Homemade Queso Recipe
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.
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.
Ingredients for Homemade Queso
- Butter – to sauté the shallot, garlic and jalapeño peppers
- Shallot – finely diced
- Garlic – freshly minced
- Jalapeños – deseeded and diced
- Half & Half – or evaporated milk will do the trick
- Chipotle chiles – use the ones that are canned in adobo sauce for a smoky flavor
- Cornstarch – to thicken things to creamy perfection
- Cream cheese – cut into cubes and softened
- Yellow mustard – to balance the flavor with a little tang
- Smoked cheddar cheese – for a slightly smoky flavor
- Sharp cheddar cheese – if 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!
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.
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!
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.
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
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!
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!
Looking for More Delicious Dips? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Amazing & Easy Queso Blanco
- 3-Ingredient Beer Cheese Dip Recipe
- Smoked Queso Dip
- Hot Pimento Cheese Dip
- Baked Brie Bites
- Fresh Ricotta Cheese
- Creamy Sausage Cheese Dip
- Homemade Cheese Spread
Check the printable recipe card below with the nutrition information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, cholesterol, sodium, fiber, vitamin c, and calcium percentages.
Homemade Queso Recipe
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.
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I am thinking of making this for my daughter’s wedding reception for around 90. Should I double or triple the ingredients?
Hi Trish,
10-11 recipes should be the right amount. Be sure to make a test batch beforehand, anytime you are making a recipe for a big event.
I made this recipe this week to go on a chili dish. It was very easy to put together and made a lot of queso. I loved the queso so much. I took the extra to work with a bag of Fritos and it was gone in minutes. I agree that the smoked cheddar added a lot of great flavor. This recipe is a keeper.
Very delicious! Thx a bunch for your work!
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I made this today for Sunday football. Mine was great but then as it cooled it was extremely oily. I always have better luck with American or Velveeta.
Thanks for this delicious recipe! Here are some of my tweaks:
1) Added 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon pepper to pull out the flavours in the dip.
2) Doubled the amount of mustard.
3) I added the first half portion of the cheese and stirred till it melted. It was already feeling on the thick side so I took the mixture off the stove and added a splash of half & half and stirred in the rest of the cheese. Didn’t bring it back to the stove. Just let it melt together while stirring occasionally. It turned out very tasty!
I didn’t have smoked cheese so I added liquid smoke and it was amazing! Thank you for sharing, my family loves it!
definitely not what I expected for a recipe that has 90 ratings, all of which are five star. I followed the recipe to a T & it ended up extremely thick, grainy, and bland. I put in three jalapeños including all of the spices and other types of peppers and there was still zero flavor. I also put in double the amount of half-and-half in an attempt to make it more watery and it did not work at all. After one hour on the table it was practically hard. Disappointed
Sounds like you overcooked the cheese. This often happens to me. To prevent this, take the liquid mixture off the stove and then stir in the cheese. You don’t have to return the mixture to the stove. It will melt more creamy and smooth this way, slowly incorporating with the rest of the hot ingredients. I also had to add a splash of half & half to thin it out a bit and added some salt, pepper and mustard to bring out the flavours in the dip. Hope those tips help!
This was so easy to make! So cheesy and creamy. My family loved it :)
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My family loves this! I have actually merged it with my favorite mac and cheese recipe to make spicy mac and cheese. It is a hit as well
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It tastes insane!
Question – can I make this the day before and leave in the fridge?
Hi Chloe,
I’m so glad you liked it!
Sure, you can. Rewarm slowly over the stovetop. :)
How much by volume does this make. Will it fit in a 1.5 qt crock pot to keep warm during the party?
Hi Lenny!
This recipe makes approximately 2.5-3 cups, so it will fit in your small crock pot. :)