Luxuriously smooth queso made with real cheese. Even better than you’d find in a Mexican restaurant!
We have mastered the much-loved Tex-Mex cheese dip! This rich and velvety queso dip recipe will be your new go-to for social gatherings. Packed with onion, garlic, jalapeños, tomatoes, cilantro and spices, you’ll taste all of the flavours of traditional Mexican cuisine with every bite. Move over Velveeta! There’s nothing like a good queso dip made with real cheese – deliciosa!
QUESO
Ahhhh queso. A world famous cheese dip that everyone loves! We make our queso even more spectacular using a special ingredient to maintain the dip’s velvety smooth consistency. Some cheese dips start off great, but as they begin to cool down, they can become grainy and clumpy.
To combat this, we use a secret weapon: evaporated milk! It’s made an appearance in many of our recipes, including our super popular creamy hot chocolate and reader favourite Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup. It’s my solution to achieving a perfect creamy consistency, without the gluggy, floury after-taste you get from other thickening agents.
HOW TO MAKE QUESO
SUPER simple to make and quick to throw together in a skillet or the pot you’re planning to serve it in, as pictured above. Just let cool slightly before serving.
Start with your flavour base:
Sauté green onions: white parts only for a deeper flavour, reserving the green parts of the onion to stir through right at the end. One bunch of green onions is the perfect amount, then add fresh garlic.
Add tomatoes: use finely diced Roma, cherry or grape tomatoes for a sweeter flavour. Make sure you throw in those tomato juices as well!
Spices: We use fire roasted green chilies to achieve that smoky flavour, but you can use pickled jalapeños or fresh chiles. The choice is yours! Ground cumin, onion powder and cayenne pepper add to the flavour profile but can be substituted for whatever you have on hand, or omitted completely.
Make your dip as mild or as spicy as you like by adding more cayenne, or throw in some red chili powder or hot sauce. That’s the beauty of our queso dip, it’s extremely adaptable!
HOW TO CREATE SILKY, SMOOTH QUESO SAUCE
A combination of cornstarch and evaporated milk creates that silky, smooth sauce. Let them simmer together and thicken slightly before adding your cheese.
Tip: taste test dip with the chips you plan to serve them with, so as not to over-salt! Adjust seasonings if needed.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH QUESO DIP
The obvious pairing has to be Fried Tortilla Chips! But this queso is so versatile you could pair it with almost anything. Try dipping our Oven Fried Beer Battered Shrimp or Chicken Tenders in your queso. Or throw over some Crispy Garlic Baked Potato Wedges for loaded fries.
You’ll love them more than store bought chips!
MORE DIP RECIPES
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Guacamole
Spinach Artichoke Dip with Bacon
Easy Satay Dipping Sauce
Avocado Hummus
Queso (Mexican Cheese Dip)
Ingredients
- ½ pound cheddar cheese 225 g fresh, shredded, smoked, sharp or American cheddar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¾ cup green onions finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 3.5 oz diced tomatoes Roma, grape or cherry tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper add more to taste if desired
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch cornflour
- 13 ounces evaporated milk full fat
- 4 oz fire roasted green chiles or jalapeños
- ¼ cup cilantro fresh, finely chopped
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium-sized pot over medium-heat. Sauté the green onions (white parts only) for 4 minutes, until soft. Then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes in with juices with the chiles, cumin, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Cook while stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes until soft and fragrant.
- Mix cornstarch into the pot, then pour in the evaporated milk, stirring well to combine.
- Bring to a boil, then add the cheese, mixing well. Cook, while stirring, until cheese just melts through the milk and transforms into a smooth sauce. Take off heat immediately.
- Stir in cilantro, green onions (reserved green parts) and season with salt to taste if needed. Mix well.Serve warm.Tip: Queso thickens when cooled.
Steve H says
Used 2 sliced jalapeños instead of chilies & put in hot Italian sausage & 2 bags of cut up cherry tomatoes & a can of diced tomatoes with chilies, other than that followed recipe – using for mac & cheese be really good l bet
LHarper says
I have used this recipe a few times – it’s beyond delicious when it’s fresh! I have found it doesn’t reheat well. Something about the evaporated milk, maybe? It doesn’t stay smooth or creamy when it’s been refrigerated – so we tend to eat it all the first day.
Genevieve says
I’ve made this three times now and it’s just amazing. It makes great Mac and cheese sauce (just loosen it up with a little pasta water when you mix in the pasta!). Super versatile and I love that I know EXACTLY what’s in it. I keep everything in my pantry. I literally will never need velveeta again.
Ken says
Or.. Velveeta, Rotel – melt – done : ) This really does sound good though.
Gisele Brady says
Um, be quiet Mrs. Karen because this was delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Karla says
Great flavors & consistency! I used a tad less cornstarch and it did get thick enough. My go to for now on.
Veta Stock says
Excellent Queso recipe. Really good taste and texture and I appreciate the healthy ingredients. I didn’t have canned chilis so put in a can of Rotel which worked really well. Thank you!
Lauren says
OMG…soo yummy and super easy-quick to make!! Thank you!
Penny says
Such a hit! Double recipe made and crockpot was empty at end of party.
Bev says
Love this recipe except we’re lactose intolerant so we substitutes buttermilk powder for the milk and it came out delish!! So easy to make too. Bon appétit