Tex Mex Queso
Today I have a treat for all of the Texas expats! For many years I have been on the ultimate journey to create the perfect tex mex queso, a bowl of cheesy deliciousness that I love to have with my chips and salsa.
So we all know this is just a big bowl of cheese, right? I say I make it only for special occasions, it is a massive hit at parties, but since I originally published this recipe over a year ago (as of this writing) I’ve found myself making it again and again. It’s so good, it is definitely worth my thunder thighs.
Please heed this warning: do not, do not use Velveeta. To really get the most out of this recipe, I recommend getting your cheese from the deli counter.
I also learned a neat trick a few months ago about determining the level of heat in a jalapeno. For a milder pepper, you want a green, smooth surface. The more striations (dry, brown, veiny looking things, like stretch marks) on the pepper, the hotter it will be.
I used a rather hot jalapeno in this dip, but that is just my taste and I found that it did not overpower the cheese at all.
It actually brought a really nice flavor! Check out this link for more information on choosing peppers. The same theory can be applied to watermelons too, FYI. The more striations, the sweeter it will be.
This Tex Mex Queso is excellent for any party, football spread, or just pairing with a fajita night! I love it and I hope you do too!
Here are some of my other awesome Tex Mex recipes to round out your meal or party!
PS – Can you tell I love Tex Mex?
Until next time. x
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Tex Mex Queso
Tex Mex Queso
The BEST Tex Mex Queso – made WITHOUT Velveeta and Rotel. This recipe is just like what you find in restaurants.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 large white onion, diced
- 2 jalapeños, diced
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 lb yellow american cheese, sliced from the deli counter
- handful of chopped fresh cilantro (about 10-15 sprigs)
- 1/4 cup pico de gallo (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and jalapeño and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Pour in the half and half and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Tear your cheese slices into smaller portions and gradually add them to the pot, stirring constantly. Do not add more cheese until the previous slices have already mostly melted and combined.
- (Optional) Add more half and half to achieve your desired consistency. I prefer mine a little thicker.
- Stir in the cilantro and serve immediately.
- (Optional) Garnish with fresh pico de gallo.
Notes
tools
- medium saucepan
- slow cooker (optional)
If you’d like to make this in a slow cooker, sauté the onion and jalapeños as stated above then add everything – half & half, cheese, onion and jalapeños to the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours. 1x recipe will work in a 1.5qt slow cooker. Stir every 30 minutes – 1 hour. After 2 hours turn it down to warm and stir in the cilantro and pico de gallo.
I love the heat the whole jalapeños bring. If you prefer a mild queso, core them.
You can order a 1 lb block of American cheese at the deli counter and shred it instead, if you don’t want to tear up the slices.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dips
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
- Diet: Vegetarian
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Originally published May 27, 2016
Delicious!! Brings the taste of home to Arkansas 🙂
I am excited to try this recipe this week for a youth group! I read some comments about adding meat. Do I need to alter the amounts of the other ingredients if I add some meat? Is there a meat you think would work best?
I apologize I took so long to get back to you! No need to adjust ingredients for meat, just make sure to drain off excess grease. Chorizo is awesome, as well as taco seasoned ground beef.
Wonderful! We first had this for Christmas Eve supper and added a pound of browned pork (b/c we are hog farmers and then it was a “meal”! but any ground meat would be fine).
I had it to finish making when 1 adult child traveled home the night before Easter. Great! We all love it and the leftovers disappear quickly the next day! (slight bummer….. LOL!)
Thank you for sharing!
Have you ever had the cheese seize up? I tried to make this and the cheese seized up. Do you have any tips?
Hi, I’m so sorry that happened! I’ve never had the cheese seize up in this recipe, but I do know that it is typically caused by too much heat too quickly. If you have a slow cooker, that method might be your best option!
My cheese also seized up, and no matter If I turned the temperature up, turned it down, or just kept stirring, it would have chunky parts, and very runny parts. I was half tempted to drain the very runny parts, but decided to keace it. I’ve never had Tex Mex queso, so I don’t know if this is normally how this comes out.
Do you have a recommendation on how to make this big batch and then keep leftovers? Just in a mason jar in the fridge and reheat as needed? I moved from Houston to Maine last year and am DESPERATELY missing my texmex – especially now that I’m pregnant and it’s literally all I can think about. I definitely don’t want this large amount to go to waste but want to make sure it’s safe to keep in the fridge! Thank you!!!
Hi Riley! I so feel your pain – I moved from Houston to Washington this year and actually made this queso tonight! You can safely store the queso in a mason jar in the fridge and reheat gently for up to 2-3 weeks. If you’re worried about it being too much, you can also halve the recipe pretty easily.
Oh, and in case you are missing any other Tex Mex faves, I have recipes on here for a pretty good fajita marinade, salsa verde like from Los Cucos and the garlic butter Pappasitos serves with their fajitas!
Best of luck and congrats on your new arrival!
I just made your Tex Mex Queso tonight and it was excellent! I live in Houston and am always skeptical of Tex Mex recipes that I see online. I see that you are also from Houston. Now I know… the rest of the story. 🙂
Hi, I’m from Canada and can’t seem to find your American cheese. We have velveeta or kraft singles (not the deli style). What would you recommend to use? Thanks!
Hi! So having never been to Canada, I fell into a rather deep hole scouring the internet trying to find some answers for you. And it seems the bad news is that American cheese as I know it and describe it in this recipe just doesn’t exist there. I wouldn’t do the Kraft Singles unless they are specifically labeled “deli deluxe” style – those are actually really close to the American cheese we get from the delis here.
Barring that, use the Velveeta. Unfortunately cheddar and other similar cheeses are just too hard to melt properly in this recipe.