Easy Homemade Queso Dip sometimes called chili con queso is a creamy, spicy, cheesy and flavorful Tex-Mex dip served with crunchy tortilla chips, potato chips or even as a dip for vegetables like carrots, celery etc. It is perfect as an appetizer at any party or as an evening snack with your evening coffee or tea. Why, you can even mix in with some macaroni to make the best homemade macaroni and cheese!
I can have Mexican food any time! Every time I return from a trip to USA, you will find cartons of Velveeta cheese, a processed cheese which is melted with some milk and served as a dip with any chips, in my suitcase. My mother loves these and so I never forget to get her at least a box to enjoy here in India.
A few years back, you could not get even tortilla chips (chips made of corn), so I used to carry a pack of that too (in my carry on to avoid getting them pulverized if I put them in the check in bag!). Nowadays, thankfully, you get all these in India, so I don’t feel the need to procure them from abroad.
On my last trip, at one of the airports, we stopped by at a Mexican restaurant for a bite and my son had ordered queso dip with tortilla chips. I had never had one before (only Velveeta cheese dip which I used to make at home along with some onions and finely chopped jalapenos for heat and maybe some green onions for more flavor!)
It looked whiter than the cheese dip I was used to but nevertheless, I dug in! One bite of the crunchy tortilla chip smothered in the creamy, spicy, satiny, cheesy dip and I was in love with cheese all over again! Although I was hesitant to stuff my face with all that rich cheese and fried chips, the taste was so addicting, I could not stop till the last bit of dip was gone!
Back home, I decided to make my own. Scouting around on the net and coming across many ways to make them, I came up with an easy one with ingredients I almost always have in my kitchen; milk, cheese slices, jalapenos, green onions and the always flavorful and crunchy red onions.
It is so easy, all you need are these ingredients and about 5 minutes; the cheesy Mexican dip is ready to dunk into; to ramp up the flavor of the dip, I sauteed the onions, jalapenos and green onions in a little butter for a few seconds, before adding the milk and cheese. That is it; no more store bought Velveeta cheese blocks for me!
The only precaution you need to keep is to continuously stir the milk and cheese on medium low heat or it will catch at the bottom of the pan and start to burn; so keep whisking and mixing constantly.
The amount of onions, green chilies and green onions depends upon how spicy you want the dip. Add as many cheese slices as the milk holds, to get a smooth, creamy and thick dip to allow the chips to be dipped and enjoyed.
If you find the queso dip getting thicker as it cools, add more milk and heat again. For a different flavor, you can add finely chopped cilantro too; but try not to skip the red onions, the crunchy star of this dip!
So, what are you waiting for? Whip this up today and enjoy fresh, creamy, cheesy, spicy queso with any chips, crackers, salt biscuits (like Monaco or Ritz) etc.; if you love macaroni and cheese, just stir in some cooked macaroni in queso sauce for a quick and fast macaroni and cheese; your kids will love it!
Lets jump to the recipe:
How to make Easy Homemade Queso Dip/Cheese Sauce:
- In a saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat.
- When the butter starts to melt, add the chopped onions, green chillies and 2 tablespoons of green onions.
- Saute for 1 to 2 minutes until the onions are soft and you get a nice aroma from the slightly fried onions, green chillies and green onions.
- Stir in milk (start with ¼ cup and add more if needed) and bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly.
- When the milk comes to a low simmer, add about 3 to 4 slices of cheese, roughly cut up and continue to stir. Whisk until the mixture turns smooth and creamy.
- If you find the queso mixture too runny, add more cheese slices one at a time until you get the desired consistency of the cheese dip. Do not stop stirring and whisking.
- Once you dip or sauce is ready, remove from heat, garnish with more green onions (and more chopped red onions for added crunch!) and serve hot as a dip with tortilla chips, potato chips, pretzels, crackers or with any Mexican dish.
- Enjoy!!
Creamy, spicy and cheesy queso sauce or dip is a flavorful cheese sauce, perfect to be used as a dip with tortilla chips, as a nacho sauce or even as a ready sauce in macaroni and cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons butter
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onions,
- 2 to 3 green chillies/jalapenos/Serrano peppers
- 2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
- ¼ to 1/3rd cup of milk
- 4 to 6 slices of sliced cheddar cheese (I have used Britannia cheese slices)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat.
- When the butter starts to melt, add the chopped onions, green chillies and 2 tablespoons of green onions.
- Saute for 1 to 2 minutes until the onions are soft and you get a nice aroma from the slightly fried onions, green chillies and green onions.
- Stir in milk (start with ¼ cup) and bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly.
- When the milk comes to a low simmer, add about 3 to 4 slices of cheese, roughly cut up and continue to stir. Whisk until the mixture turns smooth and creamy.
- If you find the queso mixture too runny, add more cheese slices one at a time until you get the desired consistency of the cheese dip.
- Remove from heat, garnish with more green onions (and stir in more finely chopped red onions if desired for added crunch and flavor!) and serve hot as a dip with tortilla chips, potato chips, pretzels, crackers or with any Mexican dish.
Notes
You can add any type of cheese you have like grated cheddar cheese, mozzarella, tinned cheese etc. as long as they melt while heating. Stir in more jalapenos, red onions or green onions for more flavor and crunch.
For a different aroma, try adding some dried oregano leaves, basil or even finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves in the cheesy mixture.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in airtight containers; reheat adding more milk to loosen the dip, stirring well, either in the microwave or over a stove top.
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For similar Mexican dishes, try:
Homemade Restaurant Style Mexican Salsa
Quick and Easy Mexican Vegetarian Soup
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this I can add on the nachos too ?
Hi Chaitrali,
Absolutely!! It is so creamy and cheesy, it will be perfect on nachos 🙂
Enjoy dear!
Awesome ? Yummy ? Dip
Looka so creamy and cheesy !Oh nothing beats homemade...very well explained !
My kids favorite dip before we are vegan. Now I make these with vegan milk and cheese. Tastes equally good:)
Like the use of chilies in this dip 🙂
Oh this sauce looks so yummy and like the addition of green chillies, nice kick to it.
Wow this looks so good, I definitely have to find ways to veganize it 🙂 would be perfect during the holidays
As you said a yummy dip!! Can we store it in fridge for a week!?
Thanks Suneetha ? Yes, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week; but place it in an airtight container in the coldest part of the fridge. Thanks for stopping by ?