Queso Dip with Cheddar and Green Chiles
A silky, restaurant-style Tex-Mex queso made on the stovetop with sharp cheddar, mild green chiles and a little cumin. Evaporated milk and a touch of cornstarch keep it smooth and scoopable, with no processed cheese needed.
- Prep
- 17 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 29 min
- Makes
- About 2¾ cups (650 ml) dip, serves 8 as an appetizer
Steps
Before you start
- Buy a block of sharp cheddar and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking starch and makes a grainy dip.
- Have everything measured before you turn on the heat. Once the milk is hot, the cheese goes in quickly.
- Open and drain the green chiles. Keep a clean spoon handy for tasting at the end.
Prep the ingredients
- Grate the cheddar on the large holes of a box grater into a medium bowl.
- Sprinkle the cornstarch over the cheese and toss with your fingers until every shred is lightly coated and no white clumps remain.
- Dice the onion, mince the garlic, drain the green chiles and chop the cilantro if using.
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Ready when: Cheese looks evenly dusted and feels dry, not clumpy.
Tip: Let the grated cheese sit out while you prep. Cold cheese melts less evenly.
Soften the onion
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for about 4 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent with no browning.
Tip: If the onion starts to brown, lower the heat. Browned bits will darken the dip.
Toast garlic and cumin
- Add the garlic and ground cumin to the onions.
- Stir constantly for 30 to 60 seconds.
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Ready when: The garlic and cumin smell fragrant and toasty, and the garlic has not browned.
Tip: Don't walk away. Scorched garlic and cumin turn bitter.
Warm the milk and chiles
- Pour in the evaporated milk and add the drained green chiles.
- Raise the heat to medium and stir occasionally for about 3 minutes.
- Then reduce the heat to low.
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Ready when: Steam rises and tiny bubbles form around the edge of the pan, but it isn't boiling.
Tip: Don't let it boil. A hard boil can make the cheese split and turn greasy.
Melt in the cheese
- With the heat on low, add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring slowly and constantly in figure eights.
- Wait until each handful has mostly melted before adding the next.
- This takes about 3 minutes.
- Keep stirring for 30 seconds after the last handful.
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Ready when: The dip is completely smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, with no visible shreds.
Tip: If the dip looks stringy or oily, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon of warm milk or water.
Season and finish
- Take the pan off the heat.
- Stir in the lime juice.
- Taste, then add salt a pinch at a time, plus hot sauce if you like.
- Cheddar and canned chiles vary in saltiness, so season only at the end.
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Ready when: The dip tastes cheesy and balanced, with a bright finish from the lime.
Serve warm
- Pour the queso into a warmed serving bowl.
- Top with chopped cilantro if using.
- Serve right away with the tortilla chips.
- Stir the dip every few minutes as it cools.
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Ready when: The dip is warm, glossy and pourable, and it clings to a chip without running off.
Tip: If it thickens as it cools, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm milk to loosen it.
Good to know
Tips
- Grate your own cheese from a block. Bagged shreds contain anti-caking agents that keep the dip from becoming fully smooth.
- Keep the heat low once the cheese goes in. Overheated cheese separates into grease and clumps.
- Add the cheese in small handfuls so the temperature of the milk stays steady and each addition melts completely.
- Serve with sturdy chips, sliced bell pepper or warm tortillas. The dip is also good spooned over nachos, tacos or baked potatoes.
Make ahead
"Make the dip up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Reheat gently as described under storage. You can also grate the cheese and toss it with the cornstarch up to 1 day ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge, and let it sit out for 20 minutes before cooking."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 2 hours (keep warm in a small slow cooker on LOW if serving longer). Fridge: airtight, up to 4 days. Freezer: not recommended, because the texture turns grainy. To reheat, put the dip in a saucepan over low heat with 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. Stir constantly until smooth and hot, about 4 minutes. Or microwave in a bowl at 50% power in 30-second bursts, stirring between each."
Substitutions
- sharp cheddar cheese → Monterey Jack or pepper Jack, or half cheddar and half Jack. Jack melts especially smoothly. Pepper Jack adds heat, so skip the hot sauce.
- evaporated milk → Whole milk or half-and-half. Use 1 cup (240 ml). The dip will be slightly less stable, so keep the heat low and don't skip the cornstarch.
- canned diced mild green chiles → Roasted, peeled and chopped poblano or Hatch chiles. Use about ½ cup (75 g) and add a little more salt at the end.
- ground cumin → Smoked paprika. Use ½ teaspoon for a smokier, less earthy flavor.
