Soccer Game Day Nachos Cheese (Print Version)

Crispy tortilla chips with creamy cheese sauce and fresh toppings, ideal for a flavorful snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tortilla Chips

01 - 10 ounces tortilla chips

→ Cheese Sauce

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
04 - 1 cup whole milk
05 - 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
06 - 0.5 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
07 - 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Toppings

10 - 1 medium tomato, diced
11 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
12 - 1 to 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
13 - 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - 0.5 cup sour cream
15 - 1 avocado, sliced or diced
16 - Lime wedges for serving

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Arrange tortilla chips in a single layer on a large baking sheet or ovenproof platter.
03 - In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
04 - Gradually whisk in milk and cook until mixture thickens, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low and add both cheeses, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.
06 - Warm chips in oven for 5 minutes, then remove.
07 - Pour hot cheese sauce evenly over chips.
08 - Top immediately with diced tomato, red onion, jalapeños, and cilantro.
09 - Dollop with sour cream and add avocado. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cheese sauce is silky and doesn't congeal into a rubbery mess like that neon stadium stuff.
  • Everything comes together in thirty minutes, so you're never scrambling while the game's already started.
  • It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you've enslaved yourself to the kitchen.
02 -
  • Never skip the roux step—it's what separates a proper cheese sauce from a curdled, broken mess that separates into grease and solids.
  • Add the cheese off heat or at very low temperature because high heat can make the proteins seize up and turn grainy.
  • Serve these immediately after assembly because waiting even five minutes lets the chips get soggy and the avocado start oxidizing.
03 -
  • Make the cheese sauce in advance and reheat it gently—it actually tastes better the next day after the flavors marry together overnight.
  • Shred your cheese from a block instead of using pre-shredded if you can, because the anti-caking agents in bagged cheese can make the sauce grainy.
  • If your sauce seems too thick, whisk in a splash of warm milk—if it's too thin, cook it down gently for another minute while stirring.
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