Jalapeno cheese sauce

Did you grow up eating cheese sauce as a dip for everything in your childhood? Today I have a recipe incredibly dedicated for you: jalapeno cheese sauce, a delicious point where your all-time favorite meets your spicy cravings.

Learn how to make this spicy cheese sauce using fresh and pickled jalapenos. This is rich, and creamy, and requires less than 5 minutes to whip up using a single skillet.

Incredibly delicious to serve up with jalapeno poppers or crunchy nachos.

This creamy, luscious jalapeno cream cheese sauce melts in every bite and enhances the main dish. In simple words, it is nothing but that bowl of deliciousness.

About this recipe

I love this spicy cheese sauce recipe for various reasons, 

• It's my ideal cheese sauce, which I would rely on to serve my family on special occasions(and also this creamy jalapeno cilantro sauce). We love enjoying this addictive creamy sauce for everything. It would be perfect to have this jalapeno cheese sauce for burgers, fries, pretzels, or nachos; we love enjoying this addictive jalapeno cheese sauce.
• The jalapeno cheese sauce is also great to make in advance. 
• There are no additives or preservatives but with the depth of flavors and taste.
• It is great to customize to suit your requirements.

What ingredients are in Jalapeno cheese sauce

Butter. What else can we consider making it a clean, creamy sauce without butter? The ultimate choice, however, may be to substitute with coconut oil.

All-purpose flour. Make the cheese sauce rich and velvety. However, choose arrowroot powder as a gluten-free option.

Fresh & pickled jalapeno. Adding both these gives an intense flavor and provides a peppery smack. The combination of new and pickled jalapenos packs the flavors and creates a delicious base for the cheese sauce.

Garlic powder. A teaspoon of garlic powder infuses the sauce and creates an excellent dimension. As a substitute, garlic powder can be replaced with fresh garlic clove.

Whole milk. A critical element in this jalapeno cheese sauce. Feel free to substitute with low-fat milk or vegan milk

Paprika. Adds an appetitive orangish color, bridging the jalapeno’s heat and the creamy cheese. To increase the heat, add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder.

Cheddar cheese. Sharp cheddar gives a depth of flavor. However, mild cheddar or pepper jack cheese would also be equally good.

Lemon juice/wine/pickled juice. This adds a touch of freshness and prevents the sauce from becoming stringy.

How to make Jalapeno cheese sauce

Melt the butter. Place a saucepan over medium heat, add butter, and let it melt.

Add in flour and whisk vigorously until it blends with the butter. Make sure the flour does not get burnt.

Add minced fresh jalapeno, garlic powder, milk, cheese, paprika, and salt. 

Simmer the heat and stir continuously until the sauce thickens. This stirring process is done quickly and takes about 3 minutes. Switch off the heat.

And finally, stir in minced pickled jalapeno.

Cook until the cheese sauce gets into a slightly thicker consistency that covers the back of the spoon(as in this picture).

and transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy with burgers, chips, or nachos.

The spicy cheese sauce is best to serve with

Spicy dishes. The hot and spicy appetizers like jalapeno poppers would be excellent with this jalapeno cheese sauce.

As a base sauce. It is great to act as a base sauce for mac and cheese or creamy corn pasta.

Nacho. Serve over a bed of crispy nachos and make a quick and delicious game-day snack in a flash of a second.

Burger. Add up as a layer in your burger and feel the punch.

Others. Also excellent when served with French fries, pretzels, garlic knots, and hot dogs.

How to store the leftovers?

I never had a chance to store the leftovers as they were finished as soon as I made them. However, this guide helps hold for a longer duration.

Refrigerator. The leftover sauce is good for up to 3 days when refrigerated in an air-sealed container.

Freezer. Choose an air-sealed and labeled container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw. Let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.

Other similar recipes

• Cajun aioli
• Green chili hummus
• Coconut milk alfredo sauce
• Spicy marinara sauce
• other spicy condiments

Recommended tools for making this recipe

Sauté pan. I like this pan, because of its good grip and ease of handling.

Measuring tools. Works perfectly in every recipe.

Printable recipe card

Jalapeno cheese sauce

Jalapeno cheese sauce, a delicious point where your all-time favorite meets your spicy cravings

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 118kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon jalapeno minced
• 2 tablespoon pickled jalapeno
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ salt
• ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Over low to medium heat melt butter in a pan.
• Add in flour and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
• Stir in minced jalapeno, garlic powder, whole milk, paprika, cheese, and salt.
• Whisk continously and bring the sauce to low heat.
• Cook by stirring regularly until the sauce thickens for about 4 minutes.

Notes

Storing Ideas:

• The leftover jalapeno cheese sauce is good for up to 3 days when refrigerated in an air-sealed container.
• Store up to 3 months in the freezer.
• Thaw it by placing it overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 586IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 1mg

Author Sujatha Muralidhar

**Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is an approximate estimate only.