Who doesn’t like nachos and cheese dip. One of our favorite comfort foods to nibble on , on a cold rainy evening. It is a classic beginning to any gatherings. A great way to keep the guests entertained when you are busy setting up the dinner. Cheese dips can be made various ways and I will be sharing with you as and when I make it.  Healthy nacho cheese dip is a nutritious take on the classic one . Hope you like it.

I bet it’s every mom’s story , we are always urged to add nutrition in almost everything we make ,and if you have a kid like I do who doesn’t fancy veggies then we are sailing in the same boat. This dip being my son’s favorite had to get a healthy makeover. After my son started having solids ,my only mission food wise has been how do I successfully make his plate more healthier. He does enjoy his share of chips and cookies , but as a mom I try to balance it out .

So this time when he had friends over for a play date , I made this dip again and the kids went slurping it till the end. I had served it with some chips , carrots, wheat thins and toasted multi grain breads. I wish I could click a picture of the same but it was made in a jiffy and gone in a jiffy. The mommies were quiet surprised when I told them there was something healthy hidden in there , they found it absolutely delicious  and insisted I share this with you all. I had few pictures of the same lying on my laptop for a while so thought why not post them.

So what’s this healthy cheese dip?

A classic cheese dip gets a nutritious makeover by ditching butter and all purpose flour. Is it sounding healthy already? Now read this . I have even sneaked it some carrot puree which ups the nutrition without change in taste. Carrots blend in beautifully with this sauce making it delicious in every way.

I have used medium cheddar cheese which imparts a nice tangy flavor to the sauce.

This healthy nacho cheese sauce is ready under 15 minutes and requires less than 7 ingredients.

Below is a quick step by step pictorial followed by the recipe and important notes.

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3.86 from 27 votes

Healthy Nacho cheese sauce

A healthy twist to classic nacho cheese dip which is easy to prepare and a crowd pleaser too. Nutritious and healthy too.

Course Appetizer, dip

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Adjustable Servings -3 cups

Author Khushboo

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cooking olive oil / veg oil
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat/ multi grain flour
• 1.5 cups full fat milk
• 1 cup carrot puree
• 2 cups grated medium cheddar cheese
• ½ teaspoon red pepper powder / paprika
• Dash of black pepper
• Salt to taste.

Instructions

• Warm up the milk in microwave or stove top until it comes to a simmer .Heat oil in heavy bottom pot on medium low flame. Once warm , add in the wheat flour and stir it continuously for 30 seconds. Slowly add in the warm milk stirring continuously with other hand. Switch to a hand whisk if desired to get rid of lumps if any. Let the mixture come to a simmer and thicken. Now slowly add in the carrot puree . Add in the salt , pepper, paprika. Give a quick mix occasionally . Let the sauce come to a simmer. Now add in the cheese and switch off the flame. Gently mix the cheese in until it has melted and you have a smooth sauce. Taste test and adjust the spices.

Notes

refer to important notes and substitutions below.

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Notes and possible substitutions .

Serve it warm or cold , it tastes great either ways.

Super creamy silky smooth dip is attained by half and half or heavy cream and full fat milk combination ,feel free to use it.

Use full fat milk as 2 % milk or low fat milk may result into a grainier dip. Saying this, it’s not much noticeable but I thought of mentioning it.

I have steamed carrots and pureed , you can boil until tender and puree it , do not use raw as it won’t give you a smooth consistency. 

I warm up the milk before adding to the flour roux to expedite the process of thickening. 

Cheese already has salt so use salt wisely. You can always add in later.

Red pepper powder is optional but I think you should add it in for a nice flavor and kick.

Use any cheese that melts well , do not use mozzarella  . Possible substitution to cheddar will be swiss cheese , montery jack , amul processed cheese cubes , asiago , colby , fontina to name a few .

Use freshly grated  cheese and not use pre grated cheese for good results.  

Feel free to substitute carrot puree for butternut squash, sweet potato, spinach , beets, avocado for fun different colors or totally skip it. 

Taste and color will depend on cheese and puree used.

Feel free to add in your favorite herbs fresh or dried . 

Sauce thickens further after cooling , so keep that in mind. 

You can always add in some more milk and thin the sauce by warming it on low heat or microwave . 

This sauce stays good upto 3-4 days in the fridge . 

I love to toss in some pasta or make skillet mac n cheese in the cheese sauce if left any. 

cheezzzy and addictive !! yumm!!

Hope you like this recipe and do give it a try. I would love to hear from you. If you have tried any of  my recipes do drop in a feedback in the comment section or on my Facebook pagecarveyourcraving in messages section and follow me on Pinterest .

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