Béchamel Cheese Sauce from 'Ultimate Nachos'

By
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a food writer, editor, and recipe developer who wrote the "Cook the Book" column for Serious Eats.
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Updated Mar. 21, 2019

Use this cheese sauce to top the Ball Park Nachos from Lee Frank and Rachel Anderson's Ultimate Nachos, or use it as an easy cheese dip.

Reprinted with permission from Ultimate Nachos: From Nachos and Guacamole to Salsas and Cocktails by Lee Frank and Rachel Anderson, copyright 2013. Published by St. Martin's Griffin. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.

Recipe Details

Béchamel Cheese Sauce from 'Ultimate Nachos'

Active 20 mins
Total 20 mins
Serves 8 servings
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups whole milk

  • 2 cups melting cheese of your choice, shredded (about 2 cups)

  • Salt and black pepper

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir until a smooth paste forms, 5 to 6 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat the milk until it is just about to boil. Be careful not to burn the milk. Burnt milk is cringe-worthy.

  3. Gradually add the hot milk to the butter mixture, and whisk continuously until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil.

  4. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from the heat, immediately add the shredded cheese, and stir together until evenly incorporated. Season the cheese sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
184 Calories
14g Fat
5g Carbs
9g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 184
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g 18%
Saturated Fat 8g 41%
Cholesterol 42mg 14%
Sodium 429mg 19%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 271mg 21%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 105mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)