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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers » White Queso Dip Recipe

    White Queso Dip Recipe

    Published: Dec 28, 2019 · Modified: Oct 6, 2021 by Barbara Curry · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    A hand dipping a chip in Queso Dip.

    White Queso Dip is a creamy smooth cheese dip, like the ones served in Mexican restaurants. Fabulous as an appetizer for game day. You can use it as a simple dip or as a cheese sauce for a Tex-Mex meal. Prepare this in just 15 minutes and it will stay creamy for the entire game!

    You’re just 15 minutes away from the best queso blanco recipe around, grab your tortilla chips🌶

    A chip being dipped into white queso dip.

    This amazing white queso dip is my go-to dip to make for game day or for Taco Tuesdays. Made with real cheese it will keep its creamy texture for hours. This creamy cheese dip is the best queso I’ve found, even better than the queso blanco you’ll typically find at most Mexican restaurants.

    Of course it’s great all by itself with tortilla chips but try serving it over chicken enchiladas or queso chicken for a quick weeknight meal.

    A baking dish of chicken covered in queso dip and tomatoes.
    Queso Chicken

    Most cheese dips will get thick and gooey and difficult to dip a chip into as it cools, not this creamy queso dip. The trick for getting a creamy melty texture is using American cheese.  That doesn’t mean you need to use Velveeta; go with a good quality American cheese and you’ll love how it makes the sauce creamy and smooth. 

    A bowl of queso dip with chips around it.

    You can use either white or orange American cheese. If you can’t find it in the cheese section, have them cut a block for you at the deli.

    Why you’ll love a white queso dip

    • This homemade queso is ready to serve in just 15 minutes!
    • It won’t separate as it cools.
    • You can keep it warm in a slow cooker.
    • Perfect to serve on game day or enjoying on Taco Tuesday.
    • This hot dip can also be a topping to enchiladas or over served.

    If you’re going to serve this at a party, get some helpful tips along with 25 delicious game day appetizer recipes to choose from.

    What you’ll need

    • Cheese – A combination adds depth to the sauce. You have to use American but you can mix in other varieties like Monterey Jack or pepper jack. Grate them yourself so they melt really well.
    • Hatch chilies – great for flavor and not spicy as some peppers, just enough to get your attention.
    • Half-and-half – use this to create your bechamel sauce, you can also substitute evaporated milk.
    • Onion and garlic -they add flavor to this creamy dip.
    • Pantry staples –Butter, cayenne, corn starch

    How do you make a white queso dip

    Step 1: For the bechamel sauce you’ll sauté some onions and garlic, add a little cornstarch and then slowly add the half-and-half until it’s slightly thickened.

    Step 2: Add the cheese to the bechamel and once melted add the hatch chilies and salt and pepper and cayenne.

    Pro tip: If you have any left over, you can refrigerate and just heat it up in the microwave. You can also freeze it for later.

    Tips for making creamy white queso dip

    • Make sure at least some of the cheese is American cheese, this is what keeps it creamy. For the best American cheese, buy it from the deli at the grocery. For more information on American Cheese check out this article.
    • Don’t use pre-shredded cheese, it will not melt as well.
    • Use half-and-half or at least whole milk, or you can use evaporated milk.
    • To keep queso dip warm for the entire game or party, place it in a slow cooker on the “warm” setting.

    Having friends over for dinner, drizzle homemade queso over some slow cooker beef tacos.

    Ingredients for beef tacos with queso dip on the side.
    Slow Cooker Beef Tacos with Queso Dip

    FAQs and tips

    What does queso mean?

    Queso translates to “cheese” from Spanish and is a main ingredient in many dishes served at a Mexican restaurant. However, queso is more than that – it’s typically a hot dip of cheeses that are melted together with veggies and spices and sometimes a protein.

    What are green hatch chiles?

    Hatch chilies are peppers that are grown in the Hatch Valley in New Mexico. The nutrient rich soil helps to grow these amazing peppers.

    Why you shouldn’t use shredded cheese for queso dip?

    Pre shredded cheeses have preservatives added to them to help keep them from clumping together. However, this means they don’t melt as well.

    Is queso dip an authentic Mexican dish?

    No, this is not an authentic dish to Mexico. Queso fresco is one of the main cheeses you will find used in dishes from Mexico. However, cheese is not used as much as it is south of the border as it is in American recipes featuring Mexican or Tex-Mex recipes.

    What cheeses are typically found in the queso at a Mexican restaurant?

    Cheese dips at Mexican restaurants in the US typically have cheddar, Monterey Jack and Queso Blanco with is a white Latin American cheese with a texture similar to feta.

    More APPETIZER ideas for Game day

    • Sausage Balls Recipe
    • Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls
    • Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
    • Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Potato Skins

    Need more dip ideas

    • Artichoke dip
    • Peach salsa
    • Pimento cheese
    • Baked onion dip

    If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.

    Corn chips surrounding a bowl of creamy queso dip.

    White Queso Dip Recipe

    Author: Barbara Curry
    White Queso Dip is a creamy smooth cheese dip, like the ones served in Mexican restaurants. Fabulous as an appetizer for game day. You can use it as a simple dip or as a cheese sauce for a meal. Prepare this in just 15 minutes and it will stay creamy for the entire game!
    4.78 from 9 votes
    Print Pin
    PREP: 15 minutes
    COOK: 0 minutes
    Servings: 16

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • ¼ cup onion diced
    • 1 clove garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • 2 cups half-and-half
    • 4 cups White American cheese 12 ounces, grated
    • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese 4 ounces, grated
    • 4 ounces diced hatch chilies drained
    • ¼ teaspoons cayenne
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook onions until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add cornstarch and whisk for 1 minutes. Gradually add half-and-half whisking constantly until incorporated. Let it come to a boil and then turn down heat.
    • Add grated cheese and stir until melted. Add diced hatch chilies. Add cayenne if desired and salt and pepper to taste.
    Barbara’s Tips + Notes
    • Make sure to use American cheese
    • Don’t use pre-shredded cheese, it will not melt as well.
    • If you want it spicy, add a chopped jalapeño with the onions.
    • You can Freeze left-overs.
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 648mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 625IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 451mg | Iron: 1mg
    Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage on Instagram!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah says

      April 13, 2020 at 10:14 pm

      This is the queso recipe I have needed and been looking for. It takes me to that corner booth in my favorite Mexican restaurant, which consequently I haven’t seen in weeks due to Covid-19 restrictions. Thank you! It’s delicious!

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        April 14, 2020 at 12:08 pm

        Sarah, I’m glad this recipe helped during these restrictions.

        Reply
        • Sarah says

          May 30, 2020 at 12:09 am

          I wanted to make this again (for the third time), but I am out of half and half and heavy cream. Will it still be good with whole milk instead? Thanks!

        • Barbara Curry says

          May 31, 2020 at 12:01 pm

          Yes, it will even with skim but just won’t be as creamy.

    2. Susie says

      May 12, 2020 at 11:12 am

      Hi, haven’t made yet, but plan to in future!!!

      Is it a “typo” or I am unfamiliar with “hatch” chilies???

      Thanks!

      Making Queso Chicken for husband’s birthday supper, tonight! : )

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        May 12, 2020 at 11:48 am

        Hatch chilies are a real thing. For this recipe I use a can but you can also buy them fresh. Here’s a link to article about them.

        Reply
    3. Janet says

      October 01, 2020 at 10:22 pm

      How much is considered a serving? And is the nutrition info for one serving or the whole batch?

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        October 03, 2020 at 12:11 pm

        The nutrition information is for 4 servings assuming you eat all of the sauce. Each serving is one large chicken breast.

        Reply
        • Janet says

          October 29, 2020 at 9:42 am

          I’m sorry but I am confused by your reply. I see nothing in the recipe about chicken breasts. The recipe for the Queso Dip is simply for dip. It says it serves 16 but how much is considered a serving and so how much is the posted nutrition information for, the whole recipe or one serving, however much that may be?

        • Barbara Curry says

          October 29, 2020 at 1:08 pm

          That was my fault, I thought you were asking about Queso Chicken. For the queso dip, a serving is about 1/2 cup.

    4. Harnoor says

      December 07, 2020 at 3:32 pm

      Hi, what exactly is American cheese? We are in Canada 🙂

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        December 07, 2020 at 8:17 pm

        It is a processed cheese made from cheddar or colby cheese. I’m not sure you can find it in Canada. Kraft makes it in singles but I prefer the American cheese we get in the deli. It will still taste wonderful with cheddar it just won’t be as melty.

        Reply
    5. Debbie says

      October 12, 2021 at 4:22 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve been looking for what I think is the perfect Queso dip. This is it. It’s easy and tastes like Queso from our local mexican restaurant. Thanks Barbara!

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        October 13, 2021 at 3:27 pm

        That’s awesome! If you have any left over, try it on Queso Chicken.

        Reply
    6. Linda says

      May 18, 2022 at 11:57 am

      I have not made this queso dip recipe yet, but I do intend to do so. I tried to adjust the recipe servings number before printing the recipe and noted that the amount of cheese BY OUNCES did not change when I cut the servings in half. I fear that might cause someone to waste a lot of ingredients. Please correct that. I just printed the full size and will cut it in half myself. I always weigh cheese in a recipe because the measurement by cups can be far off. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Barbara Curry says

        May 21, 2022 at 7:26 am

        I’m not sure how you cut the recipe in half, my recipe card will only adjust if you double or triple the recipe. I checked and it doubled all of the ingredients. Could you let me know how you did this so that I can correct it. Thanks

        Reply

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    Barbara Curry is the culinary adventurer of Butter & Baggage. With a dedicated enthusiasm for real butter made from happy cows she is in constant pursuit of delicious recipes and tasty dishes. She shares her experiences, ventures, and occasional misadventures because let’s face it things can get messy in any kitchen.

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