Description
Creamy melted cheese with chilies, onions and tomatoes, either mild or spicy, as a warm dip for tortilla chips.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup processed cheese, cubed (8 ounces)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 (4 ounce) can mild diced chilies
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 2–3 roma tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 cups (8 ounces) grated cheese, use sharp cheddar, monterey jack, or pepper jack cheese or a combination of cheeses to equal 2 cups
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/3 cup cilantro, minced
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add the processed cheese, cream cheese together and cook over medium high heat to melt. Stirring occasionally.
- Add the diced chilies, diced onions, diced tomatoes and stir into the melting cheeses.
- Add the cumin, salt and white pepper and stir to combine.
- Once processed cheese and cream cheese are fully melted, add the grated cheese and stir until melted.
- Add 1/2 of jalapeño and the green onions and taste for the desired spice level. If making a mild queso, only add the green onions and a small pinch of jalapeño, and taste.
- Add 1/3 cup heavy cream to thin the cheese sauce. If needed add the remaining cream to reach the desired texture.
- Just before serving add the minced cilantro and stir well to combine. Serve warm with tortilla chips.
Notes
You can cook this in a slow cooker turned to high until the cheese is melted and then switched down to low to keep warm. It will take longer for the cheese to melt, but when kept heated on low it will stay nicely silky. By starting in the slow cooker there is not an extra pan to wash.
For a mild queso, remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeño, (see this post on how to do this) and only add a 1/2 teaspoon of jalapeño at a time until the desired level of spice is reached.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ounce