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. 😈
This looks amazing. I’m going to wait a bit before I try it though… trying to lose a few pounds and I can just see myself downing it all at one sitting. Oink oink is me.
Just a thought- if you can’t find canned green chilies locally, you might have a look on eBay. Don’t know what the shipping charges would be like, but maybe worth a look!
OINK is ME! 😉 What a great idea to check eBay, I’ll check! N x
I would like if I may to point some things about this recipe. First it is delicious but it’s not “Mexican” at all. I mean I’m mexican and also a cooker and a foodie. In Mexico we don’t have, I mean by origin, Cheddar, Monterrey Jack and those kinds of melting cheeses. We don’t use them at all in our cuisine. Our first surprise as mexican is when we try a “mexican” restaurant in USA and find tons of cheddar over anything. As melting cheese we have always use cheese from Spain. The most common is the Manchego Cheese, not a very expensive, instead a commercial manchego cheese. As long as this cheese can be aged to increase its flavour, it looses some of its creamy texture, so a young creamy manchego can do it fine with any mexican recipe. These melting cheeses are pure Tex.Mex that is ok and delicious too but not mexican. In Mexico the original cheeses are Panela, a white fresh very wet cheese with smooth flavour, Cotija, our mexican parmesan even it has a international denomination, more milky flavour than parmesan and it can be used instead of it, its a little bit more salty. White Cheese, Queso Fresco (Fresh Cheese), Queso Añejo, a special kind of añejo Cheese with red Chile all around and Oaxaca Cheese one that can be shreded and that its very popular as melting Cheese. Thank you for your recipes I’m a fan.
Gosh Lorenzo, I whole heartedly agree, it is about as Mexican as Teriyaki! I know that, I promise I never mentioned once that it was authentic in fact, I repeatedly say it’s a copycat of American fake cheese dip in a jar and American Mexican restaurants. I was in Mexico last year so I know how different REAL Mexican is, and when I share something that is intended to be authentic, I repeatedly say it’s as close as I can get to real deal Mexican 🙂 PS Oaxaca was one of my favourite places that I have ever visited in my travels. EVER! N xx
PS The main reason I describe it as a Mexican Cheese Dip is for people who don’t know what Queso is. In Australia, Tex Mex is nowhere near as common as in the states, and also Queso dip is not that common. So I knew that many people reading this would see the title “Queso” and not know what it was, that’s why I put Mexican Cheese Dip in brackets! Thank you again for your wonderful tips on Mexcian cheese, I have to say I did NOT know that Manchego was a common sub, we get that here!
Thanks for your answer Nagi, yes I only wanted to point something about mexican and Tex Mex that’s all. Thanks again I’m a fan.
I really appreciate it 🙂 Right now I’m working on a taqueria style steak tacos, I’m SO EXCITED!!! I will be interested to see what you think!
This cheese dip is definitely going to change my life! I’ve read that evaporated milk is the way to go to make good cheese dips, will have to try this soon, looks super good!
It’s amazing! A trick I learned a long time ago, never looked back! N x
It looks delicious! I am definitely gonna try it today for my Saturday movie night. Thanks so much for sharing.
Hope you do Christine! N xx
So much easier than recipes using a roux, which are never ss creamy as I’d like. Will definitely try this!
I promise this is much creamier!! N xx
Mission white tortilla chips from Woolies, are they still available? I’m on the low-salt no sugar regime, and these things make excellent nachos, even if they’re the wrong shape.
I do like the idea of making my own, though.
Ah yes! They are, I just saw them this arvo 🙂 They used to have triangle ones which were my fave! N xx
Always love to read your recipes (& sometimes try them out), but more importantly LOVE to see dear Dozer.
He’s gorgeous.
I LOVE hearing that 😂
Thanks for the recipe, Nagi. I’ve tried a lot of queso recipes over the years and they all have one failing, they get hard and crusty when they cool. Not what I want for a party. Can’t wait to try yours, right after the boys’ hockey training tomorrow.
You know you’re not fooling anyone with that comment about Dozer being contented. The look says it all…he hates you for making him wear that silly shirt. Let a dog have some dignity! 😀
My sentiments exactly re: queso. As for Dozer – well now, one of his responsibilities is to provide amusement for ME 😁
Well, I can’t fault you for that. We’ve been known to prank our cats from time to time, just because it’s so much fun to mess with their little heads.
I’m an American living the last 10 years in Australia. To replace the canned green chile that we don’t get here, I take regular green chiles (or jalapeños depending if I want spice or not) and blister them well in the oven or over the flame on my stove or on the grill, put them in a bowl, cover with glad wrap, and leave it a few minutes. The skin peels off easily and then chop up the rest of the chile. I’ve found this to be the closest to the canned green chiles from the US, and doesn’t take very long to do.
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Looks so good!
What a great idea Dale! I wonder if I can make loads and can them myself???
Texas con Queso:
Big ol’ bar of Velveeta Cheese
1 can of Ro-Tel tomatoes
Done.
I’d definitely try your version. I’m not pick!!
No Velveeta and no Ro-tel in Australia, sadly
HA! And I WOULD if I COULD!
Sounds delicious, can’t wait to try.
What brand of canned chilis do you get when in the USA? We have friends coming over and ill get them to bring some with them. Thanks for all the yummy recipes, tried loads and they have all been perfect.
There’s quite a few brands, but the most widely available would probably be Old El Paso or Ortega.
YES! They are the two I brought back! 🙂 N x
Ohhh. Such a cute one of Dozer. Thanks for the NYC map. I agree NYC is one of , if not my favorite city too. I gain weight right upon landing at JFK. This recipe looks great. Sunday munchies. 😁
BA HA HA! I do too!! 😂
Dozer- ” We have an issue here?” “PUNK” Football starts next week here in the states!!! Perfect Timing on the dip!
He NEEDS a jersey! 😂 Or scarf🤔
Have you heard of this to stop the cheese from coagulating?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/06/nacho-cheese-sodium-citrate_n_6108794.html
Reading NOW!
Hi Nagi! I’ve made your Nachos Cheese Dip and it was fabulous so I know this will be too. I am in total agreement about store bought chips, I want to taste the chip not just salt. I think that about most prepared foods or canned goods which is why I always check the sodium content. PS I have all the ingredients to make this, even the corn tortillas. 🙂
Me too! Nowadays I feel like I’m always checking salt – even in canned tomatoes! Since when does salt get added to tomatoes???
Oh Em Ghee! The video… you make it look so easy, which is why I love your recipes. I can see you make it at the speed of light and I know what to do… Thanks again for yet another simple, Life Changing recipe!
You are a ROCK STAR, Nagi!
And that’s why I love that I can make videos now!! LOVE being able to demo! N xx
I pinned this to my Mexican Food board…. Not because its authentic ,for sure, but because I wanted to make sure I would not lose it…Looks like a great way to make up the dip ahead of time and not worry about it turning to rubber. I have a lot more options on tortilla chips then you do….. and still have to shop the back of the bags so to speak to find the ones with less salt or sodium .
On the canned tomatoes …we have a canned tomatoes with chili here called Ro-Tel. Could do double duty with the tomato and the chili.
YES! This keeps for days and days in the fridge and reheats perfectly 🙂 N xx PS We don’t have Ro-Tel either! 🙄
Totally agree that store-bought corn chips are WAY too salty! Your homemade ones look delish! <3
I know, right?? Why are they so salty?? I mean – I use them with dips or nachos! Don’t need salt!