The Best Queso
Make this queso recipe! This Mexican dip is cheesy, creamy and full of fresh flavor. It's surprisingly easy to make and utterly irresistible.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 27, 2024
Iโm super excited to share this queso recipe with you. This Mexican dip is cheesy, creamy and full of fresh flavor. Itโs surprisingly easy to make and utterly irresistible.
This recipe uses a simple secret ingredientโcream cheeseโto achieve its gloriously creamy texture and light tang. No flour and no fussy roux required here (as a bonus, this queso is gluten free).
This stovetop queso possesses all of Velveetaโs positive attributes, but it tastes a million times nicer. It even cools down with grace, developing just a slight skin on top that really doesnโt detract from its appeal.
If youโre like me, you probably donโt need an excuse to eat queso while sipping a margarita. I grew up around a lot of Tex-Mex food and like to consider myself a queso connoisseur. If queso is on the menu, Iโve likely sampled it.
My husband, on the other hand, exercises an impressive amount of restraint when it comes to queso. He tells me he doesnโt like it. (Heโs generally a rational man, though I question him in cheese-related matters.) This queso is an exception to his rule. He loves it.
We both agree that this is the best queso weโve ever had. Try it, and I hope youโll say the same!
Homemade Queso Ingredients
This recipe is made with all-natural ingredients. Youโll find the full recipe below. Hereโs what youโll need:
- Butter: Weโll start by cooking onion and jalapeรฑo in melted butter. Sure, we could use olive oil instead, but butter offers some extra-delicious notes to this already dairy-rich recipe.
- Red onion: The onion flavor mellows significantly as it cooks and offers a nice savory backbone to this queso. Any variety of onion will work, but I like red onionโs flavor and color best here.
- Jalapeรฑo: Fresh or jarred jalapeรฑo is optional here, offering both fresh flavor and some heat. I love it, but if youโre sensitive to spice, you can omit it or just scale back.
- Garlic: Like onion, garlic adds another savory dimension to this queso.
- Milk: Whole milk is best, or I imagine 2 percent would work if thatโs what you have. Iโve also successfully made this queso with a thick, unsweetened, plain alternative milk (specifically, Forager brandโs cashew milk).
- Cream cheese: Cream cheese makes this dip thick and ultra creamy. It also offers a bit of tang. If youโve been reading this blog for any length of time, you probably know that I love cream cheese!
- Cheese: Weโll use a combination of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese for optimal flavor and melt factor. If you love spice like me, try pepper jack cheese instead of plain. Itโs delicious.
- Tomatoes: You have several options here. I love quartered cherry tomatoes or diced ripe tomatoes, when tomatoes are in season. You could use drained, diced tomatoes instead, or even well-drained tomato salsa. (Despise tomatoes? Skip them.)
- Hot sauce: Again, technically optional, but just a few dashes of hot sauce like Cholula adds one more dimension of flavor.
- Cilantro: Cilantro offers one final burst of freshness. If you donโt like cilantro, skip it. If you do like it, add a scattering of extra cilantro leaves as a garnish.
Watch How to Make the Best Queso
Queso Serving Suggestions
Serve your queso with any of the following:
- Tortilla chips or warmed tortillas, of course
- Margaritas: Skinny Margaritas or fruity margaritas (find many variations here)
- More dips: Red Salsa, Guacamole or Classic Pico de Gallo
- Tacos: Easy Black Bean Tacos or Epic Vegetarian Tacos
- Enchiladas: Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas or Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas
- Salads and sides: Elote (Mexican Street Corn), Mexican(ish) Kale & Quinoa Salad or Green Salad with Jalapeรฑo-Cilantro Dressing
View all of my Mexican-inspired recipes here. Also check out the blog Isabel Eats, which is where I learned this great cream cheese queso trick! Isabel is a first-generation Mexican American and offers tons of amazing Mexican recipes.
Please let me know how your queso turns out in the comments. I love hearing from you.
The Best Queso
Make this queso recipe! This Mexican dip is cheesy, creamy and full of fresh flavor. Itโs surprisingly easy to make and utterly irresistible. Recipe yields about 4 ยฝ cups, enough for 8 servings (the recipe is easily halved).
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium jalapeรฑo or 2 tablespoons drained jarred jalapeรฑos (both optional)
- 1 small-to-medium red onion, choppedย
- ยฝ teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- ยพ cup whole milk, more to thin if desired
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes, diced ripe tomatoes or canned drained diced tomatoes
- Several dashes of your favorite hot sauce, such as Cholula
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Tortilla chips or warmed tortillas, for serving
Instructions
- Before you get started, be sure that all of your ingredients are prepared and ready to go near the stove. The optional jalapeรฑo adds some flavor and some heat. If using a fresh pepper, remove the seeds and ribs, then finely chop. For jarred jalapeรฑos, just finely chop them.
- Melt the butter in a small-to-medium Dutch oven or large, deep skillet. Add the onion, jalapeรฑo (if using), and ยผ teaspoon of the salt. Cook, while stirring often, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant while stirring, about 30 seconds.
- Add the milk and cream cheese to the pot. Stir until the cream cheese has melted into the mixture (it should be mostly smooth), about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and start adding the cheese in medium handfuls, stirring after each one. Once the cheese has melted completely into the mixture, add the next handful, and so on until you have added all of the cheese.
- Stir in the tomatoes, hot sauce, cilantro, and remaining ยผ teaspoon salt. Gently stir until the mixture is combined and the dip is smooth and creamy (if the mixture seems gloppy at all, you may actually need to increase the heat a bit here). If desired, thin the queso with up to ยฝ cup additional milk in ยผ-cup increments, stirring after each until it is fully incorporated.ย
- Promptly remove the mixture from the heat (donโt leave the queso on the stove, or it may overcook). Serve while hot. Garnishes are optional, but I like to add some additional cilantro leaves and a scattering of additional tomatoes.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Isabel Eats.
Serving and storage suggestions: The queso will develop a bit of a โskinโ over time, with minimal impact to the overall texture. You can gently reheat queso on the stove or in the microwave as needed, being careful not to overheat it. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. Gently reheat before serving.
Dairy note: Sorry, this queso cannot be made dairy free (try my Creamy Vegan Queso instead!). You can, however, reduce the dairy products somewhat by using a thick, plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk. Iโve successfully made this recipe with Foragerโs brand cashew milk.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
This is the first recipe Iโve made. Iโve read a ton and they all seem great, my reluctant husband isnโt so sure about meatless.
The queso was AMAZING! My huband couldnโt get enough and the recipe was so large that we have enough to keep for Motherโs Day.
YUMMY!
Thanks so much for your feedback, Clare! Really happy to hear that the queso was a hit. :)
This sounds so good. I donโt live in the US and wonder what I could substitute for Monterey Jack cheese. Could I use Gruyere instead?
Hi there! Yes, I think Gruyere is a pretty good bet. Havarti would likely work well, too. Please report back if you give it a try.
Pinned to enjoy quite soon ! :-)
Do you think this could be made in a slow cooker? Maybe still cooking veggies on stovetop and starting Step 3 in slow cooker?
Hey Ciarra! I havenโt tried to be sure, but that would likely work. For an even safer bet, Iโd probably carry through at least step 4. Or, I believe that you could the fully made queso to a slow cooker on low heat to keep it warm and melty (wouldnโt save you time, but it would stay nice and hot that way).
I made this last night and woke up glowing thinking of my successful dinner. This was the perfect addition to my traditional family Mexican meal. I couldnโt stop eating it. My son said, โThis is GOOOOODโ without me prompting. It was flavorful and never got too hard to eat during the entire dinner. I added a bit more milk to make it thinner.
Thatโs great! Thank you for sharing, Kelly. I appreciate your review.
Hi! The flavor was fantastic but the texture didnโt turn outโit had a kind of chalky/gritty texture. I grated my own cheese and added more milk. Did I overcook maybe? I want to figure this out! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
Hi, You may have over cooked it and added too much milk. I found getting the cheese to really melt (maybe adding a bit more time) helped in the overall end result. Let me know if you try it again! Try to melt longer before adding more milk and see what that does.
I had the same outcome. Iโm super disappointed. I even tried using my immersion blender to see if I could get it smooth. Maybe I didnโt give the cheese enough time to really melt before adding more milk? As I added the cheese, it got SUUUPER thick, so I added more milk when maybe what I should have done was turn up the heat a bit and give it more time. Were you able to salvage it?
Is there any replacement for the cream cheese? Itโs just a taste I dislike strongly no matter what recipe it is in.
The cream cheese is really the secret ingredient here. It makes this dip thick and ultra creamy. It also offers a bit of tang. I donโt have an alternative and would love for you to see if you like it here. Itโs delicious!
I think the cream cheese ruins it.
Iโm sorry to hear you didnโt love it. I appreciate your feedback.
Marscapone cheese. Doesnt have the tang but it has the texture.
First time made this for a potluck and we all loved it.
Iโm so glad! Thanks for letting me know, Carmen.
Could I use a milk substitute? Oat milk?
Hi Catherine, this one really works best as written. If you need a dairy free queso, try my Creamy Vegan Queso
The first time I made this I did not heed Kateโs advise to prep everything in advance, which resulted in me cooking everything too long and the queso curdled. The second time, I followed the instructions exactly and this really is the BEST queso. Thanks for another excellent recipe Kate!
Made this for football season.. It was a hit with the guys and ladies alike. Next time I will have to make two batches, maybe one with a hotter pepper and one with the jalapeรฑo. Outstanding recipe, and very easy to make.
Great for football season! Thank you for sharing, Lisa.
Whole family loved it!
Thatโs great, Michelle! Thank you for sharing.
Can you make this in a crockpot?
I havenโt tried, sorry!
Could you prep it the day before and warm up in a crockpot?
I havenโt tried it, so I canโt say for sure.
Iโm going out on a limb here and will add some well-drained Chorizo to this recipe for an added layer of flavor.
Stay tuned!
OMG, this recipe is the bomb! We make it and eat it with chips and call it dinner!
Thank you, Jenn! Iโm glad you loved it.
First time I have ever made queso and itโs delicious! Super easy. I ended up having to add just over the additional 1/2C milk called for. An extra 1/4C+/-. Perfect consistency. Thanks!
Thanks for the recipe. This was my 1st attempt at making queso from scratch that wasnโt Velveeta and rotelle! Living and being from Texas Queso is a staple!i just got done making yours, the only issues Iโm having is I cut the cream cheese more then half and it still has a strong cream cheese flavor I donโt think I caramelized enough onion and thereโs a really odd grittyness to the texture. Iโm not sure if itโs because the store substituted my block mild cheddar for already grated โโ๏ธ. What could I use in place of cream cheese for next time?
The grittiness was probably from the pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese from the store is coated in starch to prevent the shreds from sticking together.
Could I make with evaporated milk instead of regular milk?
Hi Julia, I havenโt tried it. I hope you try it as written!
I added a third block of pepper jack with 1/3 cup half & half along with chipotle powder, a dash of red hot, crushed red pepper and two fire sauce packets from Taco Bell lol. Can wait for the nacho bar this weekend at my sisterโs 21st b-day!
Going to make your queso now canโt wait to dig in
I hope you loved it, Kristy!
This was absolutely delicious! It was my first time making any kind of queso and it came out better than I expected! It was super smooth and packed with flavor. I followed the recipe except the cheese I had on hand was sharp cheddar and Colby jack. And I did add in the Cholula as well as the cilantro, as I love both! We ate it with tortilla chips and also mixed it into beans and rice; yum! Thank you for a great recipe. :)
Like to consider myself as knowing my way around the kitchen AND recipes be the domestic orโฆotherwise (love throwing together Japanese, Korean and Mexican). Loved your detailed step-by-step instructions and recommendations of โโฆhave ingredients already setup beginning. Found I needed to add the additional 1/2 cup of milk due to thickness. I spicy, wifey IS NOT, so I limited the Jalapeรฑo. The cheese and milk worked in tandem to neutralize that. So my rating was hampered by the web site program, else 8* would have been inline. Gracias, Queso was delicioso, Senora Kate
I used pre-shredded cheese to save some time and I regret it. Queso came out chalky. Texture weird but flavor is good. Iโll try it again when I can take some time to grate the cheese.
Iโm sorry to hear that! Yes, pre-shredded can impact it. Thank you for your review.
Made your best queso for a gathering. Super easy to make and it was DELICIOUS. Only a few Tablespoons left in the bowl. So enjoy your recipes, healthy and satisfying. Thank you for all you do.
This did not turn out well for me. Horribly salty. I had to it out. I used Monterrey Jaxk, cheddar, and cream cheese plus the other not salt items.
Hi Jeannine, did you use salted butter or unsalted? Iโm sorry to hear you didnโt love the results.
Could you make a large batch of this and can it?
Hi Rachelle, this recipe isnโt meant for canning. Sorry!
Can you use heavy cream instead of milk?
This recipe is best as written. I hope you try it!
Made this for a party and it was AMAZING! The cream cheese and milk keep it from getting grainy. I split it into 2 mini Crock Pots to keep it hot and added Chorizo to one for the meat eaters. Not a drop left!
Hooray! I loved to hear that, David.
For the past few years, Iโve been sharing your creamy butternut squash recipe (that I adore and make quite often). Now, Iโm going to be telling everyone about this incredible queso! Served it last night to our son and DIL and grandchildren and it was a huge hit. Iโm not surprisedโฆ the recipe and video had convinced me โ but as everyone sampled it, there was much swooning in appreciationโฆ Even the 8- and 5-year-olds loved it! I canโt wait to make this again soon! Thanks for the great recipes, Kate (and Cookie!).
Iโm glad you enjoy the soup and this recipe! Thank you for your comment. Be sure to let me know what you think of other recipes as you try them!
Hey! could I use poblano pepper instead
Sure, it would provide a little different flavor. Let me know what you think!
I was excited making this, is seem easy and quick. I have never made queso from scratch. However, I live in Texas so I know what good queso is! This recipe really fell short. I wouldnโt even call it queso, maybe just Cheese dip. It needs more flavor, cumin, paprika, cayenne. Also, I donโt think the cream cheese should be in quesso.
Hi Katie, Iโm sorry to hear you didnโt love this recipe. I appreciate your feedback.
I Love onions and garlic, but it does not belong in this recipe. 8 guest did not care for this recipe and all agreed the garlic and onions did not belong.
Iโm sorry to hear you didnโt love this recipe, Debbie. I appreciate your feedback.
Hi Kate, maybe you can help me. I made this queso before exactly as written and it came out fantastic! This time I decided to add an entire (drained) can of diced tomatoes instead of just the cup called for (because who wants to figure out what to do with half a can of tomatoes?). The queso eventually curdled so badly I had to throw it out. Do you think this was due to the acidity of the extra tomatoes or is it more likely that I overheated it? Any experience varying the mix-ins in other ways? Thanks for any help!
Oh no! Iโm sorry to hear that. It could have been either, or both.
I want to love this recipe but sadly, the texture was a bit grainy for my taste buds. The flavor was really good!
Iโm sorry to hear you didnโt love it, Cindy. I appreciate your review.
This Texan gives 5 stars!
Yโall, this queso recipe is delicious!
I set my ingredients out ahead of time to allow everything to come to room temp and then followed the directions exactly as written with a couple of modifications. I used the cheeses that I had in my fridge; gouda, a chipotle pepper cheddar, and red cheddar.
I chose to use bacon fat in place of the butter to add more flavor and omitted the dashes of hot sauce.
Hooray for queso without processed cheeses!
Thank you for your review! Iโm glad you loved it.
I made this today using cherry tomatoes freshly picked from my garden. I made half the recipe. It was and is simply divine (as my grandmother mother used to say).
Thank you for sharing, Anne!
I made this tonight for a birthday party and everyone loved it (which is what matters!) However, I wanted to share my specific challenge in case any other readers experience something similar.
After mixing in the cheese one handful at a time, the result was too thick to serve. I added a little more milk and it still didnโt thin it out. In a pinch I added some butter one tablespoon at a time until it reached a desirable consistency. 6 tablespoons did the trick for me!
(Also, the only ingredient I didnโt add was the tomatoes).
Overall, it was a delicious and flavorful queso and I was grateful to find a recipe that didnโt require queso blanco!
Thatโs great to hear, Rachel!
I was really hoping for restaurant style queso. This was bad. I even added extra seasonings and it didnโt help.
Iโm sorry you didnโt love this, Cori. I appreciate your feedback.
Hi Kate, do you think this would work in an electric fondue pot? I canโt wait to try this! I love every recipe of yours that I use.
I havenโt tried it. I recommend this best as written. If you try it, let me know how it turns out for you!
This recipe looks absolutely delicious and Iโm going to get the ingredients for it when I get more groceries. I never get whole milk, can I use coconut milk instead? Or leave it out all together? Or water? Thank you.
I donโt think coconut milk will get you the same consistency or flavor. I recommend this recipe as written.
This was spectacular. Can you freeze leftovers?
Iโm not sure how well this will freeze, sorry!
This was such a good recipe! The kids really wanted to try homemade queso and we discovered there are quite a few ways to make it but we went with your recipe because 1. Quality, real ingredients and 2. We had everything on hand for this one, lol! We did have a little curdling happen with the cream cheese once all of the cheese had slowly been incorporated in, but we just stirred vigorously for a minute or so in med-low and it brought it all back together. We also addded just a little too much extra milk prematurely and ended up with queso on the runnier side, but it was still great and now weโll know for next time. We used sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack which was a great combo, a little more punchy than traditional queso, but tasty. We also halved the recipe and it made a great amount! Enough for a side with tacos for dinner, and tomorrow for lunch, and at least another meal/snack after for a family of 5.