Spicy Queso Dip

This recipe comes with full permission to make Queso Dip any night of the week, no special occasion required!

It's remarkably easy and it will upgrade any childhood Velveeta memories with a fiery, smoky batch of real deal Queso.

How To Make Queso Dip

It will also be far superior to anything you can get from your local Mexican restaurants, so if you have any late night munchers in your house then consider yourself warned!

Your Chile Con Queso will need some chiles to fire it up and we're relying on chipotles in this recipe.

If you're new to chipotles here's what a typical can looks like:

These are smoked jalapenos that have real zip so feel free to use less if you want a milder batch of Queso.  More info on working with chipotles in adobo. 

We'll start by putting 2 tomatoes in the oven at 400F.

You can roast the tomatoes any way you want, but I usually just plop them in the oven and grab 'em when I need them.

Then chop up 1/2 onion and 3 garlic cloves.

Most of this onion and garlic will get blended together with the tomatoes and chipotles, but we'll leave some of it in the Queso so I usually chop it fine.

Saute the onion in some oil over mediumish heat.  Once the onion is softened you can add the garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds.

Add the majority of the cooked onion/garlic mixture to a blender, and you can optionally leave some behind in the saucepan, something like this:

Then we'll add:

8 oz. cream cheese (usually one standard sized package or 1 cup)
1/2 cup milk
2 cups shredded Jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt

Let everything melt over medium-low heat, stirring regularly.

It's worth taking a taste at this point to check for salt level but don't eat it all yet!  It's already super satisfying and we haven't even added the flava yet.   Ahh cheese!

I used just over 1/2 teaspoon of salt for this batch, but the exact amount will depend a bit on the sodium level in your cream cheese so feel free to add another pinch if you think it needs it.

Add the roasted tomatoes to the blender along with 3-4 chipotles and give it a whirl.  (The onion-garlic mixture should already be in the blender.)

You may recognize this flavor from our Tomato Chipotle Salsa -- it's a wicked combo to have in your arsenal and this is a concentrated version that doesn't use as many tomatoes as the Salsa.

Add the blended tomato-chipotle mixture to the Queso and combine well.

And now time for some more taste testing!

I usually add some Mexican oregano and cumin at this point but this is definitely optional.  The Queso already has loads of flavor from the chipotles so there's a decent chance you're already happy with it.   I added 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano and a pinch of cumin to this batch.

I also added a bit more heat in the form of adobo sauce from the can of chipotles.

Combine well over low heat on the stove, stirring regularly.

It's also worth double-checking the consistency before you serve it.  Best way to do that is some more taste testing 🙂

It should be thick enough to cling to chips quite readily.

If your batch is too thin for your liking then add another handful of shredded cheese.   If your batch is too thick simply add a splash of milk or water.

Surround your Queso with plenty of tortilla chips and serve it up!

You'll get three cups worth from this recipe and that's enough for around 6-8 peeps.

Yum!

I topped this batch with some leftover Pico de Gallo but that is definitely optional -- you really don't need any further toppings as the Queso Dip is already loaded with flavor.

Store leftovers in the fridge where it will keep for a few days.  And yes, it's typically served warm right off the stove, but munching on it straight from the fridge can be just as satisfying.  To reheat simply add the Queso to a saucepan over medium-low heat along with a splash of milk or water.

Buen Provecho.

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Our latest recipe is a batch of these Pork Chops in Adobo Sauce:

 

And this Roasted Hatch Chile Salsa: