Can You Microwave Nacho Cheese?

Q. I really love those nachos that you buy at the movie theatre, with the melted, dripping nacho cheese poured over top. Not the healthiest snack, but I like to enjoy a treat once in a while. I recently found some nacho cheese at the store, and I’ve been making my own nachos at home. The container of the cheese recommends heating the cheese in a pot on the stove until it gets to a sauce-like consistency. I’ve been doing that, but it takes a long time to melt. I’ve been wondering if I can just microwave it instead. It would be less time consuming and simpler, I think. Can you microwave nacho cheese? 

A. Yes, you can microwave nacho cheese! Most manufacturers recommend heating the cheese over the stove because it melts the cheese gradually, not all at once. This helps limit the potential for burning the cheese and ruining the product altogether. However, with a bit of caution, nacho cheese can be successfully melted in the microwave, making your life just a little bit easier!

I recommend heating the nacho cheese in the microwave by itself, not poured over the nacho chips. Nacho chips can change consistency and go a bit soggy if heating that way. It’s best to heat the nacho cheese separately and then pour over the chips or dip the chips in the nacho cheese after heating.

First, place the desired amount of nacho cheese in a microwave safe container. Then, melt it on a medium heat in 30 second intervals. After each interval, remove the cheese from the microwave and stir it to distribute the heat and avoid burning the cheese, particularly around the edges. . Microwaves heat foods from the middle out, so sometimes it’s hard to tell if the inside is getting warm. Stirring it will help distribute the heat, and then you will have a better idea if it needs to go back in the microwave. Continue heating the nacho cheese in intervals until the desired consistency is reached.

Remove the melted nacho cheese from the microwave and pour it over the tortilla chips immediately, or serve it in the microwave-safe container to dip the chips into. Refrigerate any unused nacho cheese as soon as possible by covering the top with a lid or tightly covering it with plastic wrap. Use leftover nacho cheese within 48 hours for best results.