What's a good nacho cheese recipe that does not use Velveeta?

oh man, now I want nachos. come on with the recipes!

Been making this a lot lately.

Step 1: Destroy all the Velveeta in the world, as it is an affront to good cooking and should not be allowed to foul the planet with its presence.

Step 2: Buy some Nacho chips, Onions, Peppers, and a block of cheese at the local grocery store.

Step 3: Grate the cheese onto the chips, put them on a tin-foil covered tray and bake them in the oven until the cheese starts to bubble.

Step 4: While this is happening, cut up the onions and peppers and throw them in a frying pan with some cooking oil or butter until they start to smell yummy.

Step 5: Take out the cheesy chips and put the onions and peppers on them.

Step 6: Make a complete mess of yourself.

Also, adding chicken gives it a nice texture, and hot sauce gives it a zing.

@Hobbes: What kind of cheese? Cheese type is key, I don’t think you can make nachos with brie or gorgonzola (although now that I think about it, that could be delicious…)

Do you use Jack? Cheddar? American

Jack!

@Hobbes Why have you never made these for me?

@hannahsugs – Well, I like all kinds of cheese, but good ol’ Monterey-Jack is my favorite for nachos.

@lefteh – Well, I could mail them to you, but they’d be kind of soggy by the time they got there.

@Hobbes Next time you’re in town you’re inviting me over for nachos.

Also, everybody should check out chilaquiles. One of my all-time favorite foods…basically nachos on steroids. Easy to make, delicious!

@lefteh – It shall be done. :-)

@lefteh : Ooh, that sounds delicious!

I actually like Velveeta for myself (I know I’m a disgusting American). My husband wants the non Velveeta recipe. He often makes the melted cheese version, but I think he’s specifically looking for a nacho cheese recipe like you’d get in a jar from the store. I’m not sure one exists.

It sounds like what you’re looking for is more of a queso dip than just some tasty cheese melted over chips, yes? There’s a good-looking recipe at AllRecipes – I haven’t tried this one, but it’s pretty basic, so you could start with that and adjust it to your tastes!

@Hobbes I think I may have to adopt you. =)

For my nachos, I spread out tortilla chps on a baking tray and then spread warmed refried beans on top. On top of that I put grated cheddar mixed with grated Monterey jack and chopped canned jalapenos. Bake until the cheese melts and – yum!

I tried this once and it seemed to work out good. Get a good sharp cheddar and slice it up, put it in a bowl and put it in the microwave until you see it melt quite a bit. Next add a little milk, put it back in the microwave for tad and then mix and it makes it a nice consistency. Then prepare how you want.

The onions and peppers sounds delicious. :)

All of them that do not use Velveeta.

By nacho cheese, perhaps you mean Chile con Queso? That’s the melted cheese and pepper dip that you can dip tortilla chips in. If so, here are several recipes that don’t use Velveeta:

CHILE CON QUESO (CHILE WITH CHEESE)

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onion
2 sm. garlic cloves, minced
4 fresh chilies, peeled, chopped or 1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
1 or 2 jalapeno chilies or sm. hot chilies, peeled, chopped
1 (8 oz.) can stewed tomatoes
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 c.)
8 oz. Longhorn cheese, shredded (2 c.)
1 c. dairy sour cream

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onions and garlic. Cook until tender, but not browned. Add chilies and tomatoes with a spoon. Lower heat. Add cheeses and cook until melted. Stir in sour cream. Cook until just heated; do not boil.

Makes 4 cups of dip.

CHILE CON QUESO

1 minced clove garlic
1 sm. onion
1–2 tbsp. butter
1 sm. can chopped chilies
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
8–10 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a wok or tempura pan fry garlic and onion in butter until tender. Add small can of drained, chopped chilies and tomato. Cook 10 minutes or so; let dry up a bit. Add gradually the cheese until mixed. Add a little milk if too thick. Serve warm. Serve with Doritos from pan or fondue so dip stays warm.

CHILE CON QUESO DIP

1 block of mild Cheddar cheese, diced
1 sm. can tomato sauce
¼ c. half & half
¼ c. onion, diced
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce
4 to 5 Jalapeno peppers, diced

Add all ingredients together in a teflon-coated pot over a low flame. Bring to slight boil, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips.

Use more or less depending on amount of “flame” desired (cayenne pepper may also be used for those who like it spicy.)

CHILE CON QUESO

4 tomatoes
6 Mexican green chilies
2 onions
2 tbsp. lard
460 grams fresh cheese

Roast the tomatoes and the chilies, then grind them. Fry the onions with the lard, then add the ground tomatoes and the chilies and one cup of hot water. Add salt when it starts to boil. Add the cheese in slices; leave it until the cheese has thread.

CHILE CON QUESO DIP

8 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
12 oz. can chopped green chiles, drained
3 c. sour cream
8 oz. mild Cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated

In a greased baking dish, layer ⅓ of the sharp cheddar and top with some chiles and sour cream. Cover with a third of the mild Cheddar and a third of the Jack cheese. Repeat twice, using up all the ingredients. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, until the cheeses are melted and the center is set. Serve hot as a dip with tortilla chips. Serves 8.

CHILES CON QUESO

1½ tbsp. butter
3 lg. pressed cloves garlic
1½ lg. onions, chopped
1 can tomatoes (1 lb. 12 oz.), fluid included
3 tbsp. flour
½ c. or more evaporated milk
3 cans green roasted chiles (seeded), chopped
1½ tsp. salt
1½ lbs. coarsely shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Saute garlic and onion in butter until soft. Add tomatoes. Cook until liquid is reduced. Make paste of flour and evaporated milk. Add to mixture. Add chopped chiles. Cook until thickened. Just before serving, add grated cheese to hot mixture. Heat until cheese is melted. Do not boil. Serve with chips.

CHILE CON QUESO BLANCO

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temp.
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1 (7½ oz.) can hot jalapeno relish
2 med. tomatoes, chopped
Chopped fresh parsley
Tortilla or taco chips

In medium saucepan over very low heat, combine cream cheese and green chilies. Stir until cheese is melted. Add jalapeno relish to taste. (One half can will give a mild con queso.) Stir until ingredients are blended and mixture is hot. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes. Serve immediately in chafing dish. Garnish with chopped parsley.

However, do understand that Velveeta, while not really cheese, melts beautifully. In Texas you cube the Velveeta, tump it (a local word) into a crockpot with a can of Rotel tomatoes (with chiles of course) and maybe some salsa of your favorite type, and let the whole mess melt.

My dad and his sister make a huge fuss over their preferred dip recipe. It’s almost silly when you find out they literally just mix a can of Rotelle tomatoes (it has to be Rotelle) with a jar of flourescent queso dip. But you can’t argue with the results. The tomatoes add a nice texture and spice. That’s why you have to use Rotelle, their tomatoes have a bit of kick.

@sdeutsch and @Darwin : That sounds more like it! Those sound awesome… they will definitely be passed on to the husband.

put tortilla chips on a plate and then tear up little pieces of singles cheese and pop it in the microwave for 30 sec.