A Quick & Easy Queso Recipe
As far as Mexican-inspired dip and sauce recipes go, I’ve got quite a few options. From my salsa and guacamole came my hybrid avocado salsa, and we can’t forget the crowd favorite: taco dip. With so many tempting recipes, it can be hard to decide which to dip your chip into first! Well, making a decision is about to get even harder, because I’m adding this super smooth, super flavorful queso recipe to the list–and this one’s quite the knockout!
This queso recipe is so simple, but it took a surprising amount of testing before getting it just right.
I wanted something that was bursting with flavor, absolutely addictive, and, perhaps most importantly, silky smooth. After playing around with different types of cheeses, thickeners, and liquids, this one checks all the boxes! I can confidently say it is the BEST queso recipe, and I think you’ll agree. I can’t to hear how you like it!
Let’s get cooking.
What You Need
One of the biggest obstacles I encountered while creating this recipe was avoiding a grainy queso. To accomplish this, I opted for cornstarch rather than flour as the thickener, and I used less of it than you’ll find in most recipes. I also found that the choice of cheese made a big difference, as did the liquid. Here’s what I recommend for the smoothest, best queso recipe:
Butter. We’ll start things out with melted unsalted butter, and then we’ll sauté some onion and garlic for a flavorful base.Diced green chilis. These canned chilis add a hearty, robust flavor that really rounds out the queso. If you can’t find fire roasted, regular will work fine, but fire roasted add an extra punch that I love.Diced tomatoes. If you can’t find roma tomatoes, you can always use canned petite diced tomatoes instead–just make sure to drain the juice if you do!Cornstarch. My queso is slightly thickened with a bit of cornstarch before we add the cheese. This helps encourage a smooth melt and silky consistency. Spices. Including cumin, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (optional, add this if you like a spicier queso!), and black pepper. The variety of spices in my recipe really sets it apart from any other out there, and while you could nix the chili powder or even the paprika, it’s truly what makes this recipe so next-level good.Evaporated milk. I tested this recipe with different liquids (whole milk, half & half, evaporated milk, and cream), and I liked the results best with evaporated milk. Make sure you use full-fat evaporated milk!Cheddar cheese. Do not use pre-shredded cheese! Pre-shredded cheese contains additives that prevent it from melting properly. For a smooth queso, I recommend using a mild or sharp (my preference) white or yellow cheddar cheese. You could also use extra sharp, but I found that tended to make the queso a little grainy.Corn chips. For dipping, although soft pretzel bites would also be delicious!
SAM’S TIP: As with my potato soup and chili recipes, ancho chili powder is a key ingredient in this queso recipe! While you may be tempted to just use regular chili powder, I highly recommend using ancho chili. It adds a subtle smokiness and depth of flavor that regular chili powder just doesn’t compare to. That being said, if you can’t find ancho chili (it’s sold in the spice section of most grocery stores) you can leave it out. You’ll still have a good queso! Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make the Best Queso Recipe
SAM’S TIP: Do NOT try to save time by adding the evaporated milk all at once! It’s important to add the milk very slowly while stirring constantly. We want the milk to heat through while it’s being added, so pause to let the milk you’ve added warm up before adding more. Enjoy!
More Recipes You Might Like
Pineapple SalsaBacon Jalapeno Popper DipBuffalo Chicken Dip
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
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