Skip to content

Homemade Nacho Queso Dip

This Homemade Nacho Queso Dip blows away any store-bought cheese dips. No processed anything here. Just real, natural ingredients that taste unbelievably delicious! A surprise ingredient keeps this dip smooth and velvety for days.

Homemade Nacho Queso Dip 4

In the 80’s, my friends and I were into all things Velveeta. I loved that stuff.

Then the inevitable happened. The time came when I grew up (a little) and realized I wanted to eat real food. And real cheese.

We were hard pressed to find store-bought cheese sauces that weren’t processed with a tangle of tongue twisters. And most homemade versions weren’t cutting it.

Until now. This homemade Nacho Queso Dip is pure cheesy victory, Friends…

Homemade Nacho Queso Dip

This homemade Nacho Queso Dip is creamy, velvety, smooth, and rich.

It’s staggeringly simple. We’re talking a blissful block of real cheddar, milk, and a handful of spices.

Don’t give into the temptation of pre-shredded cheese. Save that for topping your tacos. Get a quality block of sharp cheddar and shred it yourself. It’ll take you just a few minutes to do and it makes a difference. Pre-shredded cheese contains additives that can mar your results. That would kinda defeat the purpose.

Grab a high quality block of sharp cheddar. So. Worth. It.

Homemade Nacho Queso Dip 6

Simply toss the cheese with spices and some milk into a saucepan. That’s all there is to this homemade Nacho Queso Dip.

Cook, stir, and watch it all meld into an ooey gooey sensation.

Oh, the surprise ingredient. You already have it in your kitchen. Good old cornstarch. Just a tablespoon of cornstarch makes the cheese sauce thick, velvety, and smooth.

Homemde Nacho Queso Dip 6

It helps to keep the Nacho Queso Dip warm if you’re serving it at a party or for game day. A small fondue pot works well, or simply give it a little zap in the microwave and stir it occasionally.

Unlike other homemade cheese dips, this one won’t harden or “seize up” on you. Rather, it tends to get a bit thicker as it cools, but it’s still dip-able. Even after being in the fridge overnight, it still warms up beautifully.

You can always add a splash of milk as needed to thin out the leftover dip.

Homemade Nacho Queso Dip 5

Here’s where it gets super fun. Get creative and get topping.

Avocado, tomatoes, green onions, peppers, cilantro…whatever your nachos crave. We often add taco meat to this party and call it a meal.

The Littles always fist-bump their way to the table when homemade Nacho Queso Dip and Chips are on the menu.  I’m shocked at the sheer quantity of nachos they can inhale.

If only they’d eat kale like that.

Homemade Nacho Queso Dip 2

Here’s to keeping it real.

Real food, real cheese, and real delicious.

Happy dipping.

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

Nacho Queso Dip with Sliced Onions

Homemade Nacho Queso Dip

5 from 6 ratings
This Homemade Nacho Queso Dip blows away any store-bought cheese dips. No processed anything here. Just real, natural ingredients that taste unbelievably delicious! A surprise ingredient keeps this dip smooth and velvety for days.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

Instructions

  • Off heat, place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir to combine well. Be sure cornstarch is fully dissolved. Turn heat on medium and stir until mixture is completely melted and smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste, if needed. If needed, thin out sauce with a splash of milk and whisk to incorporate.
  • Keep sauce warm to serve (a small fondue pot or occasional microwaving/stirring will do the trick.) Sauce will thicken some as it cools but should remain soft.

Notes

Leftover dip can be stored in airtight container in fridge for a few days. Simply microwave or reheat on stovetop, stirring with a bit more milk if needed.
It's important to shred your own cheese from a good block of cheddar. The additives found in pre-shredded bags of cheese will affect your results.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 479IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 326mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican American, Tex-Mex
Method: Stovetop

Source: Chew Out Loud

Delicious Party Dips:

  1. Hot Imitation Crab Dip

Hot Imitation Crab Dip 2_edited-1

  1. Roasted Beet Hummus

beet-hummus-2

  1. Chunky Fresh Salsa with Corn

chunky salsa with corn 4

5 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

Add a comment

Recipe Rating




15 comments

    • hiteksha

    Great recipe

    • Janelle McKay

    I just made this but had no onion powder so I added about a tablespoon of the white part of green onion diced. I still felt like it was missing something, so I added a few splashes of juice from a bottle of pickled hot peppers… Delicious! Will definitely make again!

      • chewoutloud

      Yay, Janelle! So glad you all liked this 🙂

    • Vanessa

    I made this recipe exactly to specifications and it was so perfect! Awesome snack for a fall day!

      • chewoutloud

      YAY, super happy to hear it, Vanessa! Thanks for taking the time to let us know 🙂 Happy fall!

Get our free email series: 5 Easy Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less

Plus our newest recipes each week