Texas Queso Dip Recipe
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Texas queso can be found on top of nachos or served with chips for a cheesy snack. There are countless versions of this dip—ours is easy to make yet packed with flavor. When you start to melt the cheese it may look a little funny, but keep stirring and you’ll have a creamy, smooth dip in no time.
Game plan: You can grate the cheese using a food processor to speed up the prep. You can also prepare the cheese and onions up to 2 days ahead. Just keep everything covered and refrigerated until you are ready to make the dip.
This recipe was featured as part of our Super Bowl for a Crowd menu, as well as our Bar Snacks and Tailgating Recipes photo galleries.
- 4 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)
- 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 6 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup minced white onion (about 1 small onion)
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced mild green chiles, juices reserved
- Place cheeses in a large bowl, sprinkle with cornstarch, and toss to coat. Transfer cheese mixture to a large saucepan and add milk. Set over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is smooth and melted, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in onion and chiles with reserved juices until well combined. To serve, transfer dip to a slow cooker set on low or keep in the saucepan at a simmer for up to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortilla chips and cut-up raw carrots, jicama, celery, and radishes.
Beverage pairing: Radeberger Pilsner, Germany. If this queso had called for Velveeta cheese, like the kind that you get at baseball concession stands, a basic American lager such as Bud would have been a fine choice. But since we’re using extra-sharp cheddar, an extra-sharp beer is called for. Radeberger is a German-style pilsner, as opposed to a Czech-style, meaning that its hops are a little more shrill and its body a little lighter and less malty, which makes it an apt match for the sharpness of the cheese.
Down with Velveeta! Replace the milk with a light beer, and I'm in heaven!
salsa con queso is awesome, mild jarred stuff for me please!
And this Texan hates the velveeta rotel dip. Nothing wrong with velveeta, but that concoction straight up is not good queso.
I suspect this needs more liquid in it. A teeny can of chile juice and 1/4 cup of milk isn't enough to thin out the massive amount of cheese. I like to use chicken broth, but more milk or some water will do the trick.
I substituted Coconut milk for a different flavor,and,of course,hotter peppers.
This is a terrible recipe. I followed the directions and was rewarded with a giant cheese blob. Aida, you owe me 20 bucks.
mtomto, this combo may have become nationalized over time, but considering that until recently RoTel was only available in Texas, this particular concoction is most definitely Texan.
@jenzoo: Oh, my. You brought back wonderful memories. Love Magnolia Cafe and Kerby Lane. Yep, extra good queso but my fave over the years was Matt's El Rancho. Don't know how it is today but when I was a kid, I could eat a whole bowl by myself.
@aynrandgirl: Good point if you can find them. Sometimes I use fresh jalapenos or habaneros but I'm a freak for FIREY...
I really like the heat and sharp flavor of fresh diced chiles. Why use Rotel?
I spent 16 yrs in Austin and spent probably two years of that time eating queso, cumulative. But not Velveeta and rotel. While I'm familiar with this mixture, I wonder if any of the above Texans ever ate queso at a restaurant? I would recommend Polvo's queso. Or Austin mainstays, Magnolia Cafe and Kerbey Lane. Velveeta has this awful chemical flavor and while it's common, it doesn't mean it's good. It's like saying Taco Bell is the best Mexican food.
Longhorn Cheddar, dudes. And Monterrey Jack. This is the foundation of Texas queso. If you're up north, like I am, we have to sub with other cheeses.
Magnolia queso with guac....mmmmm. I miss you so much.
Put all ingredients in crockpot. Make sure you use the crockpot bag for easy clean up...
Yep. I use one of the small cookers, quart or so.
man that sucks. Ok. slow cooker it is then.
In my experience not more than 30 minutes for either, holly.
Does anyone know how long either of these, velveeta or real cheese, stay liquid-y at room temperature?
Sounds like a bunch of pedantic "foodies" to me arguing about and trying to dictate what other people should like and eat.
I had a great laugh from all of you. So much passion over Velveeta/Rotel dip. I guess messin' with Velveeta is like messin' with Texas.
And you know what they say about that! ;-D
Funny comments, especially the ones of Texas taking ownership of a Velveeta/Rotel dip. Sorry folks, thats a natioanlized concoction.
This recipe seems to be simply an attempt to make a cheese-pepper dip from scratch real ingredients, rather than a Sandra Lee can opener variation. Nothing more, nothing less. And certainly not a knock on Texas.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, TNC. I was beginning to believe I was the lone voice in the wilderness. There is a huge difference.
I am Texan , born and bred and just like most of the people here i also have eaten the infamous Velveeta and Rotel. But let me assure all on here that Texas is not the only state that eats this! There is nothing that links Velveeta to a so called "Texas Tradition". Yes it makes a great, quick and easy appetizer however no matter how much we would like to believe this is NOT an authentic Mexican Queso!! Live with a Mexican family for a year and you will defiantly see or rather Taste the difference in Velveeta and a real authentic queso dip!! So lets not muddy up the facts here ok theres is a tremendous difference!
Forgot the link to Lisa's page. Here it is:
http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/200...
And she has a lot of other good Texas food/TexMex recipes.
jimlid,
Rotel is a canned diced tomato and green chili product. Here's their homepage: http://www.ro-tel.com/index.jsp
Of course, I am one who advocates authentic ccq as opposed to velveeta and rotel. (Don't tell anyone on here but I have indulged in the v & r when absolutely desperate and without the time to make authentic.
)The recipe above is pretty good but my friend Lisa at homesicktexan.com has a fabulous recipe that takes me back to my days in TexMex restaurants across the state. It's work but if you love cooking, her recipe is one of the best.
I'm not sure New England is second in deprivation of TexMex. While California has plenty of Mexican food, there is no TexMex here. (The tears are welling up in my eyes thinking about the dearth of my favorite food in the whole world.)
Good luck and good TexMex.
Ok, I was born in the Hudson Valley and bred in New England so this is all very confusing (sounds like the chowder wars up here). Got my first good queso from a woman who hails from New Mexico and sells it up in Gloucester. That's an hour away and so I'd like to be able to make something good on my own. But I have questions:
- What's Rotel?
- Velveeta? Really? (Maybe I Just Don't Understand!)
- If I can't get Rotel does the whole Velveeta-based thing fall apart?
Looking for guidance in New England (second only to Canada in Tex-Mex deprivation!)
Firstly, I wanted people to know that I created an account just to post on this recipe. I currently live in NY but have lived in TX for several years, and I have to tell you, queso is probably my favorite food in the entire world.
Recently I have been very irked by the lack of edible mexican or tex-mex food in the area. The best places here are Moe's and Taco Bell and no, I am not joking..
As to the Velveeta vs real cheese argument, both are correct. Velveeta and rotel is what Everyone in Texas makes at home (to those of you who snub velveeta, I do exaggerate when I say everyone but for the majority of people, that's just the way it is.) I personally enjoy the velveeta variety, it's quick and while not the absolute best gourmet dish, it's also cheap. The reason I stumbled over this argument however, was because I miss the authentic restaurant-style queso. When you want queso, the velveeta variety is great, but when you REALLY want queso, go for the authentic stuff.
*For my velveeta recipe I only make half a log at a time, mixed with one drained can of rotel and add milk to thin it out so it doesn't thicken up as fast. (this means twice as much rotel to velveeta as most people like but I like the extra rotel)
*I don't speak spanish fluently but I do happen to know that 'queso' is spanish for 'CHEESE', the spanish phrase for 'Chili with cheese' is 'chili con queso'...
West Texan Queso lover here. I love authentic restraunt queso's but Velveeta/Rotel in a crockpot is ALWAYS a hit at parties, people are just drawn to it, they'll pour it on everything and scrape the pot when it's empty, it's crazy!! I have tried a variation that everyone seems to love--1 block Velveeta, 1 log goat cheese & 2-3 finely chopped fresh jalapeno's & 1 small chopped sauteed onion. Face it, it's just easy, stays a nice consistency and you can't screw it up! And for a big crowd that helps. I can concentrate on other more "chowish" dishes
You can call Velveeta and Rotel whatever you want, but, again, it is not authentic chili con queso and it is by no means STANDARD except for folks at home who don't want to take the trouble to fix the real deal. For those of you in Texas, call up your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant and ask them if they use Velveeta. If it Is Mexican owned and operated, they will laugh at you.
If you live in Dallas, call Mia's or Mi Cocina. If you're in Austin, call Matt's El Rancho. If you're in San Antonio, call El Mirador's. If you're in Houston, call Molina's. I dare you...
The Velveeta based recipes are THE STANDARD in Texas.
Not to say that there are not more sophisticated better ways but ......
DO NOT FORGET the title is TEXAS Queso Dip
I'm surprised I haven't seen it above ...... My recipe with all ingredients from any local grocery store are
Velveeta & Rotel
Jimmy Dean Sausage the HOT variety works best as it aids in Beer consumption and it slows down the herds from devouring it quite as fast.. If you want additional KICK use the Hot Rotel... This combination will separate the men from the boys...
1 small can of diced mushrooms (adds something different and seems to help it stay dippable longer)
A few diced Jalapenos of the piclked variety is another good addition
I will frequently add in REAL CHEESE to the concoction, Monterrey & Cheddar
LONG time in Texas, from Laredo to San Antone to up by the OK border. And anywhere I've ever gone, when you talk queso, you're talkin' Velveeta and Rotel as a minimum, with additions from there. Some taco meat, gob of onions, more pico de gallo if you got the real stuff, then stand back because the horde WILL descend, consume madly and move on.
Oh, you poor misguided expats. I don't think you Velveeta lovers ever had real queso. Translated from Spanish, it means chili with cheese. Read the box. Velveeta is "processed cheese food"...
I grew up on a ranch northwest of Austin. We had a Mexican cook who was a wonder at TexMex. She made the best chili con queso in the world and it WAS NOT MADE WITH VELVEETA!!! Cheddar and Monterey Jack were the standards.
Any GOOD TexMex restaurant makes their own queso. Mia's and La Cocina are tops in Dallas. (Try the Sunset Queso if you like tongue scorching hot.) Matt's El Rancho in Austin was the best when I was growing up though I have no idea how the food is now.
Yes, I've had the Velveeta version and it's okay but not authentic TexMex. It's Velveeta, for God's sake!
The recipe above is close to original though our cook and Mia's, El Rancho and La Cocina include tomato. I may try the recipe with Rotel. I'll let you know how it works.
The correct answer is:
1 block Velveeta
1 can Rotel
1 extra can green chiles (old el paso)
Nuke in microwave, add milk for desired consistency (3-4 tablespoons max).
Thats what I make at home, it is awesome. But note that this is not what restaurants serve. Try the extra can of green chiles, its worth it.
Sorry folks, as a Texas expat, I have to argue there is a place for Velveeta and Rotel. Typically, at event where you're feeding lots of folks and lots of beer is consumed. I make it for my Yankee friends in upstate NY, and they always devour it. The same happens at parties throughout Texas.
Now, I won't make it for myself, especially since I have access to good VT and NY cheese. However, if there is a Super Bowl party, and you need to make a lot and keep it around for a couple of hours, Velveeta and Rotel is the way to go.
Native, 8th generation Texan here, living in Arizona. As familiar as I am with the Velveta + Rotel party queso dip, I've never really liked it, and don't consider it to be the real deal Texas Queso. When I'm back in Dallas, I go to places like Mia's and Mi Cocina for their unbelievably good queso. Does anyone know what their recipe's are?
I tripped onto this site looking for Spanish wine ideas for a weekend party, but had to comment.
Velveeta+Rotel Queso (and it's variations) is improved greatly when you use freshly made (and/or low salt) chips. The salty bagged chips are yuck!
Also, in desperation one day I picked up some queso-type dip at Costco (two white containers packaged in one "sleeve") Don't remember the brand name, but it was the best queso dip I've ever had!. Yes it was slightly orange, but I dressed it up by adding a can of drained and rinsed black beans plus some chopped scallions. I bought chips from a local Mexican market and served then together....got rave reviews at the "girls night out dinner". My picky son even loved the leftovers! The most interesting thing was (if memory serves me) the listed ingredients were things you recognized....like cheese, jalapenos, etc. I tried it on a baked potato it was fabulous! In a pinch I will hunt it down again and brave the long Costco check-out lines....Yum!
After reading the arguments re: Velveeta vs. real chees queso I just have to say: Personally - I like both! (haha, typical me - so greedy).
The velveeta dip definitely has a more "plasticky" consistency, but sometimes, that's just what you want. Any dip with cheddar cheese is delish, too.
In all honesty - doesn't it all boil down to differences in preference? People should be welcome to make and enjoy whatever they like best!
Sorry, but as a Texan I feel obligated to throw in my $0.02.
Queso in TX is Velveeta + Rotel.
If you want to use real cheese you're going to have to come up with a new name.
Texan here. Have you guys heard of Leigh Oliver's White Queso? I found it at Central Market and Whole Foods. It is the best I have ever found. Fresh and smooth. They have an online site www.leigholivers.com too where you can order. And they give half their profits to charity. Can't lose.
Another Austinite here.
Velveeta & Rotel = Queso.
Frou-frou fancy cheese & fancy ingredients = Fondue.
Proud Texan living in NY and Texas queso is absolutely Velveeta and Rotel. I made some for a dinner party last weekend and people freaked out (in a good way : ) ). However, It was a bit embarrassing when people asked for the recipe.
Another Austin girl here. Velveeta+Rotel=Queso
Other varieties, while delicious and more likely what I would order at a restaurant, still not Texas Queso. With taco meat, guac, pico...whatever. All still variances on Queso. I personally like a roll of browned breakfast sausage mixed in with my Queso. Pure fat yumminess--you could skip your mouth and rub it on your butt--that's where it's going anyway!!! (-:
Another Texas native here, and I have to side with the Velveeta + Rotel camp here, and it is really, so very trashy, cheesy, spicy, and good.
Also a native Texan, now live in a state which Just Doesn't Understand. I have to buy my Velveeta under cover of darkness. I make a good ground taco meat with plenty of chili powder (no packets). I then saute onion, add the velveeta, Rotel, green chile, and fresh jalapeno. The best way to eat it: a bowl of queso with a sppon of meat, a spoon of guacamole, and a spoon of pico. Lots of chips. No one has ever not eaten it that I have noticed, but I wouldn't care if they did--more for me. The pico and guacamole are homemade too.
I have tried cheese sauces with real cheese from reputable Mexican and Tex-mex chefs but I thought the texture and/or flavor was not as good. I have had queso fundido just fine, but it does not replace my love of a bowl of chile con queso. Food preferences keep this board alive, after all. I agree, it's not Mexican. And I don't think of it as such. It is pure Southwest Americana.
And I have never heard of such abominations as cream of mushroom soup in queso. (Insert sense of humor here.)
velveeta queso isn't the worst-that would be the cheese they poor over chips at movie theatres and ball games.
want a treat kerby lane, austin tx has the most amazing queso
Velveeta=teh suck
Native born Texan here. Chile con queso used to be complementary in Tex-Mex restaurants along with the salsa and chips but no more and I haven’t had it in a restaurant in decades, probably since I discovered queso flameado ca. 1978, but I will have to agree with the posters who have said Rotel/Velveeta is not what was served. This concoction owes as much to the invention of the microwave as it does to tradition, to people looking for convenient, quick-fix versions of restaurant favorites plus an addiction to overly-salty foods. These days if I were ordering a queso dip I would be much more likely to order queso flameado or queso fundido and I would be much more likely to serve them at a Super Bowl party, too. I’ve had Velveeta in my house maybe twice in 40 years. I don’t look down my nose at people who eat it, I just don’t like it. Besides being overly salty it’s always seemed kind of slimey to me.
And for those who just can’t avoid going into snark-mode or apoplexy over the color orange, you’ll be happy to know Velveeta makes a white cheese version, has for years.
BTW, why is Chow doing a Tex-Mex themed Super Bowl party menu, anyway? I don’t keep up with these things but I don’t think any Texas team is in the Super Bowl and it’s not being played in Texas. Making an authentic Mexican cheese as opposed to an authentic Tex-Mex cheese dip doesn’t make it any more relevant to the occasion, either.
Mmm, sheroxwfood. That sounds suspiciously like Austin's variant: white queso.
I have no qualms about serving trashy Tex-Mex queso to parties. It's generally inhaled within minutes by the guests. My own trick is to add low-sodium chicken broth and milk to the velveeta/rotel queso to thin it out and keep it from re-solidifying.
I live in Austin and I use White American cheese, cream cheese, store bought Pico de Gallo melted together and add chopped avocado. I am not above Velveeta and Rotel but again add cream cheese and cream of mushroom soup to keep it creamy. I think this is a standard dip at most parties of all socioeconomic levels in Texas.
I've gotta say, Im from texas, lived here my whole life, and personally detest velveeta style queso. It has its place for a quick snack, but using real cheese is always better than processed "cheese food product"
In California where I live Nachos in Mexican restaurants and Tacquerias are very often made very simply ....... Tortilla chips topped with a generous mound of shredded Monterey Jack (or the Mexican queso equivalent) then popped into a hot oven to melt the cheese. Immediately serving nachos with preferred condiments such as: Salsa/ Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, Sour Cream, pickled Jalapeno slices. Chorizo or chopped meats are sometimes added for a heartier appetizer.
Recently I was poring over various threads on the London CHOW board when I discovered a lengthy exchange by foodies in the UK lamenting the unavailability of both Velveeta and American cheese as they were craving American "orange color cheese nacho cheese sauce." Lots of helpful advice was forthcoming by others who had found work around substitutes using peculiar sounding British processed cheese products. We can all afford to be snobby about common junk food items until we happen to crave them and they can't be found.
Tried the actual recipe listed. It was very good! Thank you Aida!! Even if you love the WAY TOO SALTY velveeta 'stroke on a chip', you still need to try this.
Okay chowers.
You can have your velveeta and ro-tel. I myself will go this route in my laziness and even have in the recent past.
BUT I have also lived in the great state of Texas and worked at a very popular diner that made queso by the truckload every other day and it was NOT made with velveeta. It was made with real cheeses, milk, and fresh pico de gallo. It was a bowl of heaven...
Oh how I miss the nights of lots of chips and queso but it my thighs are thanking me for living here in Socal.
Authentic queso is a little like authentic Rice Krispie treats.
I'm on the Velveeta side, too (Texan born and raised with some years in New York and London), with Rotel, though I prefer a higher ratio of Rotel to Velveeta than most people.
Anyway you make it, though, I recommend starting with some browned Mexican chorizo. Yum.
I was shocked at how much I enjoyed a mixture of velveeta and canned refried beans. That's going pretty far for a lot of people, but I swear it was pretty damn tasty. Then again, it was also some years back, so I'd have to try it again with my pretentious face on.
Texas Queso recipe (as taught to me in Houston while in college, circa 1989):
Velveeta
Campbell's cheese soup
Rotel
Cube some Velveea and put in bowl. Pour in can of soup and can of rotel. Microwave until melted. Add sauteed ground beef (optional).
Here's a superbowl challege worthy of the chowhounds - serve this along side a few of your favorite gourmet queso recipes/Whole food stuff in a jar and have you guests vote on the best.
Whatever Velveeta brings to the imagination of a serious eater, it's used not only in Texas, but in New Mexico as well. One of the most popular recipes for queso, even among those who are normally NM food aficionados is simply mixing Velveeta with Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup, along with, of course, diced green chile. Comfort food has it's place. "Authentic", Nopal, often relates more to actual usage in a region, than on idealized preferences. Anyway, try it before judging. We're not Chowhounds because all we do is listen to other's opinions. we should be going out and seeing for ourselves before judging.
There are lots of us closet nacho eaters, scorned for admitting the urge to occasionally indulge in the molten fluorescent orange cheese sauce. Velveeta will create a passable substitute for those of us who like to slum in the food world. Who cares if a guest or two spurns the recipe? Food snobs probably wouldn't crave nacho cheese sauce anyway.
I'm going to side with Ms. Mollenkamp on this recipe. TASTE trumps some feeble Texas tradition anytime. Velveeta is disgusting both in taste and texture!
If you're upset about the freakish yellow color, there are plenty of great North American made cheddars that don't add the marigold food coloring.
Bring on the cheddar (and a little more chile)!
Hell yeah littlepiggy! I'm having a superbowl party and that's just what I intend to make - some velveeta goodness! I don't want some sort of fondue called texmex - I want trash! And I want it with those tostitos scoops for maximum dippage.
although i currently reside in brooklyn i am a native texan. i grew up in fort worth and spent all of my 20's in austin. i must whole heartedly agree that if you want authentic "TEXAS queso" you are required to use velveeta without question (and for texans there really is no question). in texas queso means velveeta. for the real good stuff...after you've melted the cheese on low in a crock pot you you also add rotel, some seasoned cooked ground beef and a big scoop of guacamole. this dish doesn't exist in mexico. it's pure tex mex.
being a chowhound doesn't have to mean food snobbery...it means loving delicious food no matter it's class. so get trashy and eat some velveeta! it sounds scary, but its deeelish.
Wait a minute, Nopal! I don't think there is anything "authentic" Mexican about cheese sauce with aged sharp cheddar cheese and canned green chiles either, nor did the recipe mention that it was meant to be! In fact, those are ingredients that many of us expats crave and bring home with us on trips north of the border. On the other hand, rotel and Velveeta doesn't sound that good to me either, but I have never tasted it. Have you?
Good lord... I am turning up my nose at this recipe... can't even fathom Velveta & Rotel. If you are going to consider yourself a Chowhound you would think you would figure out how to make an authentic Mexican cheese sauce sans orange colored cheeses.
O yeah... and raw carrots etc.,? How utterly undelicious, stupid & unchowish. People on this site should be able to make their own Escabeche.
velveeta and hormel chili wiithout beans is how we did it in florida!
Velveeta is actually great in dips because it melts well, and evenly. People may turn up their nose, but I know many foodies who enjoy Velveeta and Rotel!
With all due respect, I spent a dozen years in Texas and this is not what I remember. Queso dip in Texas is Rotel and Velveeta. I realize that Velveeta is an ingredient that will inspire much loathing among many Chowhounds. But that is what I remember being served.