Queso Dip
With only 5 main ingredients, this Queso Dip is quick and easy to put together for an appetizer that is perfect for gatherings or game night!
An Easy, Creamy Mexican Dip
Raise your hand if you love the Queso Dip at your favorite Mexican restaurant? You’ll never believe how easy it is to make at home! This cheese dip only requires 5 ingredients and about 15 minutes to make. This is a go-to dip recipe on taco nights or when we have family and friends over. If you are in a time crunch then this Queso Dip is the recipe for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
More than likely it is Oaxaca. It’s a white cheese that is similar to mozzarella and melts easily. But some restaurants may just use white American cheese as it is very similar. It’s easiest (and probably cheapest) to buy the white American cheese in a block from the deli counter (about 3/4 pounds). cheese).
Yes. You will want to purchase a block of Velveeta’s Queso Blanco. You can usually find it where the other Velveeta products are in your grocery store.
Queso dip is very simple. In general, it will be a mix of heavy cream, American cheese (or Oaxaca cheese), cumin and green chiles.
Yes, you will want to make sure that you drain the chiles well so it doesn’t make the dip too runny.
If you want to keep this warm for guests, put it into a small (1.5 quart) crock pot on the warm setting.
You can make this in a smaller pan or in a pot. If you plan on serving this and leaving it sit out for a bit, I’d suggest transferring your mixture to a small Slow Cooker to keep it on warm while sitting. Stir as needed.
Sure. If you’d rather making queso in a Slow Cooker, I’d suggest just using my Crock Pot Queso Dip recipe instead.
Place any remaining queso in an airtight container and it will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Queso can also be frozen. Place cooled dip in a freezer bag or container and it will keep for up to 6 months. To defrost, remove from freezer and into the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the microwave.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- heavy cream – it really needs to be heavy cream (or maybe even half and half) but not milk. It just won’t come out as creamy without the heavy cream. Since we’re not making a roux to thicken this up, we need the thicker cream to keep this nice and thick and creamy.
- white American cheese – you can purchase blocks of American cheese at the deli counter. Just tell them you need about 1/2 pound (it’s okay if it is a little over, this does not have to be totally exact.)
- cumin – if you don’t like cumin, leave it out. Try using another seasoning you may enjoy.
- garlic salt – can use garlic powder and salt if you don’t have garlic salt. I’d use 1/8 teaspoon of each.
- green chiles – these are super mild and I don’t think add a lot of heat but most queso has some sort of chiles or jalapenos to bring a touch of heat.
How To Make Queso Dip
Heat heavy cream, in a sauce pan or small, deep skillet, over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until gently bubbling, whisking frequently. Add in cubed white American cheese, cumin, garlic powder and salt.
Whisk frequently until melted. When cheese is melted, add in the green chilies. Stir until combined, then remove from heat.
Serve warm in a bowl with tortilla chips. Top with pico de gallo, cilantro, jalapeños, and fresh lime juice.
Craving More Recipes?
- Crock Pot Queso Dip
- Crock Pot Chorizo Queso Dip
- Crock Pot Smoked Queso Dip
- Million Dollar Dip
- Creamy Salsa Chicken Dip
- Refried Bean Dip
- Warm Taco Bean Dip
- Warm Bacon Cheddar Dip
- Crock Pot Jalapeno Popper Corn Dip
- 7 Layer Dip
- Jalapeno Popper Dip
- Frito Corn Salad
- Warm Pimento Cheese Dip
- Pollo Loco
- Mexican Lasagna
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Arroz Con Pollo
Queso Dip
Ingredients
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups cubed white American cheese (about 1/2 pound)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt (see notes below)
- ⅓ cup chopped green chilies, drained
- pico de gallo, cilantro, jalapeños (optional toppings, for serving)
Instructions
- Heat ½ cup heavy cream in a small sauce pan or small deep skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until gently bubbling, whisking frequently.
- Add in 1 ½ cups cubed white American cheese, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt.
- Whisk frequently until melted.
- When cheese is melted, stir in ⅓ cup chopped green chilies, drained then remove from heat.
- Serve warm in a bowl (or in the warm skillet – be careful since it's very hot!) with tortilla chips. Optional: Top with pico de gallo, cilantro, jalapeños .
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: April 2015
Updated photos and republished: February 2025
We love this even better than at the restaurant.
Thanks so very much Bobby – love hearing that!