Did you grow up eating cheese sauce as a dip for everything in your childhood days? Today I have a recipe especially 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 both fresh and pickled jalapenos. This is rich and creamy, needs less than 5 minutes to whip up using a single skillet.
Extremely 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’s 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 totally rely on to serve my family on special occasions. 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 totally addictive jalapeno cheese sauce.
- The jalapeno cheese sauce is also great to make in advance.
- No additives no preservatives but with the depth of flavors and taste.
- Great to customize to suit your personal requirement.
What ingredients are in Jalapeno cheese sauce
Butter. What else can we think about making it a clean creamy sauce without butter? The ultimate choice however you may 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 give an intense flavor and provides a peppery smack. The combination of fresh and pickled jalapenos packs the flavors and creates a delicious base for the cheese sauce.
Garlic powder. A teaspoon of garlic powder infuses with 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, and bridges between 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 to become stringy.
How to make Jalapeno cheese sauce
Melt the butter. Place a saucepan over medium heat, add butter and allow it to melt.
Add in flour and whisk vigorously until it blends with the butter. Make sure the flour should not get burnt.
Add minced fresh jalapeno, garlic powder, milk, paprika, and salt.
Simmer the heat and stir continuously until the sauce thickens. This stirring process is done quickly and would take anywhere between about 3 minutes. Switch off the heat.
And finally, stir in minced pickled jalapeno 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. 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 wonderful when served with French fries, pretzel, garlic knots, and hot dogs.
How to store the leftover?
I never had a chance of storing the leftover as it gets finished as soon as I made. However, the leftover sauce is good to use up to 3 days when refrigerated in an air sealed container.
Other similar recipes
Recommended tools for making this recipe
Sauté pan. I like this pan, because of it good grip and easy to handle.
Measuring tools. Works perfect in every recipe.
Printable recipe card
Jalapeno cheese sauce
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, and salt.
- Whisk continously and bring the sauce to low heat.
- Cook by stirring regularly until the sauce thickens for about 4 minutes.
Nutrition
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