The Ingredient You Can't Skip For Movie Theater-Style Nacho Cheese Sauce

There are restaurant-style nachos, and then there are movie theater-style nachos, and when you're craving the simple, molten gooeyness of the latter, nothing else will suffice. The good news is that it's not difficult to make your own copycat nacho cheese sauce for movie nights at home — just remember one key ingredient: pickled jalapeño juice.

Adding a couple of tablespoons of pickled jalapeño juice adds multiple levels of flavor to your queso, taking it from a simple pot of melted cheese to the nacho cheese sauce you know and love. That brine you've been dumping down the drain all these years adds a dash of acidity that brightens the heavy cheese and a little kick of spiciness to layer in some complexity. 

The foundation of queso sauce includes flour, butter, milk, and, of course, cheese. Once you've combined these ingredients and let them thicken, add the jalapeño juice and stir for about a minute to incorporate it fully into the mixture. This method also works well for taking store-bought queso to the next level for those who aren't making nachos from scratch. Don't worry — the heat level of the juice alone is fairly mild. For capsicum lovers who crave more spice, feel free to throw in as many of the pickled jalapeños themselves as your taste buds can handle. 

Once you've nailed down this basic recipe, it's time to start experimenting — after all, the true beauty of this dish lies in its customizability. Adding smoked paprika is an easy way to spice up your store-bought queso, giving it a dash of sweet heat that pairs great with red meat toppings. Layer in the paprika to taste once the sauce is nearly ready to serve; the subtle flavor change is exquisite.

Another way to upgrade your nachos for gameday is to substitute evaporated milk for regular milk in your queso or nacho sauce. Its thickness can result in a creamier sauce, and the disodium phosphate in evaporated milk helps ensure a silky smooth texture. Just be sure to dilute the evaporated milk with a bit of water if your sauce looks too thick for the best results.

Finally, consider adding roasted garlic to your nacho sauce. The sweet, rich flavor of roasted garlic is hard to beat, and preparing it in the oven is simple. Just cut the top off the head of garlic, drizzle with olive oil, wrap it in tin foil, and pop it in the oven. Once it reaches the perfect soft brownness, smash it into a paste and add as much as you like to your nacho sauce.