Queso Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on May 12, 2025 
This smoky and creamy Queso Recipe is loaded with bold flavors from melted cheddar cheese and chiles, making it the perfect party food.
This Homemade Queso Recipe Is The Perfect Cheese Dip
You’ve probably tried the 2-ingredient version of queso made with Velveeta cheese and Rotel, which features tomatoes and green chiles. I’m not knocking either of these products, or the queso they make.
However, I do believe we can make even better-tasting cheese dip recipe with real cheese! And this my friends, is The Best Queso Dip Recipe I’ve ever made.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
This totally addictive cheesy Queso Dip is the ultimate scoopable snack. I love it with a classic nacho, but you can pour it over everything, from burgers and pretzels to broccoli and fries. It’s truly a cheese-lover’s HEAVEN!
- Party favorite – This easy queso dip is a guaranteed hit for your next party. Just make sure to make A LOT because it will disappear quickly.
- Perfectly creamy – This queso is perfectly smooth and velvety all thanks to that combination of cream cheese and half and half.
- Bold flavors – From the sharp cheddar to the smoky chiles and spicy jalapeños, this cheese dip is truly unforgettable.
I love to keep this warm in a fondue pot and enjoy it all night long.
Ingredients and Notes
- Cheddar cheese – You will need both smoked cheddar for a slightly smoky flavor, and sharp cheddar cheese.
- Yellow mustard – The mustard will balance the flavors with a little tang and kick.
- Cream cheese – Use softened cream cheese at room temperature cut into cubes.
- Cornstarch – You’ll need this to thicken the dip to creamy perfection.
- Chipotle chiles – Use the ones that are canned in adobo sauce for a smoky flavor.
- Butter – Use unsalted softened butter.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- 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!
- Beer – Reduce some of the half-and-half and swap with a light beer.
- Chorizo – Stir in some cooked and crumbled chorizo for extra spice and texture.
- Vegan – Replace the cheddar cheese, cream cheese and butter with dairy-free versions, and substitute the half-and-half with cashew milk or oat milk.
How to Make Homemade Queso Dip
To make this melty, rich and smoky homemade Queeso sauce, you need a handful of fresh ingredients and only 15 minutes!
Find the full Queso recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Place leftovers in an airtight container or jar, and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating Leftovers – Place leftovers in a saucepan and reheat over medium-low heat, making sure to stir frequently. If the Queso dip is clunky, add a splash of half and half, whole milk or heavy cream to loosen it up. You can also heat it up in the microwave in short bursts.
Serving Suggestions
This is truly the best queso recipe, and it’s just as good, if not better, than the one you get at your favorite Mexican restaurant. It tastes amazing on just about anything, and there are SO MANY ways to serve it!
For a more classic option, ladle generous amounts of this sauce over tortilla chips with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and chopped onion. You can also serve it with tacos or nachos, and add toppings like baked beans, guacamole and salsa.
You can also make a decadent breakfast out of this sauce by drizzling it over eggs or hash browns.
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!
Block cheese, shredded at home, produces a much better texture than pre-shredded cheese covered in additives to ward off clumping.
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Homemade Queso Recipe
Video
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.
Made this tonight and it’s the best queso I’ve ever tasted. I wasn’t sure how I’d like the smokier flavor (I do love smoky cheese but wasn’t sure how I’d like it in a queso) but all the flavors blend together really well and it’s perfectly balanced. Yum!! Thank you!!!
Absolutely delicious sauce. I used it on chimichangas. Yummy!
This is awesome!!! I changed it a bit to suit the ingredients I had on hand, but not much.
So so yummy! Going on my regular Mexican rotation.
So good and creamy. No weird ingredients and we made it extra spicy with extra jalapeño. The texture is perfect.
This was delicious! I will cut the mustard in half next time though.
Damn, I went to the store with another recipe that calls for medium cheddar cheese, claiming sharp doesn’t melt as well and asking for flour instead of cornstarch.
Then I saw this recipe right below it on the google search and had to check it out because of the amazing reviews… Welp, now I have to deal with this other recipe so I don’t waste this half pound of medium cheddar hahaha… Bookmarking this for later! :)
We don’t have half and half, substituted milk and a dollop of cream, did not use cream cheese or smoked cheese turned out fine. did add a few drops of annatto to give it an orange color
So delicious and easy to make. Followed it exactly with no substitutions. Also would be easy to customize as well. The directions were clear and the notes on scalding the half and half were also really helpful. After preparing this at home I traveled about a half hour to a party and was concerned it would get lumpy or change in texture, but keeping it warm helped and it ended up not needing any added liquid at all. Everyone loved it. Great recipe, thank you for sharing!
What brand and size is your pot in the wooden thing in your last two pics? Forget the cheese! Haha! The pot looks awesome! Where did you find it and what did it cost? Do you know if it’s still available?
Hi Allie,
LOL! I think that is part of the Cat Cora cooking collection. I have no idea if they still make it, but I bet Amazon would know. ;)
Found this recipe while searching for a replacement to an old nacho cheese I used to purchase from the grocery that was called Kaukauna deli mex nacho cheese dip. They discontinued the product almost 10 years ago and I have missed it dearly up until trying your recipe. Never thought I would find a better sauce but without a doubt I surely have now.
I use a mixed variety of fresh peppers from our garden including Chocolate bhut jolokia, Tobasco peppers and mustard trinidad scorpion peppers in place of jalapeno which adds a little extra kick and smoky flavor. Your sauce is perfect and despite my small change mentioned needs no alteration. Thanks for the post you have given me a recipe to remake many more times over the years.
Do you think this could be easily made for a large crowd> Not sure if I can just multiply it by 6 to have enough for about 50 people. I’d like to make the night before and put it in the slow cooker.
Hi Cheryle,
I’ve made large batches before. Just multiply as you normally would. Warming it up slowly in a crockpot is definitely the way to go. :)
Question: can this queso sauce be stored in the fridge and reheated?
Hi Andrea,
Absolutely! I would reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat.