The Best Homemade Queso Recipe (Easy Mexican Cheese Dip)

I’m about to say something heretical. Prepare your hearts.

Sometimes the homemade versions of certain foods aren’t as tasty as the industrial, processed versions.

There. I said it.

Now of course… that’s not ALWAYS the case. And homemade versions are certainly healthier. 

(And yes, we can train our palates over time, etc, etc, etc….)

But industrial food manufactures sink MILLIONS into making their products irresistible. 

Sometimes it’s hard to compete with the flavor burst of MSG or the scientifically-formulated mouthfeel of industrial fats + sugar.

But today’s recipe is NOT an instance of that. 

In fact, the homemade version is so superior to grocery store versions, it’s not even fair to put them in the same category.

I’m talking about queso.

If you’ve ever purchased those little glass jars of queso in the chip aisle, you know they are infinitely disappointing. 

Flat, bland, and borderline bitter, they always leave you wanting.

But after today, you’ll never need to buy them again.

Demystifying Homemade Queso

You don’t have to wait until the next trip to your favorite Mexican restaurant to have good queso.

Queso is basically a béchamel sauce (aka smooth cheese sauce) with chilis, tomatoes, and spices. 

Many online recipes will make you believe that you need Velveeta cheese, a can of Rotel, or canned milk to make homemade queso.

But you don’t. 

While I don’t have huge issues with Rotel or evaporated milk, I prefer to use simpler, fresh ingredients whenever possible. 

(Plus, real cheese > Velveeta. Always.)

Not only do you NOT need a bunch of store-bought ingredients, homemade queso is extremely customizable based on what you have in your pantry.

Are you sold yet? Let’s make some!

(And keep scrolling for a TON of substitution/variation options.)

The Best Queso Recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, finely diced 
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup canned, diced tomatoes
• 4 oz mild green chiles (I use our homegrown poblanos)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup whole milk
• 12 oz shredded cheddar cheese or pepper jack

Instructions:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and translucent. 

Add the garlic, tomatoes, cornstarch, chilis, spices, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant.

Stir in the cream cheese and milk, mixing well to combine. Continue to stir over medium heat until the mixture is just starting to bubble.

Remove from the heat and mix in the shredded cheese, one handful at a time until it is completely melted.

Now is the most important step– TASTE IT. There are many variables at work here, so now’s your time to adjust the seasonings, salt, cheese, etc.

Once it’s right, you can garnish with fresh tomatoes, cilantro, pico de gallo, or green onions.  

Serve immediately with corn chips or tortilla chips for dipping. We also like to drizzle it over nachos, burrito bowls, tacos, quesadillas, etc.

Your homemade cheese dip will keep for 3-4 days in an air-tight container in the fridge. Reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat. Add a splash of milk to thin it.

And Now… The Queso Customizations 

The coolest part about this homemade queso dip is that it’s incredibly customizable.

In place of the canned diced tomatoes, you can use fresh tomatoes. (If you do, let them cook a minute longer before you add the cream cheese/milk.)

In place of the chili peppers, you can use fresh chili peppers of any variety. (If you do, let the raw peppers cook a bit longer with the onions before you add the cream cheese/milk.) 

I use my home-canned poblanos, but the small cans of green chilis from the store are great. 

To replace both the tomatoes AND chilis, substitute with a cup of salsa of your choice (I often use this homemade salsa I can each year) or grab a can of Rotel.

If you don’t have cream cheese, omit it and the whole milk and use a can of evaporated milk instead. Heavy cream might also work here, although I haven’t tried it.

If you want to use different types of cheese, go for it (as long as it melts, it’ll work.) Monterey Jack and Colby Jack are also great options. Sometimes I even toss in mozzarella if I have some that needs to be used. However, for best results avoid pre-shredded cheese. It’s coated with starches (to prevent clumping) and it doesn’t melt properly.

For a white queso recipe (queso blanco), use a white melting cheese. Monterey Jack cheese fits the bill nicely here. (A lot of folks use white American cheese, but I’m not a fan of that since it’s so processed.)

To make it more protein-rich, mix in seasoned, cooked ground beef.

To make it spicier, add more jalapeños, a splash of your favorite hot sauce, or a dash of cayenne pepper.

To make it milder, omit the jalapeños altogether.

So there you go, my friend, you’ve bought your last jar of queso.

I can’t wait for you to give this one a try– let me know how it goes!  

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Consider Making Completely HOMEMADE Tacos for Supper:

• My Homemade Tortilla Wraps Recipe
• The Best Garden Salsa
• Roasted Poblano Salsa
• Pico de Gallo Salsa Recipe
• Crock Pot Taco Meat Recipe
• Use some Homemade Canned Chicken 
• Homemade Sour Cream Recipe
• Homemade Refried Beans
• Check out my Homemade Cumin-Spiced Pork Tacos Recipe