This easy, creamy, and flavorful queso dip is so easy to make, you’ll be serving it at every football party or social gathering from now until the end of time. It is so good! The secret to a creamy, rich queso? Cream cheese. Now get yourself some chips! Your dip is waiting!
When we were transplanted to Texas, my husband and I discovered that Mexican restaurants are often chosen solely for the quality of their queso and salsa.
My husband was devastated after asking the waiter at his favorite Mexican restaurant to slip him their ‘famous’ queso recipe and the guy simply replied, ‘What recipe? Just pick up a can at the store.”
What Makes a Great Homemade Queso?
To me, a great queso dip is smooth and creamy with a slight hint. Let’s face it, there are days when we need to support our family (or ourselves) but we just can’t bring ourselves to do anything lavish. This homemade queso saves the day.
It doesn’t require much prep and — when topped with a cooked protein like taco meat or chorizo and served with fries or warm tortillas — it becomes a complete meal.
What is the best cheese for queso?
When it comes to longing Question, the key is to use cheese that has a spiciness. Extra sharp cheddar does this wonderfully. To balance out the sharp cheddar, I added full-fat cream cheese for extra flavor and to smooth out the texture of the dip.
If sharp cheddar isn’t your thing, you can use other types of cheese. In fact, most restaurants use Velveeta, or American cheese, to make their queso. If you decide to use either of these, use the same amount as for the cheddar. Since both of these cheeses are made to melt, you can dice them instead of grating them.
What are the best peppers for queso?
Believe it or not, the best peppers for queso come in a can!
Rotel is a great brand of canned diced tomatoes with diced green chillies. It makes quick work of queso. Some grocers carry their own brand, so keep an eye out after that too.
What I like about using canned peppers is that they can be saved in the pantry for queso in a hurry. This shortens my preparation time considerably, as I no longer have to chop it up – just open the can, drain and add to the dip. The hotness of canned chillies is usually stated on the label. Keep it mild, or go ahead and get spicy if you want too!
If you don’t have access to Rotel, you can use either fresh chilies and tomatoes or canned tomatoes and chilies.
- How to use fresh peppers and tomatoes: If you choose fresh, just use a chopped jalapeño and half a poblano pepper with a cup of diced fresh tomato. Make sure you sauté them with the onions and garlic in step one.
- Using canned tomatoes and chillies: If Rotel is not available in your area, you can substitute a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes and a small 12-ounce can of diced green chiles. Drain both just as you would if using the Rotel.
The secret of the smooth queso
The curse of all question-Maker existence congeals. Using cream cheese in my queso protects against this common problem. The stabilizers in cream cheese prevent the cheese from curdling when heated. This works to our advantage with the queso dip, as the cream cheese melts and makes the dip homogeneous, unlike hard cheeses like cheddar, which can separate when heated.
More tips for super smooth queso:
- In addition to the cream cheese, I use condensed milk as the base for the cheese dip.
- Reducing the amount of water in the sauce also prevents the dreaded curdling.
- Pay close attention to the temperature of the sauce after the cheese was added. This is crucial to achieve a smooth queso. Maintaining a low temperature and a little patience will set you on the road to success. After adding the cheese, there should be no bubbles breaking through the surface of the dip.
What to do if your queso separates
When the feared does occur, wipe away those tears first. The liquid to fat ratio needs to be readjusted to make the sauce smooth again. To do this, keep the sauce over low heat and whisk whole milk into the sauce, a tablespoon at a time.
Tips to make queso even better!
Queso is a great base for making all kinds of dips. Here are a few ideas:
- You can swap out the yellow cheddar for a Pepper Jack or white cheddar to create white queso.
- Top up your queso by adding a pound of cooked, crumbled chorizo or taco meat.
- Steamed sweetcorn, bacon, or even brisket (I told you I’m a Texan now) are also great stews.
Think beyond the chip! Queso is also great as a topping for steamed vegetables, baked potatoes, and hot dogs.
For this recipe top I only mine question with a living one Pico de Gallo.
Serving and storing queso
Queso dip will begin to thicken as it sits. To keep it smooth, place in a slow cooker with the heat setting on warm.
Queso naturally forms a skin when seated. It’s not the prettiest, but it’s edible. Stir the queso frequently to prevent burning. I like to use a rubber spatula so I can scrape the sides of the slow cooker to prevent the queso crust from forming.
If you find your queso is getting too thick, stir in a few tablespoons of whole milk to thin it out.
Leftover queso can be stored in the refrigerator as long as it has not been stored for more than two hours. Store the dip in a food storage container for up to 72 hours. Heat the queso in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
Need more dip?
- 7 layer bean dip
- Grilled tomatillo and corn salsa
- Spicy Three Chile Guacamole
- Pineapple Tomato Salsa
- Buffalo chicken dip
queso dip
ingredients
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1/2 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
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2 garlic cloves, chopped
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1/4 cup chopped white onion (1/4 of a medium onion)
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12 ounce can of evaporated whole milk
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
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1/4 teaspoon chili powder
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8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
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8 ounces soft cream cheese, diced
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10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, drained
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1/4 cup chopped cilantro
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2-4 tablespoons whole milk to thin the sauce as needed
- Serve:
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Pico de gallo, for garnish
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Corn tortilla chips
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pretzel bites
method
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Sweat garlic and onion:
Place a large skillet or slanted frying pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until both are glossy and the garlic has started to turn a light brown color, about 3 minutes.
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Add milk and spices:
Add the condensed milk, salt, cumin, and chili powder to the pan. Stir continuously until steam rises from its surface and very small bubbles appear near the sides of the pan.
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Add cheese:
Reduce the heat to low and slowly but steadily beat in both the cheddar and cream cheese for a full 10 minutes. The cheese goes from being stringy to having a smooth, velvety texture. It’s okay if tiny bits of cream cheese remain; They will continue to melt as the sauce heats up.
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Finish the queso dip:
After beating the cheese for 10 minutes, add the drained rotel and chopped cilantro. Whisk to combine. It’s okay if the rotel is a bit soggy, that will help thin the sauce.
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Fill up and serve:
Once the veggies are fully incorporated and warmed through (about 5 minutes), place the queso in a slow cooker. You can also serve it straight from the pan. Top with a generous helping of pico de gallo accompanied by warm corn tortilla chips or pretzel bites.
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Dilute as needed:
The queso will thicken as it sits. If you find it’s getting too thick, stir in a few tablespoons of whole milk to thin it out. Serve straight from the pan kept on your stovetop over low heat, or place the queso in a slow cooker set on warm. Stir the queso frequently to keep a skin from forming on the surface of the dip.
