Soccer Game Day Nachos Cheese (Printable Version)

Crispy chips topped with creamy cheese sauce, diced tomato, jalapeños, and avocado for a flavorful snack.

# What You Need:

→ Tortilla Chips

01 - 10 oz 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

# How To Make:

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 fully melted and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.
06 - Warm chips in preheated oven for 5 minutes, then remove.
07 - Pour hot cheese sauce evenly over chips.
08 - Immediately top with diced tomato, red onion, jalapeños, and cilantro.
09 - Dollop with sour cream and add avocado slices. Serve with lime wedges.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The cheese sauce is silky and coats every chip, not watery or broken like some homemade versions.
  • Everything comes together in under thirty minutes, even if you're still in your team jersey.
  • It's the kind of dish that makes people forget they're supposed to be watching the game.
02 -
  • Don't use pre-shredded cheese from a bag if you can help it—it has anti-caking agents that make your sauce gritty instead of smooth.
  • If your sauce breaks and looks separated, add a splash of cold milk and whisk it off heat until it comes back together.
03 -
  • Buy your tortilla chips the day of—they go stale fast and stale chips make sad nachos, no matter how good your cheese sauce is.
  • If you want to add protein, cook and season it separately so you control the flavors instead of letting salty, spicy meat dominate the whole dish.
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