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    Home > Dips & Sauces > Easy White Queso Dip

    Easy White Queso Dip

    Last updated February 6, 2021. Originally posted January 15, 2021 By Jyothi Rajesh Leave a Comment

    Recipe Video Print
    queso dip recipe with nacho dipped in with text
    queso dip recipe with nacho dipped in with text
    queso dip recipe with nacho dipped in with text
    white queso dup in small ceramic bowl with nachos on side with text overlay
    a ceramic bowl full of white queso dip with nacho dipped in with text
    easy white queso dip cooked in skillet with fresh pica de gallo on it with text

    This white queso dip is warm, cozy, comforting and extremely delicious! A copycat of the cheese dips sold in jars! You’ll love how creamy and flavorful this dip is. Must have in our home for taco nights.

    Do not forget to check our other favorite hot cheesy dips – cream cheese dip with bacon, spicy nacho dip, beer cheese dip.

    queso dip cooked in cast iron skillet with fresh pico de gallo garnish

    Why You Need This White Queso Dip In Your Life?

    1. If you loved that bubbly hot cheese sauce from your favorite Mexican restaurant or the popular range of cheese dips arranged in the corn chips aisle at the supermarket, then you know those are not ‘real’ thing. Some even call it FAKE CHEESE DIP! Why go for fake stuff when you can make using “REAL CHEESE”!
    2. No velveeta here. This queso dip is made with real cheese – cheddar and Monterey.
    3. Secret to making silky smooth and rich sauce = a mix of cream cheese + evaporated milk + cornflour/corn starch + freshly grated cheese.
    4. The recipe uses basic pantry ingredients.
    5. It’s kid-friendly, quick to make and very delicious! You’ll need less than 15 minutes to make the cheese dip.
    6. The cheese dip is packed with flavors.
    7. A few weeks back I shared a simple nacho cheese sauce, we love it and I make it all the time. But sometimes when I want a dip with that extra oomph, with more flavors, more texture this is what I make and my friends love it!
    8. You can customize the flavors and spice levels of queso dip according to your taste preference.
    9. A great dip for party or any other gatherings. Make it in cast iron skillet(or any skillet) and serve it directly in the pan with chips or nachos on sides.
    10. It’s cosy, comforting dip which is a definite crowd pleaser!
    11. It’s one of those must have sauce/dip for celebration of Cinco De Mayo.

    There are many variations of white queso dip. Some use velveeta cheese. I do not prefer velveeta (*see section Your Questions Answered). While other recipes calls for making roux with flour and butter.

    Experimented multiple ways, I prefer this way of making white queso dip. A mix of cream cheese, EVAPORATED MILK (not condensed milk), corn flour plus grating cheese fresh results in smooth and rice queso dip. It results in silky smooth dip with great flavors!

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    Here’s what you’ll need-

    all ingredients for white queso dip on white board
    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • 1 medium white onion
    • 1 jalapeno (increase the quantity if you like extra kick)
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • ½ red bell pepper
    • ½ green bell pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon of each cumin powder, onion powder, garlic powder
    • Salt to taste (add as needed)
    • 1 tablespoon corn starch / corn flour
    • 8 ounces cheddar cheese (don’t buy pre grated cheese)
    • 4 ounces Monterey cheese (don’t but pre grated cheese)
    • 1 cup cream cheese
    • 12 ounces evaporated milk (do not use whole milk, DO NOT USE CONDENSED MILK)

    Garnish

    Fresh Pico De Gallo

    How To Make White Queso Dip?

    This recipe starts with grating cheese. DO NOT BUY pre grated cheese. More often pre grated cheese contains chemicals and additives that will make the sauce gritty/grainy and not very nice tasting! Buy cheese blocks and grate it fresh when you are ready to make the dip.

    Sprinkle cornflour on fresh grated cheese. Toss and keep aside until use.

    fresh grated cheese coated in cornflour
    fresh grated cheese coated in cornflour

    Melt butter in a skillet.

    melt butter in cast iron skillet

    Add finely diced onion, minced garlic, finely chopped jalapenos (remove and discard seed if you don’t want it too spicy) and diced bell peppers.

    add veggies to cast iron pan
    cook veggies in cast iron pan

    Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the veggies are softened.

    It’s time for spices. Add cumin powder, onion powder, garlic powder. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.

    onion, garlic and cumin powder added to veggies
    cook veggies in cast iron pan

    It’s time for secret ingredient that makes this dip silky smooth and creamy – cream cheese and evaporated milk. Reduce heat to low and whisk in cream cheese and evaporated milk until cream cheese is melted completely and turns smooth.

    cream cheese, evaporated milk added to cast iron pan
    whisk cheese together

    Reduce heat to lowest add in freshly grated cheese in parts. Add one portion of cheese, whisk until cheese melts and blends to the sauce, continue this process until add cheese is added.

    adding grated cheese to skillet
    whisk cheese together

    Note – Some prefer to remove pan from heat while adding cheese, but I found heating it slightly will help cook off the cornflour coated in the cheese so there is no “floury” after-taste.

    DO NOT overcook the dip as it will turn hard (sometimes so hard that you can’t stir it). When cheese is melted and blended to the sauce, remove pan from heat.

    Pro Tip: You might have to add more milk if the sauce is too thick. Add additional milk as desired to reach the consistency you prefer.

    whisk cheese together

    Taste test and add salt if needed. Please note cheese will be salty and sometimes you don’t have to add extra salt.

    White queso dip cooks really fast and make sure it’s not overcooked.

    Garnish with fresh Pico De Gallo. Perfect for dipping nacho in it.

    white queso dip garnish with fresh pica de gallo

    NOTE: white queso dip thickens as it cools.

    Tips To Make The Best White Queso Dip Recipe

    • Do no use pre grated cheese for this recipe. Buy cheese blocks and grate it fresh.
    • I recommend using ordinary, sharp, extra sharp cheddar cheese all are fine. Note: Some brands of cheese blocks results in powdery/grainy sauce. Please change to better brand the next time.
    • A secret to silky smooth rich white queso dip is a mix of – cream cheese + evaporated milk + cornflour/corn starch + freshly grated cheese. Do not skip anything, else the dip won’t result as expected.
    • For extra kick add jalapenos with seeds on (or increase the amount). Plus consider adding ½ to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper as per taste preference.
    • The sauce is best served hot.
    • White queso dip thickens as it cools. To adjust consistency reheat on low heat with little more evaporated milk stirred into it.
    nacho dipped in warm white queso dip cooked in cast iron pan

    Your Questions Answered

    What Is Velveeta? Why Should You Stay Away From It?

    In case you don’t know what is velveeta and why you should stay away from it – here’s a brief note – “velveeta” carries the label as “processed cheese”. But FDA has deemed this product as it contains numerous chemicals and preservations.

    That explains how the cheese sits on the shelves for long without needing any refrigeration. Velveeta also contains very high in fat and has no nutritional value.

    Consuming it has various health benefits one of them being the risk of overweight.

    I Shredded Cheese Off The Block, Still My White Queso Dip Came Out Grainy?

    Some brand of cheese can result in grainy dip. I recommend you using a different and better brand next time.

    Another reason why the dip turned out grainy is overheating milk. Do not overcook evaporated milk.

    Remember to ALWAYS BE STIRRING the sauce!

    bowl full of white queso dip garnsih with fresh pico de gallo with nachos on side

    I Don’t Have Evaporated Milk! What Can I Substitute it With?

    For white queso dip to be silky smooth texture highly recommend you use ONLY EVAPORATED milk. I can’t recommend a substitute for it as it will change the texture of the dip completely.

    Whole milk/full cream milk will not result in same texture.

    Why My White Queso Dip Turn Too Thin?

    There are various reasons for it. You probably added more milk or skipped corn flour in the recipe. Corn flour helps thicken the dip. Don’t skip it. In this recipe cream cheese and corn flour will help thicken the recipe. Keep this in mind if you do plan to change the recipe.

    My White Queso Dip So Thick?

    Remember white queso dip will thicken as it cools. Cheese congeals when it cools. If white queso dip turns too thick, add additional milk as desired to reach the consistency you prefer.

    How To Store White Queso Dip?

    Leftovers of this dip can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat using stove top or microwave and add any more milk if needed if the dip has thickened up.

    I do not recommend freezing this dip.

    queso dip cooked in cast iron skillet

    DID YOU LIKE THIS WHITE QUESO DIP? TRY OUR OTHER DIPS & SAUCES:

    Cream Cheese Dip

    Beer Cheese Dip

    Spicy Nacho Dip

    Creamy Avocado Dip

    Peanut Sauce

    Bang Bang Sauce

    Boom Boom Sauce

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    bowl full of white queso dip garnsih with fresh pico de gallo with nachos on side
    queso dip cooked in cast iron skillet with fresh pico de gallo garnish

    Easy White Queso Dip

    This white queso dip is warm, cozy, comforting and extremely delicious! A copycat of the cheese dips sold in jars! You'll love how creamy and flavorful this dip is. Must have in our home for taco nights.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 241kcal
    Author: Jyothi Rajesh

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • 1 medium white onion
    • 1 jalapeno increase the quantity if you like extra kick
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • ½ red bell pepper
    • ½ green bell pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
    • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • Salt to taste add as needed
    • 1 tablespoon cornflour/corn starch
    • 8 ounces cheddar cheese don’t buy pre grated cheese
    • 4 ounces Monterey cheese don’t but pre grated cheese
    • 1 cup cream cheese
    • 12 ounces evaporated milk do not use whole milk, DO NOT USE CONDENSED MILK

    Garnish

    • Fresh Pico De Gallo

    Instructions

    • This recipe starts with grating cheese. DO NOT BUY pre grated cheese. More often pre grated cheese contains chemicals and additives that will make the sauce gritty/grainy and not very nice tasting! Buy cheese blocks and grate it fresh when you are ready to make the dip.
    • Sprinkle cornflour on fresh grated cheese. Toss and keep aside until use.
    • Melt butter in a skillet. Add finely diced onion, minced garlic, finely chopped jalapenos (remove and discard seed if you don’t want it too spicy) and diced bell peppers.
    • Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the veggies are softened.
    • It’s time for spices. Add cumin powder, onion powder, garlic powder. Mix and let it cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.
    • It’s time for secret ingredient that makes this dip silky smooth and creamy – cream cheese and evaporated milk. Reduce heat to low and whisk in cream cheese and evaporated milk until cream cheese is melted completely and turns smooth.
    • Reduce heat to lowest add in freshly grated cheese in parts. Add one portion of cheese, whisk until cheese melts and blends to the sauce, continue this process until add cheese is added. Note – Some prefer to remove pan from heat while adding cheese, but when tested I found the heating it slightly will help cook off the cornflour coated in the cheese so there is no “floury” after-taste.
    • Please DO NOT overcook the sauce as it will turn hard (sometime so hard that you can’t stir it). Soon cheese is melted and blended to the sauce, remove pan from heat. Do not leave it on heat.
      Note: You might have to add more milk if the sauce is too thick. Add additional milk as desired to reach the consistency you prefer.
    • Finally taste test and add salt as needed. Please note cheese will be salty and sometimes you don’t have to add extra salt. Please taste and add salt in the end accordingly.
    • White queso dip cooks really fast and make sure it’s not overcooked.
    • Garnish with fresh Pico De Gallo. It’s perfect for dipping nachos/chips right away in it soon as it’s ready!
    • NOTE: white queso dip thickens as it cools.

    Video

    Notes

    1. Do no use pre grated cheese for this recipe. Buy cheese blocks and grate it fresh just when you are ready to make it. I recommend using ordinary, sharp, extra sharp cheddar cheese all are fine.
    2. Note: if you experienced “grainy” texture of sauce even when you used fresh grated cheese, it could be the brand that you use. Some brands of cheese blocks results in powdery/grainy sauce. Please change to better brand the next time.
    3. A secret to silky smooth rich white queso dip is a mix of – cream cheese + evaporated milk + cornflour/corn starch + freshly grated cheese. Do not skip anything, else the dip won’t result as expected.
    4. If you like extra kick/spice add jalapenos with seeds on (you can also increase the amount of jalapenos). Plus consider adding ½ to 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper as per taste preference.
    5. White queso dip is best served hot.
    6. White queso dip thickens as it cools. To adjust consistency reheat on low heat with little more evaporated milk stirred into it.
     
    Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 276mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 828IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 1mg
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I love to see your creations. Tag me on instagram @CurryTrail or tag #CurryTrail!
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    I'm Jyothi. This is my creative space where I share my stories on my culinary adventures. You will find a variety of recipes from across the world. Read more...
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