Chile Con Queso Recipe | LaaLoosh (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between queso and chile con queso? ›

Chile con queso ( lit. 'chile with cheese'), sometimes simply called queso, is an appetizer or side dish of melted cheese and chili peppers, typically served in Tex-Mex restaurants as a dip for tortilla chips.

To make the traditional Mexican restaurant style queso blanco, use white American cheese. It melts the best. You can also mix in a small amount of Mozzarella, pepper jack, or Monterey jack to enhance the flavor. Buy the block and then hand shred it for a spicy but smooth cheese dip.

Scanning the internet and the supermarket shelf, we realized that the cheese sauces are divided into two basic categories: Queso Dips, which include some amount of heat, spices, and other flavorings, and Cheese Dips, which are cheese and little else.

The Best Chile Con Queso Recipe

I love this super simple chile con queso dip which can be ready in 25 minutes start to finish. What can be better than a hot and cheesy dip that's got some beef, lots of fire roasted tomatoes, green chiles and jalapeños. So you see, I am also getting my veggies in.

I decided to start my chile con queso recipe quest by doing a bit of research on the history of chile con queso. In its yellow, molten state it's a truly Tex-Mex creation, but there is a proper Mexican counterpart also known as chile con queso that is made with white Mexican cheese.

Classic Queso Dip: This is the basic and most common type of queso dip, made from melted cheese (such as cheddar or Monterey Jack) mixed with milk, cream, or other dairy ingredients. It's often seasoned with spices and sometimes diced tomatoes or green chilies for added flavor.

Authentic Queso Dip is easy to make. Cicique Asadero Cheese works because it's the perfect Mexican melting cheese with a mild flavor. Heating the cheese with half & half on the stove top allows the cheese to become soft and melt.

It's mostly cheese. Beyond that, there is usually tomato, onion, and jalapeños or chiles for some added heat. Add in evaporated milk and cornstarch for thickening, and viola! You've got queso.

Queso fresco has a bolder, tangier flavor than mozzarella cheese but is smoother and saltier than that of goat cheese. It is used in several classic Mexican dishes such as tacos and bean dishes. Using queso fresco cheese on any dish can give it a cheese accent making it tastier.

Although they are often used interchangeably, queso blanco is typically seen in fried or grilled dishes because it doesn't completely melt when exposed to heat. On the other hand, queso fresco is often used to top off soups, tacos and salads due to its crumbly nature.

Which queso is for melting? ›

Queso asadero is Mexican cheese that's great for melting. It is soft, white and creamy with a mild taste, and is often used to make pizzas, quesadillas and queso fundido.

In fact, to some Texans, queso is simply “Rotel dip.” But why? Eater's Kayla Stewart recently set out to learn how the canned blend of tomatoes, chiles, and spices, became such a vital part of any queso.

'Chile' refers to peppers, so the dip is 'peppers with cheese'.

Top Chili's queso recipe with chopped tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, and sour cream. A Velveeta substitute can be made using 3½ cups of sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup of milk, and ¼ cup of sour cream.

In response, many Texas news outlets ran stories insisting that chile con queso (called “queso” for short), a melted cheese appetizer typically served in Mexican restaurants, is of Texan origin.

And while chile con queso is usually only lightly garnished with pico de gallo or maybe taco meat, queso fundido often comes capped with mushrooms, chorizo, or grilled peppers. Notably, it's traditionally served with tortillas instead of tortilla chips.

Queso translated from Spanish is simply “cheese.” But to many Americans, particularly those with roots in Texas, it is shorthand for chile con queso, a cheesy dip with chile peppers that is a staple at social gatherings of all types.