This Queso Dip is a copycat of the cheese dip sold in jars and served at your favourite Mexican restaurant. The miracle of this is that it’s silky smooth even when it cools – and reheats perfectly. Imagine the possibilities!
Why this is life changing
This Queso Dip recipe is for everyone out there who has attempted to make a Mexican cheese dip like what you get at Mexican restaurants and found it lacking. If you want the dip to be silky smooth like the stuff you get in jars in aisles (not fridge!) of grocery stores, then the recipes call for fake cheese – Velveeta or other processed cheeses.
Other recipes are made starting with a roux – butter & flour – which is used to make a béchamel sauce into which cheese is added. While this makes a terrific cheese sauce for pouring over vegetables, in lasagna, gratins etc, it doesn’t have that truly silky and rich texture of a cheese dip.
Some recipes call for real cheese and varying combinations of cream / sour cream / mayonnaise – but the problem with these is that when the dip cools down, the cheese congeals. It’s tasty – but you need to keep it warm. And it has a tendency to split when rewarmed.
The solution? Evaporated milk + cornflour/cornstarch + cheese = silky smooth rich cheese dip / sauce. Truly. It works. 🙂
Actually, I shared Nachos Cheese Dip a couple of years ago which is a simpler version of this dip. This Queso Dip is my copycat of the fake cheese dip I tried (Tostitos) and the ultra addictive dips served at Tex Mex restaurants in the States.
I even made my own corn chips using corn tortillas because I couldn’t find white corn chips, like you get in Mexican restaurants. And also because corn chips made using corn tortillas tastes so much more like corn than store bought.
Don’t make this Queso Dip when you’re home alone. I’m supposed to be on my Post Holiday Health Kick (I know, I know, you hear this every time I come back from holidays!!!) and it’s taken astronomical will power to hold back.
I’ve got 3 batches of this Mexican Cheese Dip in my fridge. I’m planning to offload them tomorrow. – Nagi x
PS Except maybe that one little jar. I might keep that for myself…..
PPS I realise that some people may raise their eyebrows at the name “Life Changing Queso Dip”, but for Queso Dip lovers, I deign to say this will be life changing!!!
Queso Dip recipe
Watch how to make it
Queso Dip (Mexican Cheese Dip) recipe video!
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Queso Dip (Mexican Cheese Dip)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (tightly packed) cheddar cheese, freshly shredded (Important – read Note 1)
- 1 tbsp cornflour / cornstarch
- 1/2 tbsp (10g) unsalted butter
- 1 large garlic clove , finely minced
- 1/4 small white onion , very finely chopped (~1/4 cup)
- 375g / 13 oz evaporated milk (1 can) , not low fat
- 1 small tomato , finely diced (3/4 cup) (Note 2)
- 1/4 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, cumin
- 113g /4 oz can chopped green chile, fire roasted (Subs Note 3)
- 1/4 cup coriander / cilantro , finely chopped
- 2 – 3 tbsp milk , any type (to loosen, as needed)
- Salt , to taste (cheese brands differ in saltiness, may not need)
Instructions
- Toss – Place cheese and cornflour in a bowl, toss to coat.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan or small pot.
- Sauté – Add garlic and onion, cook slowly for 3 minutes or until onion is translucent but not browned. Add tomato (including juices) and cook for 2 minutes until tomato is slightly softened.
- Add evaporated milk and cheese. Stir, then add chiles and Spices.
- Melt – Stir until cheese melts and it becomes a silky sauce.
- Add salt to taste – amount required depends on saltiness of cheese used – and stir through coriander.
- Adjust consistency – Stir in milk or water to adjust consistency (I use 2 tbsp) – the dip thickens when it cools, and milk can be added later to adjust to taste.
- Remove from heat. Serve warm or at room temperature – it will be soft and scoopable even when it cools.
- Store in the refrigerator. When refrigerated, it becomes the consistency of the cheese spread sold in jars that are not in the refrigerator section. Reheat in microwave and adjust consistency as desired with a tiny bit of milk. If you add too much, just put on stove again until it thickens. Freezes 3 months, fridge 5 days.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More dips for fellow snack monsters
Life of Dozer
That’s not a peeved look on his face, even though that’s what you might think. It’s a look of contentment and utter comfort in his very cozy sweatshirt. I’m sure of it. He’s not embarrassed. 😈
Very good recipe.
Amazing sauce. I would like to take it up a notch with hot sauce, otherwise its perfect!
This IS life changing!! Thank you thank you! I lost count of how many times I have sent people to this recipe. I used cheddar and added some chopped jalapeno because I like mine spicy!
Couldn’t you solve the “powdery” problem by cooking your sauce at a low boil (BEFORE ADDING CHEESE) for five or so minutes to cook the cornstarch and the “grainy” problem by making sure you NEVER boil the sauce once it has the cheese in it?
I am planning on making this today using the tips I just mentioned.
HI Jill! The powdery problem comes from anti caking agents in store bought pre shredded cheese that doesn’t melt down smoothly like cornstarch / cornflour. 🙂 N xx
I made it and it is so delicious! It’s my new “go-to” recipe. Thank you!
PS: instead of tossing the cornstarch with the cheese I made a slurry with the cornstarch and a little evaporated milk and then added that back to the evap milk. I boiled that along with the onion, garlic, chiles, tomatoes, and spices for about ten minutes. I took it off the heat and added the cheese and a few Tbs of regular milk to thin it out. It’s great!
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this Jill!!! Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂 N x
This was just fabulous. Love the evaporated milk trick. Stayed scoopable. Makes a large amount too. Thx!
So pleased to hear that Betsy! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 N x
Nag, THANK YOU! Hugs and kisses to down under!
Just made this and I am still in awe. Going to the store to buy bags of tortilla chips, or should I make bread or just dip in my fingers? Amazing!
WHOOT! So glad you loved this Christiane! Isn’t it crazy addictive?? 🙂 N xx
I tried this twice with chalkiness both times. I’m from the USA and am thinking perhaps if I dissolve the cornstarch first in water like we always do first for gravy, it may not turn out chalky. I’m thinking your cornstarch may be different in Australia ?
I’m thinking of leaving out the cornstarch but I can see that it adds to the fluffy texture of the dip.
But I’m scared to try it for a third time. It’s wasting my cheese. 😬
It was a bit chalky but so worth it. My kids are the most picky kids and they gobbled it up! We did it to replace our fondue recipe when we studied Switzerland, which specializes in fondue.
Same here. Maybe we used too much cornstarch?
I’m in the US. I doubled the recipe and used an 8 oz block of Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar and an 8 oz block of Cabot Pepper Jack. I followed the rest of the ingredients and directions. It turned out smooth and shiny. Guests thought it was the best they ever had. Thanks for the recipe.
I tried the recipe twice as well as my friend, twice. We used freshly shredded block cheese that we shredded. It still hand the grainy flavor. I used Argo brand cornstarch but it never makes my gravies grainy. Hmmm just frustrated
Cornstarch here in Australia is the same 🙂 The problem is the anti caking agent in some cheeses which causes the cheese not to melt smoothly. I’m been a bit scarred reading about all the different types!!!
Hi Deanna! What cheese are you using? Grating your own or pre shredded in packets?? N x
Hey!
If you haven’t already found them, there are white corn chips in Woolworths/Coles now. Mission brand in the brown paper bags.
G
They’re so good, found them!!
I loved reading your post. And based on all you said, because I too snort about those recipes using fake “real” cheese, I’m definitely going to try your recipe. Cheers from Canada.
Thanks Diane! Hope you do try it! N x
Hi Nagi, our food is all messed up here in the U.S. The food makers do all sorts of strange things. I never buy shredded cheese knowing that they put a coating on it so it won’t stick together. It is more work to shred it but it’s worth it. I’ve been looking for a queso recipe that doesn’t require velveeta, and it looks like this one is it!! thank you! PS: your dog is adorable.
Use a food processor with the grater blade, makes shredding cheese really easy.
Hi, Stacy: Just a comment about the pre-shredded cheese (I’m not taking on Velveeta this post though it too has some merit!). There are sometimes misconceptions about processed foods. Not all processing is bad. As mentioned elsewhere, the pre-shreds are coated with cornstarch, potato flour or cellulose fiber and there is nothing intrinsically wrong or unsafe about any of these aniti-caking agents. It would be no different than shredding cheese in your own kitchen, tossing it with a thickener (corn starch or flour), then trowing it in heated milk over a burner to thicken as a cheese sauce. Even the the cellulose product is benign and not so scary. Cellulose is dietary fiber and makes up part of the cell walls of every plant source food we put in our mouths. You eat it daily with a whole piece of fruit or a serving of vegetable. It passes through the digestive track as roughage (undigested). Sometimes people add cellulose products to their diet to aid digestion (e.g. Psyllium–think about how gummy and thick that gets in a bowl of liquid!). There have, of course, been flagrant mis-uses by unscrupulous companies that have used cellulose product as filler, which cheats the public because you are paying for filler over cheese product. By the various posts here, it seems that the biggest grievance with pre-shreds is that they can wreak havoc with the outcome of a recipe! For my part, there are times when it is nice to have pre-shredded cheese available in the fridge, like when micro-wave nachos beckon and you can have them laid out on a plate with jarred salsa in less time than it takes to mix a margarita. Cheers, to my U.S. compatriot!
AMEN!!! It’s been driving me nuts reading the comments and the huge hubbub about this on here! 😉 I thought I was crazy as I was saying the same thing (repeatedly 😉 out loud! haha) each time even looking again at my cheese in the fridge to check myself and sure enough, it’s “anticake” ingredients are potato starch and powdered cellulose) and ONLY other ingredient is Natamycin which they correctly comment is a natural mold inhibitor. Didn’t used to see that used and honestly it’s made a huge difference as it lasts SO much longer after opened even with the resealable top! I will say though, I have always been picky about picking brands that look like freshly grated cheese that you can’t feel, see, or taste those ingredients! Esp. nice lately are the “thick cut” and “off the block” cuts of Sargento and Harris Teeter brands!! I find them to melt just fine though I’ve not made THIS recipe yet so I’ll see, but I wanted to thank you for taking the time to shed some light on the issue! I’m guessing it’s a difference in brands on a different part of the world! 😉 Heck- you can get such a wide variance in the same Store even!! Can’t wait to try though Nagi- looks awesome and I’m with you on loving that same brand of jarred ‘cheese’ 😉 but personally it’s the ingredients like MSG that make me pass it up- know it’s not the most evil thing out there but my body thinks so and not worth it!! Can’t wait to try another one that will NOT have to be reheated like 50 times in the course of a party like my GF’s famous dip!
My dog totally takes advantage of his looks 😂 That is such a great tip re: shredded cheese, THANK YOU! Will add it to the notes N x
We made this last night for Super bowl. Loved the flavor but it had a powdery (?) texture at the end… I used packaged shredded cheese which is already coated in corn starch. Thinking I should use freshly grated next time or omit corn starch if using prepared shredded? Other than that GREAT flavor
Hi Ashley! I’ve never heard of cheese with powder on it already, I suspect that might have been the problem. I’m glad you enjoyed the flavour though! Oh PS Yes please use fresh grated if you can only get shredded with corn starch on it! How strange, honestly never heard of that!
Hi, Nagi. I’ve stumbled across your site on many occasions and snatched a recipe or two. My comment today has to do with pre-packaged shredded cheeses (like Kraft or Sargento). Most all (if not all) “pre” shredded cheese usually contains an anti caking ingredient like modified corn starch, potato starch or powdered cellulose to prevent the individual shreds from sticking together. None of these ingredients are worrisome and come part and parcel with our obsession for “convenience” products. One issue for low-carbers is that it does add a tiny amount of carbohydrate to the end product though it is small and is likely factored in with the total carbohydrate content cited on the package label. I sincerely doubt this anit-caking ingredient for end-processing is unique to the Americas and suggest reading labels (always) if that is a concern for some of your readers. Cheers!
Thanks for that tip Sache, I didn’t know that. Thank you for shedding light on something I was quite puzzled about! The problem is more that I’m pretty sure that is the reason why some people end up with grainy dip, when the cheese is not just 100% cheese. 🙂
This is a mental exercise because I am too lazy to actually test the theory with actual ingredients: if you take about 1 cup shredded cheese, and toss it with a thickener, say cornstarch or even flour, using a sufficient amount to coat the individual strands of cheese so they do not stick together (in my mind’s eye, that might be at least 1 tablespoon
and possibly more?), then, across the recipe, you’ve now added an additional 1 tablespoon of thickening agent to your ingredient list. So yes! While the coating on the pre-shredded cheese may seem like a very modest amount, I suppose that cumulatively it might affect the relative proportions of the ingredients in a recipe such that you end up with something way thicker than intended, and possibly grainy. This is my armchair experiment and conclusion. 🙂
Also I think the problem is the quality / purity of the cornstarch used. I’ve had the same problem with a particular brand of cheese here in Australia. In theory it should be totally fine, but it wasn’t, and I put it down to whatever anti caking agent they were using!
We just made this for the super bowl tonight and it was really good! We are wondering how long the queso lasts in the refrigerator?
Hi! I’d love to know myself 🙂 The dip itself holds up absolutely fine, I’ve had it for a week and it’s exactly like made fresh if ou reheat and stir. The thing I am not sure of is whether it is still safe to consume after a week – I haven’t tested it, not sure how to!
I just made your queso dip and it is the bomb! I’ve been looking for a good queso recipe–i.e., one that uses real cheese!–and I’m so glad to have found this. I used pepper jack and cheddar because that’s what I had on hand. The fresh garlic really came through as well! Will make again and again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
WHOOT! So glad to hear that! N x
Delicious recipe!! I used a 4-cheese Mexican blend and added a dash of paprika. It is SO good!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Angelica! Thanks for letting me know – N x
That’s great to hear Angelica! N xx
We are going to try to make this today for the Super Bowl. This looks sooooooooOOOOooooooo guuuuuuuudd! Will rate after we make it.
Hope you love it Joe! N x
Made this for Super Bowl tonight…it was so easy! I may not buy the jar stuff ever again! Thanks for sharing!
So glad you loved it too! N xx
You must be a good cook, I was looking at some of your recipes, I love good home cooking, just saying ,
Thank you Rose! N xx
Wonderful recipe that solves the issue of using real cheese that congeals as it cools. I added 1 lb ground turkey (after step 3), 1 whole diced jalapeno (during step 4), 1/2 tsp chili powder (at the same time as the other spices) for a heartier, spicier version. Soo soo good!
How have I never thought to add ground meat into this????
Can this be reheated after refrigerating it or does it affect the texture? I’m trying to plan ahead for a party and want to make as many recipes as possible ahead of time.
Hi Melissa! It’s 100% perfect for reheating – it doesn’t split, it’s silky smooth just like freshly made. If it is a touch thicker than you want, just add the tiniest splash of milk or water.
I added smoked paprika since I didn’t have the canned chilis. So delish and the smoky flavor is a must!
That’s terrific to hear Emily!! So pleased you enjoyed this – N x