Queso Dip Recipe

This Queso Dip is an ultra-creamy, ridiculously cheesy, and perfectly seasoned dip begging for some good salted tortilla chips! This recipe couldn’t be much easier to make — it whips together on the stovetop in minutes.

Love this dip? You’ve got to try our popular 7 Layer Bean Dip next! It’s robustly flavored with taco-seasoned sour cream.

This Easy Queso Recipe Will Be A Party Favorite!

My brother-in-law prides himself as a queso connoisseur. After challenging me to re-create his all-time favorite restaurant recipe, I immediately got to work. This involved copious amounts of taste testing and definitely included talking to the restaurant chef that serves what my brother-in-law claims to be the best locally.

Certain there was some big “secret” or at least a few different kinds of cheese in his queso sauce recipe, I was surprised to hear he uses only one cheese: Land O’ Lakes® White American Cheese. And they’ve never made it any other way. After finalizing this recipe and getting my brother-in-law’s stamp of approval, I’m excited to share this recipe with you all.

Not only is it tasty, but it’s also ridiculously quick and easy to make. Score! 

What Is Queso?

Chile Con Queso, or typically shortened and called simply “Queso,” is a cheesy dip served as an appetizer or side dish with tortilla chips. Queso is a thick and creamy melted cheese dip typically with some spice — not to be confused with Queso Fundido, which is a dish made entirely of hot melted cheese. And, it’s also not to be confused with Queso Fresco which, is a fresh, soft, and moist cheese. And finally, Quesabirria, Queso Oaxaca, and Queso Blanco, while often confused with Queso, are all different products or recipes. (If you’re not fluent in Spanish, queso means cheese, so simply saying cheese won’t narrow down the recipes much. Chile con queso translates to chile peppers with cheese.)

This Queso recipe is thick, luxuriously creamy, and ultra cheesy with a touch of spice. But, best of all, it couldn’t be easier to make!

How To Make Queso Dip

You can have this creamy Queso coating perfectly salted tortilla chips in a matter of minutes. Below is a quick overview, along with some tips and variation ideas. For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card.

1. Sauté some green onions and garlic in melted butter. You can use a yellow onion or even shallots instead of the green onion. Never use oil in a cheesy dip; it’s best to stick to butter!
2. After that, we sauté the green chiles and spices to bloom their flavor. If you love heat, here’s where you can add in some finely diced jalapeños or some ground cayenne pepper to amp up the spice.
3. Next, add in the evaporated milk and mix through to heat.
4. Meanwhile, tear the cheese slices (or grate if the cheese is in a larger block) and toss with some cornstarch. Then add it all into the pot and mix until melted. Give the Queso a minute to thicken, and you may just want to skip dinner in lieu of having chips + dip! (No judgment here!)

Queso Ingredients

• White American Cheese: This cheese is best from the deli counter; ask for thick slices to grate easily. It’s the key to this recipe. If unavailable, use sharp or extra-sharp cheddar as a substitute.
• Cornstarch: Thickens the dip and prevents graininess. Toss the cheese in cornstarch before melting for a smooth consistency.
• Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and helps cook the green onions. Use unsalted butter to control the salt level in your queso.
• Green Onions: Adds a mild onion flavor and freshness. Use the whites and light green parts for a milder taste.
• Minced Garlic: Sauté briefly to avoid burning and bitterness.
• Spices (Cumin, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Paprika): Adjust the spice levels to your taste.
• Fire-roasted diced green chiles: Fire-roasted diced green chiles are charred for a smoky, sweet flavor. They add extra taste without extra work. Choose mild if you prefer less heat.
• Evaporated Milk: Evaporated milk is a shelf-stable canned milk with 60% of the water removed, making it creamy and less likely to separate. It’s the best choice for queso. Don’t use sweetened condensed milk—it’s too sweet for this recipe.

Our Top Queso Tips

• Don’t over-heat. We want to bring the evaporated milk to a nice simmer, not a boil. If the dip gets too hot, it will become grainy and separate.
• Mix the cheese over low heat. It will require patience, but resist the urge to increase the heat. This is likely to cause a grainy and overly thick dip.
• Stir constantly. As you add in the cheese, don’t stop stirring — we want an even melt for the creamiest possible sauce.
• Use good, freshly grated cheese. We recommend the white American cheese, but if you are using a different cheese, be sure to get cheese off the block not already grated. Cheese that is already grated has a cellulose coating that makes it resistant to melting into a creamy sauce.
• To taste for seasoning, dip in a chip! Since tortilla chips are salted, you may not want to add extra salt to the Queso or everything could be too salty.

Serve Alongside

• Baked Chicken Tacos with a creamy cilantro-lime sauce
• White Turkey Chili with ground turkey and white beans
• Loaded Sweet Potatoes with an avocado-corn topping
• Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad with a creamy chili-lime dressing
• Black Bean Corn Avocado Salad with a chili-lime vinaigrette

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5 from 3 votes

Queso

By Chelsea Lords

This ultra-creamy, cheesy Queso Dip is perfectly seasoned and ready for dipping! Whips up in minutes on the stovetop—just add your favorite tortilla chips.

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Equipment

• Medium pot

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2-1/2 cups (12 ounces) white American cheese you’ll have to get it at deli counter—see note 1
• ▢ 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ 3/4 cup green onions whites and light green parts, thinly sliced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ Salt and pepper
• ▢ 1 (4-ounce) can fire-roasted diced green chiles see note 2
• ▢ 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk see note 3
• ▢ 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro optional
• ▢ Tortilla chips for dipping

Instructions 

• Shred cheese or coarsely chop if already sliced. If you don’t have an exact weight, measure 2-1/2 cups. Toss cheese pieces with cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.
• Heat stovetop to medium heat. Melt butter in a medium pot. Once melted, add thinly sliced green onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3–5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
• Thoroughly drain the green chiles. Add all the green chiles, spices, and salt and pepper (add to your preference; I add 1/2 teaspoon of each) to the pot. Stirring, cook for 1–2 minutes or until very fragrant.
• Give the can of evaporated milk a good shake and pour into the pot. Stir and bring to a simmer, still over medium heat. Do not increase the heat and don’t boil! Once simmering, reduce heat to medium low.
• Add the cheese and cornstarch mixture and stir constantly until cheese is melted. This takes a bit of time. Increasing the heat will result in a grainy dip. Once cheese is fully melted (sauce will still seem a bit thin, but it thickens as it sits!), taste with a tortilla chip so you can gauge saltiness. Adjust any seasonings/salt to preference. Stir in cilantro if using. Remove from heat and serve warm with chips.
• Dip will thicken and harden as it cools (just like any melted cheese-filled recipe). Here's how to keep it nice and creamy for a longer serving period: Transfer to a small Crock-Pot (ideally 2–4 quarts) and set to “warm.” Serve right out of the slow cooker, stirring occasionally. Alternatively, when it gets too thick, rewarm over low heat in a pot on the stovetop or microwave (covered) in bursts of 10 seconds. If needed, add an extra splash of evaporated milk (while stirring constantly) as you reheat the dip.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: You’ll find white American cheese (Land O’ Lakes recommended) at the deli counter (or ordered online for grocery pick-up). If this cheese only comes sliced, ask the deli counter to do the largest possible slice—that way you’ll get a few blocks you can easily shred. This cheese is the “secret” to this recipe, so get it if you can! A runner-up would be regular Cheddar (sharp or extra-sharp for a cheesier flavor).

Note 2: Fire-roasted diced green chiles are charred over a flame before being diced and canned—you get more flavor without any extra work! You can also get diced green chiles that aren’t fire roasted. If you'd like more heat, get a hotter can and/or add a diced jalapeño. 

Note 3: In some countries, evaporated milk is called unsweetened condensed milk and is shelf-stable. Since 60% of the water has been removed from the fresh milk,  there is less chance of dip separation. I’ve tried all kinds of dairy products, and nothing makes a better Queso than evaporated milk! Sweetened condensed milk isn’t a good substitute—it would make it too sweet!

Storage: Queso stores nicely in the fridge for 3–5 days. Keep it in an airtight container and use the reheating methods described above. Queso doesn’t freeze/thaw well.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 834mg | Potassium: 235mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 704IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 582mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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