This authentic Tex-Mex Chile con Queso tastes even better than the queso from your favorite Mexican restaurant. Thanks to a simple blend of secret spices and our best tips for a smooth and dippable consistency, this particular queso recipe yields a rich, cheesy, and addictively delicious dip. Consider this cheese dip the perfect addition to parties, or use it to upgrade any Mexican dinner at home!
Every single taste tester loved the queso, and multiple people mentioned it was the best queso they've ever had. That's a pretty high compliment in a room full of born-and-raised Texans. Consider the perfect dippable consistency officially at your fingertips. Guaranteed--you won't find a tastier queso on the internet! Want more crowd-favorite recipes? Check out our dips, including our refried bean dip!
5 Secrets to Perfect Queso (without Velveeta)
Most Mexican restaurants use Velveeta or a similar highly processed cheese to make their queso dip. Don't get me wrong; I love queso in every way—even the queso with Velveeta and Rotel. Our tomatoes and green chiles cheese dip is proof.
However, the goal for this queso was to see if we could perfectly mimic the flavor and texture of an authentic Mexican food experience without the 20+ added unnecessary ingredients highly processed cheese brings to the table. Here is how we did it:
- Fresh ingredients like chopped jalapeno and onion.
- Use whole milk (not half and half or heavy cream, like most other recipes). The fat content of whole milk kept the queso the perfect consistency even when cooled.
- Monterey Jack + block-style American cheese. American cheese has a high milk content, which keeps cheese sauces extra smooth and creamy, making it amazing for queso. If you buy American cheese that requires refrigeration rather than a highly processed cheese sold at room temperature (like Velveeta), you're getting a product that's much closer to "real food," and is of higher quality. You can often find block-style American cheese near the deli section of your grocery store.
Option: If you want to avoid American cheese altogether, use a mild cheddar instead. We initially tested this recipe with cheddar; however, it consistently created a stretchy, not-as-dippable cheese sauce. If you use cheddar, you may need to add more milk to thin it out. And if you want to stick to Velveeta, perfect! Our Velveeta cheese dip has every step you need. - Fire-roasted canned tomatoes upped the flavor ante ten-fold compared to fresh tomatoes like we use in this queso blanco.
- Chili powder, paprika, and adobo sauce are flavor powerhouses in this queso recipe. If you happen to be from Central Texas and love Chuy's Tex-Mex queso, you'll likely recognize the flavor. We definitely cracked the code and then did it better. We accomplished the same task with this Chuy's salsa fresca recipe. The perfect pairing for your chile con queso!
How to Make Chile Con Queso
Sauté the Jalapenos and Onions | Add the oil to a medium-sized sauté pan. Once it's heated, add chopped jalapenos and onion. (Remember to remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeno if you do not want spicy queso.)
Add the Flour | Add the flour and stir until the veggies are coated, about 1 minute. Flour serves as a thickener and binder for our queso, keeping the cheese and the milk from separating
Add the Milk | Add the milk a splash at time, whisking after each addition. This little trick ensures there are no lumps in your queso, and your cheese sauce is perfectly smooth.
Add the Cheese | Grate both the American and Monterey Jack, then add to the mix and stir until melted.
Add the Tomatoes and Cilantro | Be sure to drain the tomato juices from the can before dumping them in. If you prefer fresh tomatoes, chop and seed 2 Romas. We also found the more cilantro, the more the taste testers enjoyed this chile con queso recipe.
Add the Spices | The addition of chili powder, paprika, salt, and adobo sauce is what really makes this queso next-level delicious.
Serve + Enjoy! | After combining all ingredients, woo your people with Tex-Mex dip heaven. Serve warm alongside some other beloved Tex-Mex recipes! If you need other dip ideas to pair with this queso, you can never go wrong with:
Don't count this queso out for a topping either! If you have fajita tacos or Tex-Mex beef enchiladas on the dinner calendar, this would be perfect on top!
Authentic Chile con Queso (without the Velveeta)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons canola or avocado oil
- 1-½ cup chopped jalapenos, core and seeds removed (about 5 medium-sized jalapenos)
- 1 cup chopped white onion (about ½ of an onion)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2-¾ cups whole milk
- 2 cups freshly grated American (or mild cheddar) cheese
- 2 cups freshly grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, drained (or 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced)
- ¼ cup fresh, chopped cilantro leaves
- 1-¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)
Instructions
- Add the oil to medium-sized saucepan and allow to come to temperature over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions and saute for about 6 minutes, until softened. Stir occasionally.
- Sprinkle over the flour and stir for about 1 minute. Slowly, add the milk a splash at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition until it reaches a pudding-like consistency. At this point you may whisk in the remaining milk.
- Allow the milk to reach a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stirring often. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Once the mixture has thickened slightly, reduce the heat to low. Add the cheeses and stir until completely melted.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Serve warm alongside tortilla chips and enjoy!
Nutrition
Kelly Anthony says
We loved this recipe!!
Phil says
We loved this recipe!!