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Epicurious

A Better Queso

4.0

(13)

A bowl of hatch chile queso dip being served with tortilla chips and margaritas.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele

Our favorite homemade queso recipe is made entirely from scratch. It calls for real cheddar cheese (sorry, Velveeta lovers), but you can skip the fancy cheese counter and make a beeline straight for your grocery store’s dairy aisle. For the best queso, we like two parts sharp cheddar to one part Monterey Jack. But for bigger flavors you can play around. Swap in some extra-sharp cheddar (though you’ll compromise a bit on texture) or pepper jack. For an even creamier texture, use mild cheddar (or even some cream cheese) instead. At all costs avoid preshredded cheese, which can turn gritty and lead to a broken cheese sauce.

A simple flour roux thickens our version of this cheesy Tex-Mex cheese dip and keeps the queso’s texture creamy when reheated (if there’s any left). As for the mix-ins, we left the can of Rotel behind and instead chose to roast our own green chiles. We prefer New Mexican Hatch chiles (fresh, frozen, or canned) for this queso dip recipe. They’re “peppery and citrusy with a smoky aftertaste,” writes Epi contributor Gabriella Vigoreaux. Fresh ones are available for just a short time in late summer, so if you can’t find any, milder poblano or Anaheim peppers will do. Poblano peppers will give the queso a smokier note, whereas Anaheim peppers swing sweeter.

Garnish with diced tomatoes, pickled jalapeños, or fresh cilantro and serve the burbling cauldron with tortilla chips (for extra credit flash them in the oven so they’re warm and extra-crispy) and margaritas.

This easy queso is one of our favorite Super Bowl appetizers—but you can also make it the main event. Make the ultimate nachos by drizzling it over tortilla chips, or use it as a sauce for black bean enchiladas or tacos.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    25 minutes

  • Yield

    Makes about 5 cups

Ingredients

5 large fresh or 1 cup canned or frozen, thawed chopped mild green chiles (such as Hatch, Anaheim, or poblano)
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. grated onion
3 garlic cloves, finely grated on a Microplane
½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. ground cumin
1½–2 cups whole milk, separated
4 cups (16 oz.) freshly grated cheddar cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced, drained
Roughly chopped cilantro (for serving)
White corn tortilla chips (for serving)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    If using fresh chiles: Place 5 large fresh mild green chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until blistered, 5–7 minutes per side. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and steam for 5 minutes. Remove skins, stems, and seeds. Chop chiles, drain on paper towels, and set aside.

    If using frozen or canned chiles: Drain 1 cup canned or frozen, thawed chopped mild green chiles and squeeze dry in a paper towel. Set aside.

    Step 2

    Melt 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add 2 Tbsp. grated onion, 3 garlic cloves, finely grated on a microplane, and ½ tsp. Diamon Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Whisk in 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour and ½ tsp. ground cumin and cook until lightly browned, 30–60 seconds.

    Step 3

    Raise heat to medium and slowly whisk in 1½ cup whole milk. Continue whisking until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes, then lower the heat to medium-low and add the 4 cups (16 oz.) freshly grated cheddar cheese, ¼ cup at a time, followed by 2 cups (8 oz.) freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese, ¼ cup at a time, stirring until cheese has melted completely before adding more cheese.

    Step 4

    Stir 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced, and reserved chiles into the melted cheese mixture. If you prefer a thinner queso, add up to ½ cup more whole milk. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with 
    roughly chopped cilantro (for serving) and serve immediately with white corn tortilla chips.

    Do Ahead: Prepare queso the morning of game day, then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat (or keep it warm in a slow cooker).

    Editor's Note: This queso recipe was first printed December 2014. Head this way for more of our favorite Super Bowl recipes →

TagsSnackDipSuper BowlSouthwesternAmericanTex-MexChileVegetableCheddarCheeseDairyMonterey JackStarterNut FreeVegetarianQuick30 Minutes or LessSummerEpicurious

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