FREE BONUS: 5 Secrets to Amazing Tex Mex!

House of Yumm

Food From the Heart of Texas

You are here: Home / Appetizers, Soups & Salads / Queso

Queso

190 · · 37 Comments

Print Recipe Jump to Recipe

Queso. This creamy, cheese sauce is made with REAL cheese! Enjoy the classic Tex Mex Queso at home with this easy to make recipe! 

A chip dipping into homemade queso.
How do you make Queso with real cheese? 

The trick to making Queso with real cheese is to use a combination of cornstarch and evaporated milk. NOT CONDENSED MILK. This is a trick I learned from the food geniuses at Serious Eats. If you’re into the science behind it you can check out the article on Smooth, Stable Cheese Sauces. 

To make homemade queso:

  1. Shred cheese of choice.
  2. Coat with cornstarch.
  3. Saute diced onion in medium size skillet. Add in minced garlic, diced tomato and diced green chiles. 
  4. Add in the evaporated milk. Stir. 
  5. Add the cheese, stir until melted. 
Shredded cheese ready to make homemade queso cheese dip.

What cheese do you use to make queso? 

The best cheeses to use are cheeses that melt nicely. Which are mild cheddars, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack. I have found that sharp cheddars are tasty, but they give a slightly gritty texture. It’s not overpowering, but it is noticeable. If you don’t mind that then go for the sharp cheddar! 

Use cheese that you have to shred yourself since the bagged pre-shredded cheeses come with powder on them that can give a gritty texture to your end result.  

A skillet filled with homemade queso.

What to serve with Queso? 

The best choice is going to be some tortilla chips! Dipping chips in Queso served with a margarita is my idea of a perfect meal! 

Chips and Queso are also a great appetizer for any classic Tex Mex meal like these Ground beef tacos. OR these slow cooker carnitas. 

Want to add some extras to this Queso dip? Here’s some ideas:

  • Ground beef
  • Cooked Mexican chorizo 
  • Jalapeños (dice some up and saute with the onions in the first step)
  • Bacon 
  • Hot Sauce drizzle
  • Black beans and corn
  • pico de Gallo
A skillet filled with homemade queso and topped with fresh pico de Gallo.

Tips for making this cheese dip:

  • Don’t use pre-shredded cheese, this cheese will have a powder on it that creates a gritty texture. 
  • Some cheeses like sharp cheddar or sharp white cheddar will give a gritty texture also. If you have bad luck with a particular cheese take note and let us know in the comments. 
  • Evaporated milk is necessary since it has less water content to it and more milk proteins. 
  • To reheat: add leftover queso to a skillet and heat over low heat, once it starts to melt, add a bit more milk to it. You can adjust the amount needed to get the desired consistency.
A chip coated in creamy homemade queso.

More recipes you may enjoy:

Print
A chip dipping into homemade queso.

Queso

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Serene
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: appetizer
  • Method: stovetop
  • Cuisine: Tex Mex
Print

Description

Queso. This creamy, cheese sauce is made with REAL cheese! Enjoy the classic Tex Mex Queso at home with this easy to make recipe! 

Scale

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces shredded mild cheddar cheese
  • 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup diced white onion
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup diced tomato
  • 4 ounces diced green chiles
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 cup evaporated milk

 

Instructions

  1. Add the shredded cheese to a medium size bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch and stir briefly to ensure all the cheese is coated with the cornstarch. 
  2. Heat the oil in a medium size skillet over medium heat. Add in the diced onion. Cook until the onion is softened and translucent. 
  3. Add in the minced garlic, diced tomato and diced green chiles. Cook briefly for 1 minute while stirring. 
  4. Add in the seasonings (oregano, cumin, salt, chili powder) stir to combine. 
  5. Stir in the evaporated milk, scrape the pan to ensure all veggies are released from the pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. 
  6. Add in the shredded cheese. Cook over low heat while stirring while the cheese melts. 
  7. Serve immediately, while warm. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 348
  • Sugar: 4 g
  • Fat: 28 g
  • Carbohydrates: 9 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 20 g
  • Cholesterol: 87 mg

Keywords: queso, queso dip,

190

free email series

5 Secrets to Amazing Tex Mex

My fav tips for delicious Tex Mex food!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Trish Jacoby says

    Hi! Have you ever put this in a Crock-Pot to keep it warm? I’m bringing it to a pot luck and trying to figure out the best way to serve it warm. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Serene says

      Hi Trish! Prepare the queso as directed on the stovetop and add to the crockpot. I would keep it on your lowest setting or keep warm setting and stir it up often.

      Reply

  2. Anne says

    Making recipe today an see that it calls for minced garlic, but there is no listing of how much. Could you please post how much? I’ll wing-it this time. Thank you!

    Reply

  4. Chloe Crabtree says

    This sounds wonderful! So much more special than salsa and sounds better than just the cheese with some salsa mixed in!

    Reply

  6. Kelly says

    This queso looks incredible. Serene! Love the addition of pico and chorizo! This is totally worthy for any party in my book:) Pinning!

    Reply

  7. Rachel @ Bakerita says

    Yes please, to everything about this! I could eat a whole thing of queso by myself. Seriously, melted cheese? THE BEST!

    Reply

  9. Mary Frances says

    Oh my goodness, that is so funny and yet so wrong at the same time! You will definitely show them who knows their queso when you bring this. That pork chorizo really does complete it!

    Reply

  10. Jenn @ Deliciously Sprinkled says

    WOW, this queso looks amazing! And the bowl is super cute, I think I need to make a trip to WorldMarket very soon! 🙂

    Reply

  11. Jaren (Diary of a Recipe Collector) says

    Yep, we always have the cheese dip as one given app at every gathering here in Louisiana too! I’ve never put pico in mine, but I love this idea!!

    Reply

  13. Danae @ Recipe Runner says

    I love me some queso dip! The pico and chorizo are the perfect addition to spice it up, perfect for bringing to parties!

    Reply

  17. Heather @ Sugar Dish Me says

    I have lived in the south since I was 2, but my parents are from the midwest and I STILL feel like a fraud when I say ‘ya’ll’. If you can pull it off you are doing better than me!! Also. This dip looks amazing. You certainly pulled queso off!

    Reply

    • Serene says

      I’m so glad I’m not the only one Heather! I feel like a complete fraud when I try it out. I’m waiting for someone to tell me to just give up. And thanks so much 🙂 At least I can do my best to master southern cooking if I can’t pull off the accent and phrases right?

      Reply

  19. Librarian Lavender says

    That looks so delicious, I can’t believe I’ve never tried it… Delicious food always makes a great party even better :).

    ★★★★★

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆