This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy
Our Homemade Queso Recipe is a must on taco night! We love how creamy and flavorful this queso dip is. There’s no Velveeta lurking inside, but it’s still perfectly smooth and creamy thanks to my secret ingredient!
I absolutely love the month or so leading up to Cinco de Mayo, because it means that I’m furiously creating and testing allllll of the Mexican recipes I can for you guys.
It’s safe to say that the next few weeks here on the blog will have plenty of Mexican inspired recipes for you to test out in your own homes. Get excited!
This homemade queso dip is one of those recipes that I make often, but have somehow never managed to share on here. Shame on me!
I have a 3 ingredient white queso dip that is a bit simpler than this one if you’re looking for something majorly easy. And of course, if you’re a Velveeta lover, our Rotel dip is always so popular!
But, if you want something with a little more oomph, something to really wow friends, and something with a little more flavor and texture, well…this is the recipe!
It’s creamy dreamy perfection, you guys! Don’t forget to serve this next to my refried bean dip and restaurant style salsa for a really fabulous Taco Tuesday!
Expert Tips:
Cheese: Using a good quality block of cheese that you shred yourself really does make a difference! The pre-shredded cheeses have starches to keep them from sticking, so they don’t melt as nicely or have as much flavor.
Seasonings: We received a few reviews that this recipe didn’t have a ton of flavor. We updated it a bit with more seasonings + info on the types of chees to use and it’s been a hit ever since! Feel free to add even more spices if you want a really bold flavor.
Reheating: You can rewarm this in the microwave or on the stove top. Add a splash or two of milk when reheating to reach the consistency you like.
No Grainy Cheese Dip: Sometimes when making a cheese sauce or dip, the cheese breaks down and you end up with a grainy, unappetizing texture. To avoid this, keep the heat low when adding the cheese and remove the dip from the heat as soon as the cheese has melted.
What We Love About This HOMEMADE QUESO Recipe:
- Creamy: It’s so creamy and cheesy! The evaporated milk helps a lot with that, and of course all that shredded cheese and cream cheese. The texture of this dip is silky smooth and we love it!
- Flavor: This homemade queso dip is a lot better than the bottled or jarred kind. The garlic, onion, and jalapeno add lots of flavor and you can make it as spicy as you like with more of the jalapeno!
Homemade Queso Dip Ingredients:
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate and member of other qualifying programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cheese – Cream cheese, shredded sharp cheddar, and shredded Monterey jack! Shredding your own cheese will always produce the best results and using a good quality cheese adds extra creaminess and flavor.
Garlic, Onion & Jalapeno – These will add flavor and a bit of heat to the queso dip! You’ll finely chop and mince these up and then sauté them in some butter.
Spices – Just a bit of cumin, chili powder, and onion powder for mixing with the garlic, onion and jalapenos as they cook. We also season with a bit of salt to taste before serving!
Milk – One of my secret ingredients for making silky smooth and creamy queso dip is evaporated milk. We also
Pico de Gallo – This is optional, but we love spooning some over the top.
What Readers are Saying!
“This queso recipe was a huge hit! I made it as part of a game day food spread. The guys devoured it. It went so fast I almost didn’t get any- haha! Will definitely be making this again!”
– Kelly
How To Make Queso Dip:
Veggies: This easy queso recipe starts by softening up onions and jalapeno in a skillet with a little butter. Once they have softened up you can stir in the minced garlic and the spices.
This mixture will add loads of flavor and a nice texture to our queso dip! The jalapenos add just the right amount of heat and flavor.
Cheese: My secret ingredients to making super creamy homemade queso are evaporated milk and cream cheese! They both work together to make an ultra creamy, smooth cheese sauce that just works beautifully.
Add the evaporated milk and cream cheese to the same skillet with the veggies. Once the cream cheese has all melted, you’ll stir in handfuls of Monterey jack and cheddar until the queso is smooth and melty!
We like to thin ours out with a little bit of milk and then sprinkle the top of the queso with some Pico de Gallo. A scoop of guacamole right on top is really good too!
This recipe really cooks quickly and it is the perfect thing for dipping those chips!
FAQ’s:
You can make this dip ahead of time or store leftovers in the fridge for about 3 days in an airtight container!
Cheese dips can turn out a bit grainy if the cheese is cooked over too high of a heat or for too long. For the best results, use freshly shredded cheese instead of packaged cheese and add it the pan over a low heat. Once it’s melted, remove from the heat and serve.
More Mexican Inspired Recipes:
- Chicken Chimichanga
- Taco Mac and Cheese
- Smoked Pork Carnitas
- Instant Pot Chicken Tacos
- Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
Homemade Queso Dip
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 medium jalapeno minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 12 ounces canned evaporated milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar
- 4 ounces shredded monterey jack or pepper jack
- 1/4 cup milk see note
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce such as Cholula
- salt to taste
- Pico de gallo for serving
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Stir in the onion and jalapeno and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until vegetables have softened.
- Add the garlic, cumin, chili powder, and onion powder and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Add the evaporated milk and cream cheese to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until the cream cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add the shredded cheese a handful at a time, whisking constantly, until all of the cheese has been added and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Add additional milk as desired to reach the consistency you prefer. Season with hot sauce and salt to taste. We add a fair amount of salt here, but keep in mind that chips are usually salty as well.
- Top with pico de gallo before serving.
Shannah Lockhart says
This was the worst queso dip I’ve ever had. I had such high hopes and made it Christmas Eve. I ended up putting most in trash. No flavor and not creamy at all.
Karly Campbell says
HI Shannah! Sorry to hear this wasn’t to your tastes. You can easily increase the spices or jalapeno to reach the flavors you like. I’m not sure why the recipe wouldn’t have been creamy though – it’s a cheese sauce and always turns out very rich and creamy for us.
Mark says
Once made…can this be put into a crock pot to keep warm?
Karly says
I haven’t tried, but I think that would work fine!
Katie says
Great and easy to make!! Can this be frozen??
Karly says
I’m not sure this would freezer well. I’ve never tried, but my gut says no.
Natalie says
Hi! I just made this and it’s delicious. I tweaked it just a little. Is this something I can make, store in fridge for a couple days and slowly reheat on the stove?
Karly says
Hi Natalie! Yes, it should reheat fine, though you may need to add a bit of milk while reheating.
Dana says
Not a fan. Little flavor..
Lori says
Not good, too much cream cheese and quite flavorless . Added Rotel and green chili sauce.
Brenda says
Great recipe, I added chicken to put it in tortillas for a meal. Last timeI added cooked shrimp.
Heather says
I’m from Texas so I know queso. This recipe is flavorless compared to other queso. In the end it has too much cream cheese taste for our liking and not enough cheese flavor.
Kristine says
Trying this today, so excited! Have you tried putting it in a crock pot?
Karly says
No, I haven’t, but I think it’d do great on the warm setting for a bit. 🙂
Autumn D says
Trying to get away from so many processed things like Tostito’s cheese dip; this is a fabulous alternative. My husband & I both loved it.
Karly says
Glad to hear that, Autumn!
Lindsey says
Absolutely delicious!! Better than any restaurant I’ve been to! Your recipe is amazing, and I can’t wait to try some others!
Karly says
Thanks so much, Lindsey!
Carlene murphy says
We love this recipe! Only one I could find without a processed cheese, it’s so creamy. Family favorite
Karly says
Thanks, Carlene!
Kelly W. says
This queso recipe was a huge hit! I made it as part of a game day food spread. The guys devoured it. It went so fast I almost didn’t get any- haha! Will definitely be making this again!
Karly says
Love to hear that! 🙂
Chris says
I used nonfat cream cheese (it was all I had) and it was way too thick. I thinned it with a lot of extra milk but then it was bland, so I added Tajik seasoning. It was very good!
Kathy says
This was flavorless. It was creamy but I would never make it again.
Sabrina says
love this from scratch, thank you, this is the kind of recipe you usually order or get out of a jar, so it’s nice to be able to control what goes in it!
Karly says
It’s kind of dangerous to know how easy it is to make yourself. Queso for every meal! 🙂
Rick Reed says
Hello . Recipe looks great .Will definitely try. I love a good Taco nite. However ,I did read an article where some of the best recipes for Queso in Mexico use Velveeta cheese. Even the top restaurants use it . Amazing .
Karly says
I love Velveeta too, but we try to use real cheese where possible. But Velveeta plus Rotel will always have a place in my heart! 🙂