Best Cheese for Nachos (The Definitive Guide)

Have you ever worried about choosing the best cheese for nachos when making them at home? In a world where the cheese options are endless, we’re here to help you break it down. 

I don’t know about you, but I find nachos to be an extremely satisfying snack when I want something cheesy and delicious or when a few friends stop by for a football game. In a pinch, I can make a small batch of nachos in the air fryer or a big tray in the oven. The oven will give the nachos a crunchier finish.

The topping options are also plentiful: salsa, sour cream, guacamole, your choice of protein, jalapenos, pico de gallo, beans, peppers, onions, and olives. Then there are the chips. Tortilla chips, Doritos, or, best of all, homemade tortilla chips will give you that perfect crunch factor. 

My dilemma is always the cheese. How do I choose the perfect cheese to complete my perfect snack? There are a few qualities that all good nacho cheese options have to have:

• Meltability: You want to use cheese that melts evenly without turning to an oily liquid.
• Stingy: A good stringy cheese will hold onto your nachos. There is nothing worse than a cheese that just drips off your chips.
• Tasty: No explanation needed!
• Not overly strong: You don’t want the cheese to overpower the other ingredients you use on your nachos. I mean, I love gorgonzola, but on nachos, it would relegate all other toppings to the backseat.

But we’ve got a lot of cheese variety options to choose from to make the perfect plate of melty, crunchy goodness that we love. So let’s dig in and discuss what cheeses are best for your homemade nachos.

Option 1: Monterey Jack

Monterey jack is a very popular cheese in Mexican foods. It’s often used in quesadillas for its melty qualities. It can also be used on burgers, sandwiches, or grilled cheese. It’s also great for nachos! With a mild, buttery taste and a great consistency when melted, it’s perfect for spreading over your favorite chips and popping into the oven for a tasty snack.

Monterey Jack cheese is also rich in calcium and protein and has many beneficial vitamins, making it a hearty addition to your chosen chips and toppings.

Could you use Monterey Jack’s cousin Pepper Jack? Well, sure, you could, but remember, you don’t want a cheese that dominates all other flavors. If you and your guests really love pepper jack, give it a whirl, but it isn’t on our list for a reason.

Option 2: Cheddar

White cheddar, yellow cheddar, mild cheddar, sharp cheddar – they’ll all make a great plate of nachos. Depending on how aged the cheddar is, it’ll be sharp and pungent. Regardless of how flavorful you like the cheddar to be, it’ll melt beautifully onto the chips and make some great nachos. And, as a bonus, if you choose white cheddar for your nachos, you can make some truffle mac and cheese with the leftovers!

We are particularly fond of sharp cheddar with nachos. Melt it with a bit of milk, salsa, and a spoonful of mayo to make a super creamy cheese sauce. But, as we said, taste and type of cheese are personal preferences.

Option 3: Colby

This may come as a surprise, but Colby is actually very meltable, which makes it perfect as a chip covering. It’s also known for its creamy texture and mild flavor, so it’s a tasty addition to the nachos of your dreams. It’s rich in vitamin A so count it as healthy as well. Colby also makes a great addition to grilled cheese if you have any leftover. 

Option 4: Cotija Cheese

Cotija is a Mexican cheese used in Mexican favorites like tacos, enchiladas, and nachos. It is a crumbly cheese made from cow’s milk with a mild salty flavor. We use it in this Mexican Street Corn Salad. It is a great cold side dish that is easy to make. Bring it along the next time you go to a cookout, but don’t expect to bring any back home. We think a plate of cotija nachos and the corn salad as a dip for chips makes a great pair for football games or cookout appetizers.

Option 5: Honorable Mentions

Sometimes imitation is the best form of flattery, so we asked several of our favorite Mexican restaurants what types of cheese they use with nachos. From this small sample, we can’t put these in order of which is most and least used, so here are their favorites in alphabetical order:

• American White
• Asadero 
• Chihuahua
• Quesadilla Cheese
• Queso de Oaxaca

Option 6: Mix & Match

As it turns out, most cheeses taste good together. Mix and match any of the cheeses above on your nachos to create a well-rounded, yummy dish in no time at all. Get creative with it! Nachos should be fun.

This wraps up our look at the best cheese for nachos. We hope you found the ideal cheese for you and your company, and as always, happy cooking from your friends at Live Eat Learn!