Whether you're looking for a savory appetizer for game day, or a warm cheese dip to bring to your next potluck, you're going to fall in love with this easy recipe for Nacho Cheese Dip.
Serve it with tortilla chips, corn chips, or as a condiment for your favorite burritos, nachos, and more.
Oh, and don't forget to check out my super popular recipe for Cream Cheese and Salsa Dip too!
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If there's one thing we love in my house, it's a good dip. In fact, you could even call us dip connoisseurs!
This Nacho Cheese Dip recipe is one of our favorites for watching Hockey or Football games, and it's easy to make in advance.
Try it for your next party - I know you'll love it!
Reasons to Love This Recipe:
- Simple ingredients. This recipe is made with basic, simple ingredients that aren't hard to find.
- Real cheese. No Velveeta is needed for this recipe! It uses sharp cheddar and Pepper jack for a creamy, cheesy dip that everyone will love.
- From scratch is best. There are lots of yummy store-bought nacho cheese sauces and dips, but we can all agree that homemade tastes better.
- Perfect for game day and parties. Serve it with tortilla chips or corn chips for the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer!
Ingredients
- Cheese: I recommend using both sharp cheddar cheese and Pepper jack cheese. If you like a more mild nacho cheese, you can use Monterey Jack in place of pepper Jack.
- Rotel: Also known as diced tomatoes with green chilies, this is slightly spicy and easily found in the canned foods section at your local grocery store.
- Milk: Whole milk, evaporated milk, OR heavy cream (for an ultra creamy texture) work well for this recipe.
- Butter: Either salted or unsalted is fine.
- Cornstarch: This helps to thicken the nacho cheese mixture, without having to use flour or a prepared roux.
- Bacon: This adds an extra savory flavor and is SO good. It's not a traditional nacho cheese ingredient, but boy is it delicious!
Check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and the quantities needed.
Instructions
Step one: In a medium saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, add the cream cheese, cheddar, pepper jack cheese, Rotel, most of the bacon, milk, butter, and cornstarch.
Step two: Stir, then heat over medium-low heat, or in microwave, stirring often.
Heating and Melting
Step three: Continue to stir as you heat the mixture, until it becomes smooth and all of the cheese melts. Taste and add salt and seasonings to your taste.
Serve and enjoy with your choice of tortilla chips (try my homemade tortilla chips), corn chips, etc. Garnish with cooked bacon, if desired.
Top tip: To keep the dip warm during a potluck or long party, I recommend transferring it to a mini Crock Pot and set it to the "warm" setting. You can serve the dip right out of the crock - just leave the lid off and serve with chips!
Slow Cooker Method
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and use an electric mixture to combine the ingredients until smooth.
- Spread the dip into a greased slow cooker.
- Cook on "high" for 1-2 hours, or on "low" for 2-4 hours, stirring occasionally to help with melting.
- Once the dip is hot and bubbly, switch the slow cooker to the "warm" setting.
- Serve and enjoy with your choice of tortilla chips, corn chips, etc.
Dump and bake option: Add all of the ingredients to the slow cooker and stir to distribute the ingredients. Cook as directed, but open the lid and stir well every 20-30 minutes to help combine the melting ingredients. Once a smooth sauce forms, cover and allow to cook until hot and bubbly.
What to Serve with Nacho Cheese Dip
- Tortilla chips (triangles or Tostitos Scoops)
- Corn chips
- Soft pretzels
- Nachos
- Tacos
- Burritos
- Quesadillas
- Southwest dip
- Cream cheese and salsa dip
- Fritos bean dip
Expert Tips
- Cheese. For the best results, use cheese that has been freshly grated from the block. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents which prevents it from melting smoothly in sauces.
- Taste. Any good cook knows that you should taste your food! I encourage you to taste the nacho cheese dip and adjust the flavors before serving. Add salt, pepper, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, chili powder, or seasonings according to your preferences.
- Controlled heat. Be sure to use a lower, even heat to make your dip. If it becomes too hot the cheese can break. If it does break, try whisking in some flour.
Variations
With ground beef: Cook half of a pound of ground beef with ½ of a package of taco seasoning (or 1 ½ tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning). Drain, then add the cooked and crumbled beef to the finished nacho cheese dip.
Cold dip: If you prefer to serve nacho cheese cold, allow the dip to cool to room temperature. Place in an airtight container, then place in the refrigerator to chill for 2-4 hours (or make it the night before). Serve and enjoy!
With jalapeños: Add diced fresh, pickled, or canned jalapeños to the mixture according to how spicy you like it.
Substitutions
Rotel: If you can't find Rotel at your local grocery store, you can use my homemade Rotel recipe, OR a few tablespoons of canned green chilies PLUS ½ cup or so of petite diced fire roasted tomatoes.
Pepper jack: If you can't find Pepper jack in store, or you find it too spicy, you can use shredded monterey Jack cheese instead. Mozzarella can also work in a pinch.
More Easy Dip Recipes
If you loved this Nacho Cheese Dip recipe, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.
Nacho Cheese Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
- 10 ounces (1 can) Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chilies) divided
- 8 strips bacon cooked and crumbled, divided
Instructions
- Combine. Add the butter, cornstarch, milk, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, Rotel (reserve a few tablespoons), and bacon (set some aside for topping the dip to a medium saucepan OR microwave-safe bowl.
- Stovetop method: Heat over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until everything is melted and smooth.
- Microwave method: Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until everything is melted and smooth.
- Top. With remaining crumbled bacon and Rotel (optional)
- Serve. Hot, warm, or cold with tortilla chips, corn chips, etc.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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