Learn how to make Creamy White Queso Dip, This easy queso dip recipe uses real cheese If you’re looking for an easy queso dip recipe, you’ve come to the right place I guarantee you’ll never go back to using velvetta again! just real quality cheese and ingredients melted together and ready to dip.I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect white cheese dip recipe for years and years, and this one has finally completed me. If you haven’t made homemade queso blanco before, then today is the day.
What is queso?
The literal translation of queso is cheese, but when we talk about it, we’re talking specifically about the melty, liquidy, amazing goodness that is queso DIP. I always think of the traditional kind you get at Mexican restaurants, which is why I wanted make this authentic white queso recipe.
This is truly the cheese dip of your DREAMS! It’s a copycat recipe from your favorite restaurant. I’ve loaded mine with green chiles, spices, and topped with cilantro, jalapeños, and tomatoes. Perfect!
Does this stay smooth and creamy as it cools?
The evaporated milk helps this Mexican cheese dip stay creamy, but it will still harden as it cools (that’s just what cheese does). So if you’re not going to be inhaling this in 10 minutes, follow these tips to keep it nice and warm (and smooth and creamy).
What kind of cheese should I use for queso?
It honestly depends of which queso you’re making, but here are a few options!
- Cheddar + Monterrey Jack: If you are making a regular Yellow Queso Dip, I’d suggest using a combo of cheddar cheese and Monterrey jack or just a straight cheddar cheese.
- White Cheddar + White American Cheese: If you’re make White Queso Dip I’d suggest a white cheddar cheese or white american cheese.
- Cream Cheese: Adding cream cheese to this mixture will really make things smooth and creamy. Plus it will help it not “seize up” like most quesos do when they are removed from heat.
How to Store Queso Dip :
If you have any leftover dip, pour it into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.
To reheat: Add a splash of milk and heat in the microwave in 15-30 second increments, stirring between each increment to make sure it’s fully heated through.
Creamy Queso Dip
Ingrédients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 large poblano, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup milk to 1 cup
- 1 lb. white american cheese, cut into cubes i use kraft
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground cumin
- 1 Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 4 oz. green chilies
- salt to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, diced
- top with fresh pico de gallo optional
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick pan to medium high heat.
- Add avocado oil, red onion, poblano and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until onions are translucent.
- To the vegetables, add in cumin, chili powder and salt. Stir to coat the vegetables then add in milk, american cheese and cream cheese.
- Cook at low heat and continue to stir throughout until the cheese is melted and smooth then add in green chilis.
- Once smooth, finish with fresh cilantro and salt to taste.
- Optional: garnish with fresh pico de gallo.
Notes
Best Queso Recipe Tips & Tricks :
We have tried to make this homemade queso as easy as possible so that anyone can make it and be sure that it comes out PERFECT each and every time. Here are some tips we have come up with over the years:- Use evaporated milk instead of milk, cream, or half and half. When I first posted this recipe, I used half and half (half milk/half cream). The recipe always worked for us, but I had some readers comment that their recipe was separating while cooking. NO BUENO! Using evaporated milk should fix that issue as it has less moisture. Voila!
- Don’t let the milk overheat. Once the milk reaches a light simmer, immediately reduce to low. Never bring the heat over medium/low past that point. Cheese dip that gets too hot and overcooks can become grainy, and we don’t want that!
- We’ve added cornstarch. Cornstarch is used to thicken the queso dip and works great!
- Always be stirring! As you add in batches of cheese to melt, be sure to whisk constantly to make sure it stays creamy and melts perfectly.
- Crockpot Option: If you want to make this in a crockpot. Just sauté the vegetables first, then add everything (except for cilantro) to the crockpot and turn to LOW. Cook until cheese is melted, stirring throughout. Finish with cilantro.