Presenting a Nacho Cheese Sauce You'll Want to Pour on Everything

By Erin Cullum
PS Photography | Anna Monette Roberts
PS Photography | Anna Monette Roberts

We don't always make nacho cheese from scratch, but when we do, we use this trusted Guy Fieri recipe. We first learned about Guy's Super Melty Cheese, or "SMC," in an interview with PS many years back. When describing the steps for making the perfect nachos (an essential for any game-day spread), Guy said, "I think one of the things that we all love about nachos is nice, creamy cheese. We call it SMC, Super Melty Cheese." Well, with the Super Bowl approaching on Feb. 9, there's no time like the present to revisit the recipe.

This cheese dip is like a grown-up version of those nachos you used to order at concession stands at sporting events, but it's made with real ingredients and is way more flavorful. After all, we're talking about the mayor of Flavortown here. To make the best cheese sauce, Guy suggests, "The thing to remember when making Super Melty Cheese is don't rush it. A little roux with some flour and butter. Into there, [whisk] a little milk. You've got yourself a nice base. Slowly at a low-to-medium temperature, start stirring in crumbled or shredded cheese. A little gouda, a little provolone, a little cheddar, a little parm. Keep it warm in a double boiler."

And with that, we set out to make our own SMC, which we discovered tastes amazing on everything. Dip tortilla chips in it — straight from the pot, if you're like us. Add green chiles, fire-roasted tomatoes, and cilantro or jalapeños to make it a spicier queso. Drench your broccoli in it to make it less vegetable-y. Dip fries in it if you're feeling really wild. Toss cooked shells or elbows in it and serve it as mac and cheese . . . the possibilities are nearly endless.

PS Photography | Anna Monette Roberts
PS Photography | Anna Monette Roberts

— Additional reporting by Lauren Harano

Lauren Harano is a contributor for PS and was formerly an editor for PS Living, Beauty, and Shop. She has a passion for skin care, murder mysteries, and online shopping. Aside from PS, her work can be found in the pages of Cosmopolitan and Seventeen as well as online at InStyle, Esquire, NBC, and various food and travel sites.

Erin Cullum is a former PS trending and viral features editor.

Super Melty Cheese

Yield4-6 servings

Adapted From Guy Fieri

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoons flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2 ounces smoked gouda cheese, grated
  • 2 ounces parmesan cheese, grated

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a medium saucepan, add the butter and set over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt, and then sprinkle with the flour and stir with a whisk.

  2. Once combined, stir for 1 to 2 minutes to cook the flour (but without adding color). Pour in the milk slowly as you whisk to combine. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens up, 3 to 4 minutes.

  3. Add the salt, followed by the cheeses, adding a handful at a time, and whisk until the cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Keep warm until ready to use.

Notes

You can use the cheeses of your choice for this recipe. Follow the measurements below, and feel free to replace any of the cheeses with your favorites, like pepper jack, monterey jack, white cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, or even Velveeta. If the cheese sauce tightens up too much before the cheese melts completely, Guy recommends adding a little water to make the sauce smooth.