The Best Queso Dip Recipe (aka Cheese Sauce) – Cheese sauce makes or breaks any nacho recipe. The Best Queso recipe is easy and flavorful, with sharp and smoky notes.

Best Queso Cheese Dip Recipe scooped up on tortilla chips

Why We Love This Homemade Queso

You say party, I say nachos… Party! Nachos! Party! Nachos! Sorry. When we get to the end of football season, everything tends to come out in chant format.

What I meant to say, was that it would be a shame to have a Super Bowl Party and forget the spicy cheese sauce.

You’ve probably tried the 2-ingredient version with velveeta cheese and Rotel, which features tomatoes and green chiles. I’m not knocking either of these products, or the queso they make. Let’s be honest, it is delicious in its own way.

But I do believe we can make even better-tasting queso with real cheese! And this my friends, is The Best Queso Dip Recipe I’ve ever made.

Start with fresh onions, garlic, and jalapeños, sautéed until soft, then add creamy half & half, smoky chipotle peppers, and three fabulous cheeses, including smoked cheddar to add a huge punch of flavor.

The reason so many people stick with said processed 2-ingredient cheese sauce is that it’s nice and smooth. However, if you know how to thicken your queso recipe and use quality cheeses (without fillers) you can create the best cheese sauces you’ve ever tried, that tastes authentic and super fresh.

Pour this Mexican cheese dip over tortilla chips, fries, broccoli, burgers, pretzels, and corn chips yourself...Just kidding, let’s stick to food!

Pour it over all things food, and enter cheese-lover’s heaven.

Hand holding a ladle of queso dip with the pot of more queso below it.

Ingredients for Homemade Queso

  • Butter to sauté the shallot, garlic and jalapeño peppers
  • Shallotfinely diced
  • Garlicfreshly minced
  • Jalapeñosdeseeded and diced
  • Half & Half or evaporated milk will do the trick
  • Chipotle chilesuse the ones that are canned in adobo sauce for a smoky flavor
  • Cornstarch to thicken things to creamy perfection
  • Cream cheesecut into cubes and softened
  • Yellow mustardto balance the flavor with a little tang
  • Smoked cheddar cheesefor a slightly smoky flavor
  • Sharp cheddar cheeseif you don’t like the smoky flavor, use all sharp cheddar cheese

This is the Best Queso Recipe, Perfect for Nachos, Burritos, and All Your Dipping Needs!

Sauteed onions and garlic in a large pot.

How to Make Homemade Queso Dip

Place a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Add the butter, shallots, garlic, and jalapeño. Saute for 3-4 minutes to soften, then add the half & half and chipotle peppers.

Whisk in the cornstarch. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, so the half & half can scald (not necessary with evaporated milk). Then lower the temperature to medium-low. Next stir in the cream cheese and mustard.

Hand mixing queso ingredients in pot with a whisk.

Slowly start adding the shredded cheese. Stir and add by the handful, until the sauce comes together. If you prefer your cheese sauce a little thinner, add an extra splash of half & half. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a slow cooker or fondue pot.

Serve with chips, or on top of nachos, burritos, or enchiladas!

Dropping shredded cheese in pot.

How to Thicken Queso Dip

The best way to thicken your homemade queso is to use cornstarch as the thickening agent instead of flour.

It can be tricky to know when to choose cornstarch and when to choose flour. But the general rule of thumb is that if you plan to cook something for a longer time, use flour, and if you need your thickening agent to act quickly, use cornstarch.

Flour produces a much better flavor over time, but must be cooked quite a bit to ensure your recipe is smooth, not gritty.

Tips For Homemade Queso Dip

  • In this queso recipe, there are so many bold ingredients to add flavor, so we don’t need to rely on the flour to build flavor. Cornstarch is the answer for a very smooth creamy consistency.
  • It’s also important to mention that block cheese, shredded at home, produces a much better texture than pre-shredded cheese covered in additives to ward off clumping.
  • Once you’ve scalded the half & half (also important for texture) keep the heat down and be patient as you slowly stir in the fresh shredded cheese.

You’ll be amazed by how rich, creamy, and zesty this smoky homemade queso sauce is.

Homemade queso recip in a pot.

Recipe Variations

  • Peppers: I chose to use jalapeño pepper and chipotle chile peppers here. If you prefer a less spicy option, you can opt for canned hatch green chiles instead!
  • Cheeses: If you don’t like smoky-flavored cheese, you can opt for all sharp cheddar cheese, or throw in some other options like pepper jack, or white American cheese!
  • Seasonings: For a dash of extra spice, try adding a little bit of cayenne pepper! You can also add garlic powder in addition to the fresh garlic for a deeper savory flavor. No need to add salt here since there is salt in the cheese!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make cheese dip stay liquid?

Some people have trouble with their queso dip solidifying after it cools. The cornstarch in this recipe should help to stabilize the sauce and keep it in liquid form even after it cools. Then you can reheat it easily to use again!

What do you eat with cheese dip?

The possibilities are truly endless. You can pair this cheese dip recipe with tortilla chips and fresh veggies and call it a day. Or, you can use it to enhance a variety of different meals such as Mexican sopes, chicken burrito bowls, tacos, or even enchiladas!

Check the Recipe Card for Instructions on How to Make the Best Queso Recipe!

Cheese sauce dripping over tortilla chips with a ladle.

Looking for More Delicious Dips? Be Sure to Also Try:

Check the printable recipe card below with the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, fiber, vitamin c, and calcium percentages.

The Best Queso (Cheese Sauce) Recipe
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4.91 stars (94 reviews)
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Homemade Queso Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Cheese sauce makes or breaks any nacho recipe. The Best Queso recipe is easy and flavorful, with sharp and smoky notes.
Servings: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 shallot, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
  • 1 1/2 cups half & half, or evaporated milk
  • 2 chipotle chiles, diced (canned in adobo sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • 8 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

  • Place a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add the butter, shallots, garlic and jalapeño. Saute for 3-4 minutes to soften, then add the half & half and chipotle peppers.
  • Whisk in the cornstarch. Allow the mixture to come to a simmer, so the half & half can scald (not necessary with evaporated milk). Then lower the temperature to medium-low. Next stir in the cream cheese and mustard.
  • Slowly start adding the shredded cheese. Stir and add by the handful, until the sauce comes together. If you prefer your cheese sauce a little thinner, add an extra splash of half & half. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a slow cooker or fondue pot.

Video

Notes

NOT A FAN OF SMOKED CHEESE? If you don’t like smoky flavors, use all sharp cheddar.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup, Calories: 280kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 439mg, Potassium: 153mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 790IU, Vitamin C: 3.4mg, Calcium: 377mg, Iron: 0.5mg
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: Sommer Collier
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