Description
Whip up this chile con queso for an instant crowd-pleaser that’ll have friends diving into a creamy, spicy dip straight from Texas kitchens. Melted cheese, green chiles, and a dash of spice create a snack perfect for game day or spontaneous gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheeses:
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 oz Monterey Jack cheese
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 small onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- Optional: ¼ cup diced tomatoes
Liquids, Fats, and Seasonings:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbling and golden.
- Dice 1 small onion into uniform pieces. Sauté onion in melted butter for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Mince 2 garlic cloves and finely chop 1 jalapeño pepper. Add to sautéed onions and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle 2 tbsp all-purpose flour over vegetable mixture, stirring constantly to create a smooth roux for 1 minute.
- Gradually pour 1 cup whole milk and ½ cup heavy cream into the pan, whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer mixture for 2-3 minutes until sauce begins to thicken slightly.
- Grate 8 oz sharp cheddar and 4 oz Monterey Jack cheeses while sauce simmers.
- Add grated cheeses one handful at a time, stirring until each batch completely melts into sauce.
- Stir in ¼ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp salt, and ⅛ tsp black pepper until well combined.
- Cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent bottom from scorching.
- Remove from heat and let sit 1-2 minutes to allow sauce to thicken further.
- Sprinkle 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro on top. Optional: Add ¼ cup diced tomatoes for extra color.
- Serve immediately with warm tortilla chips or crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
- Grate the cheese while cold for smoother melting and prevent clumping during the sauce-making process.
- Choose full-fat milk and cream to create a richer, more luxurious queso with better texture and depth of flavor.
- Reduce heat to low when adding cheese to prevent separation and maintain a silky, smooth consistency.
- For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for heavy cream and use reduced-fat cheese, which will slightly change the texture but maintain great taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 329 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 343 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg