Tex-Mex
Classic Queso
American cheese and a little cheddar melt into milk with green chiles and jalapeño. The pot stays below a boil so the cheese stays smooth.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Total
- 22 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- White American cheese melts smooth. Cheddar alone can turn grainy.
- A cornstarch slurry gives the dip body so it does not split when it sits.
- The cheese goes in off a boil. Boiling cheese turns oily.
- Green chiles and jalapeño are the flavor, not a packet of mystery seasoning.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the jalapeño and garlic for 1 minute, until they smell sweet.
- 2
Whisk the cornstarch into the milk until smooth. Pour it into the pan.
- 3
Bring the milk to a gentle simmer, whisking, until it thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Do not let it boil hard.
- 4
Lower the heat. Add the American cheese a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts.
- 5
Stir in the cheddar, green chiles, cumin, and salt. Keep the heat low until the queso is smooth and hot.
- 6
If it looks thick, stir in a splash more milk. If it looks oily, take it off the heat and stir hard.
- 7
Serve warm with the tortilla chips. This is about 8 servings.
Pro tips
- Pre-shredded cheddar is coated and can stay grainy. Shred it yourself if you can.
- American cheese from the deli counter melts better than individually wrapped singles, but singles will work if you unwrap them.
- Keep the finished dip over the lowest heat. A boil will break it.
Easy substitutions
- sharp cheddar
- pepper jack
- diced green chiles
- 2 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeños
- whole milk
- evaporated milk for a richer dip
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate covered up to 4 days. It will firm up.
Reheating
Warm in a saucepan over low heat, stirring in a splash of milk until smooth and hot. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring each time. Do not boil it.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 182
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop
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From the kitchen
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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