Why We Love This Homemade Queso Recipe
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. 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, and enter cheese-lover’s heaven.
Ingredients You Need
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
How to Make Homemade Queso Dip
Tips and Tricks
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!
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
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