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Chile con Queso is a creamy Tex-Mex dip made with three cheeses and seasoned ground beef. Everything happens in one skillet, and it’s on the table in 15 minutes. It’s the kind of restaurant-style queso that disappears fast at a party.
More easy queso dips: Queso Blanco Dip | 3-Ingredient Rotel Dip | Queso Fundido with Chorizo
Before You Get Started
These three things are what keep your queso smooth and scoopable instead of grainy or greasy.
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking starch that keeps it from melting smoothly.
- Drop the heat before the cheese goes in. High heat breaks the cheese and turns the dip oily or grainy.
- Don’t skip the Velveeta without adjusting. It stabilizes the dip. If you swap it out, you’ll need to double the oil and flour.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How to Make Chile con Queso
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
This all happens in one skillet, and the cheese goes in last so it never sees high heat. Have everything shredded and cubed before you start.
Step 1: Brown the beef
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, cooking until no pink remains.
Using fattier beef? If you’re working with ground chuck, skip the oil and drain off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat before moving on.
Step 2: Add the flour and aromatics
Stir in the flour, minced garlic, and the white parts of the green onions. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the flour loses its raw smell and the onions soften.
This step is what thickens the dip later, so don’t rush it.
Step 3: Simmer with Rotel and milk
Pour in the Rotel and milk and bring it to a gentle simmer. The mixture will look thin at this point, which is exactly right. The cheese does the thickening.
Step 4: Melt in the Velveeta
Add the cubed Velveeta along with the chili powder and cumin. Stir until it’s completely melted and glossy with no lumps left.
Want to go all real cheese instead? Nacho Cheese Sauce builds a smooth dip from a flour and milk base with no processed cheese at all.
Step 5: Finish with shredded cheese and lime
Take the skillet off the heat, then stir in the shredded cheddar and monterey jack until melted. Add the lime juice and cilantro, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Off the heat is the key here, since residual warmth is plenty to melt the cheese without breaking it.
Want it spicier? Use hot Rotel instead of mild, or swap the ground beef for Spanish chorizo (it’s greasy enough that you can skip the oil entirely). A diced jalapeño, a 4 ounce can of green chiles, or a minced chipotle with a spoonful of adobo all work too.
Swapping the cheddar and jack? A Mexican blend, smoked cheddar, or any smooth melting cheese will work in their place.
Serving Suggestions
Tortilla chips are the obvious answer, and store bought is fine. My Air Fryer Tortilla Chips are worth the extra ten minutes though, since they’re sturdier and hold up to a thick dip like this one.
If you’re building a bigger spread, this queso plays well with the rest of a Tex-Mex table:
It also works as a topping rather than a dip. Spoon it over baked potatoes, hot dogs, or a plate of fries.
Storage Tips
Storing and Reheating Queso
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The dip will set up firm when it’s cold, which is normal.
Reheat gently. Microwave in 10 second bursts, stirring between each one, or warm it in a skillet over medium low heat while stirring. Add a splash of milk if it’s thicker than you want.
Keep it warm for a party. Make the dip as directed, then transfer it to a slow cooker set to warm (or low if there’s no warm setting). Stir every 15 minutes or so to break up the skin that forms on top.
Freezing isn’t recommended. Dairy based dips separate when they thaw, and the texture never quite comes back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make chile con queso without Velveeta?
Yes, but you’ll need to compensate for what it was doing. Velveeta contains emulsifying salts that keep the dip smooth and stable, so without it you need more thickener. Double the oil and flour to 2 tablespoons each, and use 2 cups of freshly shredded melting cheese in place of the 8 ounces of Velveeta. Add it off the heat, a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding more.
Why did my queso turn out grainy or oily?
Almost always heat. If cheese melts too fast or gets too hot, the proteins tighten and squeeze out the fat, which is what makes it look broken or greasy. Pull the skillet off the burner before the shredded cheese goes in, and stir constantly. Pre-shredded cheese is the other common culprit, since the starch coating keeps it from melting cleanly.
How do I keep it from thickening up as it sits?
Queso naturally tightens as it cools, so plan for it. Stir in a tablespoon or two of warm milk whenever it starts to drag on a chip, and keep it over low, gentle heat rather than letting it sit at room temperature. A slow cooker on warm handles this best for a party.
More Tex-Mex Party Dips
Chile con Queso
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 green onions sliced, green and white separated
- 10 ounce can of Rotel tomatoes (mild or spicy, see notes)
- 1 ⅓ cup whole milk
- 8 ounces Velveeta cubed small
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 1 cup monterey jack cheese freshly shredded
- Juice of half a lime
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- Optional garnish: Cilantro, finely diced red onion
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink.
- Add the flour, minced garlic, and the white parts of the green onions. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the flour is cooked through and the onions have softened.
- Stir in the Rotel and milk and bring to a simmer. Add the Velveeta, chili powder, and cumin. Stir until the Velveeta is fully melted and smooth.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar and monterey jack until melted. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Garnish with the green onion tops and any additional garnishes. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.
Notes
- Rotel heat level: Use hot Rotel for spicy queso and mild for a milder dip. This is the easiest way to control the heat.
- Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking starch that prevents smooth melting.
- Add shredded cheese off the heat. Residual warmth melts it without breaking the dip and turning it grainy or oily.
- Fattier beef: With ground chuck, skip the oil and drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat before adding the flour.
- Velveeta substitute: Double the oil and flour to 2 tablespoons each, and use 2 cups of freshly shredded melting cheese, added off the heat in handfuls.
- Make it spicier: Swap the beef for Spanish chorizo (no oil needed), or add a diced jalapeño, a 4 ounce can of green chiles, crushed red pepper, cayenne, or minced chipotle with adobo.
- Other cheeses: Mexican blend, smoked cheddar, or any smooth melting cheese can replace the cheddar and jack.
- Keeping it warm: Transfer to a slow cooker on warm and stir every 15 minutes to break up the skin that forms.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave in 10 second bursts or in a skillet over medium low heat, stirring and adding a splash of milk to loosen. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
