Microwave Nacho Cheese Sauce

Microwave Nacho Cheese Sauce is a tasty topping for everything from classic nachos to sliced veggies.

So, there’s the chunky, sticky, weird, vaguely orange cheese-like sauce that comes with the nachos at your dorm cafeteria, or there’s our recipe for our delicious, creamy, rich Nacho Cheese Sauce that you can make in your microwave in no time and serve over everything from nachos to fresh sliced veggies. The choice is yours.

MICROWAVE NACHO CHEESE SAUCE    

Nacho Cheese Sauce doesn’t have to be grim, you can make your own gourmet version in your dorm room microwave and instantly improve any chips in existence.

This recipe is really simple to make, you don’t need a ton of ingredients, and you can drizzle it over the top of a fresh plate of nachos whenever you’d like. You can even just pour it straight over chips and they instantly become nachos. What’s not to love?

MORE DIP RECIPES

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Microwave Cheesy Bean Dip

Microwave Chili Cheese Dip

Microwave Pepperoni Pizza Dip

HOW TO MAKE MICROWAVE NACHO CHEESE SAUCE

• Mix evaporated milk and cornstarch together in a cereal bowl.
• Microwave on high power for 1 minute.
• Stir well, add in cheese and chili powder and stir well.
• Microwave on high power for 1 minute.
• Stir well, microwave for 30 seconds.

VARIATIONS

Nachos can be customized like crazy, and here are some of our favorite ingredients to add to your chips just before you add our Nacho Cheese Sauce.  

• • • • Sliced olives  
      • Fresh cilantro
      • Bacon bits 
      • Chopped onions 
      • Cotija cheese
      • Sliced ham
      • Jalapeno slices

SERVE WITH

But what chips should you use? Well, the possibilities are endless and extend far beyond just your classic tortilla chips. Try using BBQ chips, pita chips, full tortillas, naan dippers, whole wheat crackers, and more. 

SAVE SOME FOR LATER

Not gonna lie, this sauce is amazing fresh and should be enjoyed as quickly as possible. You can save some for up to a week, as long as you keep in the fridge in a sealed container. However, we definitely recommend eating your Nacho Cheese Sauce while it’s still fresh instead of waiting too long.  

COST FACTOR

$: You don’t need to spend an arm and a leg to make this recipe, everything you need is inexpensive and easy to find. The most exotic item you need is evaporated milk, and pretty much every grocery store in existence carries it.  

MICROWAVE TABLE

• 1,000 watts or higher: Higher wattage, lower cook time. Our microwave is about 1,250 watts, but if you have one with about 1,000 watts you will want to start by cooking the milk and cornstarch for 1:15. Stir everything, add the cheese and chili powder and cook for another 1:15. 
• 700 watts: Microwaves under about 900 don’t heat things evenly or consistently, so don’t go anywhere while you’re cooking. Start with 1:45 minute, add the rest of the ingredients and stir well, then cook for another 1:45 minute.   

Print Recipe

Microwave Nacho Cheese Sauce

Microwave Nacho Cheese Sauce is a tasty topping for everything from classic nachos to sliced veggies.

Prep Time1 min

Cook Time3 mins

Total Time4 mins

Course: Snacks

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: Microwave Nacho Cheese Sauce

Servings: 1

Calories: 660kcal

Author: Dorm Room Cook Staff

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup cheddar cheese , shredded
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Mix evaporated milk and cornstarch together in a cereal bowl.
• Microwave on high power for 1 minute.
• Stir well, add in cheese and chili powder and stir well.
• Microwave on high power for 1 minute.
• Stir well, microwave for 30 seconds.

Nutrition

Calories: 660kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 846mg | Potassium: 499mg | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1586IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 1149mg | Iron: 1mg