can split when melted, making a greasy mess.