This Queso Dip is a copycat of the cheese dip sold in jars and served at your favourite Mexican restaurant. The miracle of this is that it’s silky smooth even when it cools – and reheats perfectly. Imagine the possibilities!
Why this is life changing
This Queso Dip recipe is for everyone out there who has attempted to make a Mexican cheese dip like what you get at Mexican restaurants and found it lacking. If you want the dip to be silky smooth like the stuff you get in jars in aisles (not fridge!) of grocery stores, then the recipes call for fake cheese – Velveeta or other processed cheeses.
Other recipes are made starting with a roux – butter & flour – which is used to make a béchamel sauce into which cheese is added. While this makes a terrific cheese sauce for pouring over vegetables, in lasagna, gratins etc, it doesn’t have that truly silky and rich texture of a cheese dip.
Some recipes call for real cheese and varying combinations of cream / sour cream / mayonnaise – but the problem with these is that when the dip cools down, the cheese congeals. It’s tasty – but you need to keep it warm. And it has a tendency to split when rewarmed.
The solution? Evaporated milk + cornflour/cornstarch + cheese = silky smooth rich cheese dip / sauce. Truly. It works. 🙂
Actually, I shared Nachos Cheese Dip a couple of years ago which is a simpler version of this dip. This Queso Dip is my copycat of the fake cheese dip I tried (Tostitos) and the ultra addictive dips served at Tex Mex restaurants in the States.
I even made my own corn chips using corn tortillas because I couldn’t find white corn chips, like you get in Mexican restaurants. And also because corn chips made using corn tortillas tastes so much more like corn than store bought.
Don’t make this Queso Dip when you’re home alone. I’m supposed to be on my Post Holiday Health Kick (I know, I know, you hear this every time I come back from holidays!!!) and it’s taken astronomical will power to hold back.
I’ve got 3 batches of this Mexican Cheese Dip in my fridge. I’m planning to offload them tomorrow. – Nagi x
PS Except maybe that one little jar. I might keep that for myself…..
PPS I realise that some people may raise their eyebrows at the name “Life Changing Queso Dip”, but for Queso Dip lovers, I deign to say this will be life changing!!!
Queso Dip recipe
Watch how to make it
Queso Dip (Mexican Cheese Dip) recipe video!
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Queso Dip (Mexican Cheese Dip)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (tightly packed) cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (Important – read Note 1)
- 1 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1/2 tbsp (10g) unsalted butter
- 1 large garlic clove , finely minced
- 1/4 small white onion , very finely chopped (~1/4 cup)
- 375g / 13 oz evaporated milk (1 can) , not low fat
- 1 small tomato , finely diced (3/4 cup) (Note 2)
- 1/4 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, cumin
- 113g /4 oz can chopped green chile, fire roasted (Subs Note 3)
- 1/4 cup coriander / cilantro , finely chopped
- 2 – 3 tbsp milk , any type (to loosen, as needed)
- Salt , to taste (cheese brands differ in saltiness, may not need)
Instructions
- Toss – Place cheese and cornflour in a bowl, toss to coat.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan or small pot.
- Sauté – Add garlic and onion, cook slowly for 3 minutes or until onion is translucent but not browned. Add tomato (including juices) and cook for 2 minutes until tomato is slightly softened.
- Add evaporated milk and cheese. Stir, then add chiles and Spices.
- Melt – Stir until cheese melts and it becomes a silky sauce.
- Add salt to taste – amount required depends on saltiness of cheese used – and stir through coriander.
- Adjust consistency – Stir in milk or water to adjust consistency (I use 2 tbsp) – the dip thickens when it cools, and milk can be added later to adjust to taste.
- Remove from heat. Serve warm or at room temperature – it will be soft and scoopable even when it cools.
- Store in the refrigerator. When refrigerated, it becomes the consistency of the cheese spread sold in jars that are not in the refrigerator section. Reheat in microwave and adjust consistency as desired with a tiny bit of milk. If you add too much, just put on stove again until it thickens. Freezes 3 months, fridge 5 days.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More dips for fellow snack monsters
Life of Dozer
That’s not a peeved look on his face, even though that’s what you might think. It’s a look of contentment and utter comfort in his very cozy sweatshirt. I’m sure of it. He’s not embarrassed. 😈
I recently made this using the yellow American cheese block from costco… however… would kraft singles work in lieu of velveeta?
Delicious. Used 500g cheese. Didn’t need extra milk. Didn’t add coriander.
You can also get canned fire roasted green chiles from Woolworths x
https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/000000000000162535
The family loved this, when I made it for our Mexican Christmas Eve dinner
Yummy! I made the recipe exactly. I used sharp cheddar cheese. Added 1/4 tsp salt since I didn’t know how much to add, and it wasn’t too salty. Not sure if I should add more or not. I did shred my own cheese but it was still slightly gritty. Maybe from the cornstarch? I might reduce the cornstarch next time and just cook longer to thicken.
I thought it needed a little extra something – so after trying the recipe as written I added a bit of paprika and then garnished with fresh diced tomato.
Forgot to rate!
This is SO delicious. Hopefully there’ll be some left to take to my book club tomorrow
Great Queso recipe. So easy to make. Used chilli powder instead of fire roasted chillis. Tastes great. Will try it out on the family tomorrow
This turned out great for a dinner party we had. I didn’t have fresh tomatoes, but used a can of hot Rotel and cooked all the water out, which worked great! Definitely, a keeper!
I doubled the recipe, added 2 lbs. cooked chorizo and 2 diced jalapeños and thinned it out with half & half. It is absolutely delicious!!
5 stars!
Fellow Australians, I just made this yummy dip again, but I noticed that my can of carnation brand evaporated milk is now only 340ml!! Shrinkflation strikes again! It worked fine anyway, happily.
HUGE Hit!!!! The kids, especially my SIL, ate the entire bowl. I couldn’t believe it. He (SIL) basically just kept dipping & eating with the cutest facial expressions of pure happiness.
Not only was this recipe super simple to make, it was absolutely delicious.
I did omit the chilies as we have lightweights eg: Me to spice and I didn’t want to miss out.
We will definitely be making this again. Thank You Nagi 🌼
The flavor was very good, but I’m having texture issues. I also used cheddar cheese shredded from a block, and the texture was still grainy. The only thing was that my cheese was frozen…not sure if that was the culprit.
Any ideas?
This was the only recipe from Nagi’s site that didn’t turn out amazing for me.
So easy and so delicious! Will definitely make again
Hi Nagi,
I actually found a tin of green chile fire roasted in the Adelaide Mexico Mojo shop, It’s really close to me and I was delighted! I wanted to ask though, in the recipe for restaurant style salsa you also use them but you didn’t add “fire roasted”. I used them but there was a wee bitterness to it although I followed the recipe. Maybe I should add a bit more sugar? Thanks, for all the wonderful recipies you provide us! I will have the Mexican fiesta tomorrow for 6 guests, I will let you know how it went
Salt fixes the bitterness!
This is awesome, thank you! I made it for our son’s 30th birthday. It’s very much like how I remember the Torchy’s Damn Good Tacos restaurant queso dip. I think I’ll try a different starch next time (maybe potato starch or flour), because I also noticed a little graininess from the cornstarch. But I do love, love this recipe!!!
LOVE This!!!!!!!!!
Just hear me out folks… this, in a mac and cheese??😄
I looked all my adult life for a queso this easy, delicious and foolproof – one that uses REAL CHEESE! Exceptional. I can easily adjust the thickness and/or chunkiness by adjusting ingredient quantity or preparation. I can adjust the flavor by using different types of cheese. This queso is already a routine feature on Mexican night. Thank you!
Amazing!!! Tastes just like what we used to eat in the US… We couldn’t get the green chillies, so used char Grilled capsicums… we also added a 1/4 cup of pickled jalapenos. TIP!!! If you have a costco membership, they have the super yellow (almost orange) sharp cheddar.