Chili Cheese Dip (Beefy Queso)
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My chili cheese dip is all you can ask for in an appetizer! Made with seasoned beef and salsa, it’s bulky enough to keep you satisfied without being too heavy. The gooey combination of spicy Pepper Jack and sharp Cheddar is creamy, silky, and incredibly delicious.
Queso will vary tremendously from household to household. It could be a simple cheese dip, a queso blanco sprinkled with green chiles, or a hefty beef queso dip recipe that’s almost a meal all on its own.
This queso dip recipe falls more into that third category. Besides the cheese, it contains a whole pound of ground beef and is thickened with milk, flour, and butter. But salsa, chili, and cumin keep the flavor bright and vibrant — keeping you coming back for more!
Table of Contents
When I know I’ll have to feed dozens of hungry hands during a game day, party, potluck, or family gathering, you can be sure this chili cheese dip will be on the table — I’ll never serve a store-bought queso! Along with my jalapeño poppers, spinach artichoke dip, and classic guacamole, it’s one of my go-to game-day recipes.
Ground Beef or Chorizo?
Ground beef is finely minced meat, often from different beef cuts, versatile for various cuisines. It’s my go to and always on hand for this. Chorizo is anothe roption though. A spiced pork sausage, boasting bold flavors with garlic, paprika, and chili. Beef offers a neutral base, while chorizo adds depth and spice, perfect for savory dishes craving a punchy kick. The choice is yours.
- Ground Beef – I recommend a 90/10 fat ratio – or a relatively lean ground meat. Because we’re working with lean meat, ground turkey or chicken both work really well as substitutes.
- Chili Powder – This is one blend I always make at home to balance the chili, garlic, and oregano flavors to my own preference. I highly recommend it!
- Ground Cumin – The warmth and subtle, citrus flavor do a world of good, brightening this otherwise heavy beef queso dip recipe.
- Flour – This ingredient is important for building a roux to ensure a silky smooth consistency. If you’re catering to a gluten intolerance, there are gluten free flour alternatives out there that will work just as well!
- Pepper Jack – A peppery, herbal option that pairs well with cheddar in any queso dip recipe. In case you’re not familiar with it, note that it has a bit of a kick!
- Cheddar – The sharper the cheese, the more potent its taste – I always use Tillamook sharp cheddar. Use block cheese and grate it fresh!
- Salsa – I made this chili cheese dip with Pace medium salsa. But you should use your favorite!
- Brown & Season the Beef. Begin heating a saucepan or skillet on medium heat. Season the beef with the cumin, salt, chili powder, and garlic. Add it to the pan and cook until browned. Once it browns, remove from the heat and set aside.
- Start With the Roux. Add the butter to the pan. Once melted, add the flour and begin whisking. Whisk for two minutes before pouring the milk into the pan. Lower the heat and whisk for another 3 or 4 minutes until the mixture thickens.
- Stir in the Cheese. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the roux. Whisk it all together until the cheeses melt and the mixture is totally smooth.
- Add Other Ingredients. Spoon in the salsa and browned beef, along with all of its juices. Stir together and let simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Dress & Serve. Serve your dip with tortilla chips, freshly chopped cilantro, and authentic Mexican cotija cheese.
Recommended Tools
- Cheese Grater – It’s always better to avoid bagged shredded cheese. It contains preservatives that not only dull flavor but also prevent it from melting properly. Instead, use a good grater to get it fresh, right off the block!
- Skillet – A good skillet will double as a cooking implement and stylish serving dish that holds onto heat well and just has an attractive, classic look. When I make chili cheese dip, I transfer the skillet right to the table.
Storing and Reheating
Leftovers from this beef queso dip recipe can be refrigerated for up to 4 days before the beef becomes unsafe for consumption.
Reheating is best on the stovetop where you can slowly bring it to temperature while stirring. Microwave if necessary, but do so in short sessions and stir well between each round.
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Use a smooth melting cheese, such as Pepper Jack, to get the right creaminess and smoothness.
You’ll almost always find cheddar in chili cheese dip because of its sharp, rich flavor. Other popular options include Velveeta, Monterey Jack, and even American — which is actually an ingredient in my vegetarian-friendly queso blanco!
Protein introduces new dimensions of both flavor and texture. Seasoned beef will carry and deliver those spices in chunks of juicy, mouthwatering flavor that you just won’t get from a plain cheese dip.
You could also spice it up with chiles, or even hot sauce or barbecue sauce. Additionally, onions, bell peppers, or beans add body, texture, and taste.
In general, you can thicken queso with more flour, but it isn’t too effective on its own and can make the flavor bland.
In this queso dip recipe, the milk works as a thickener instead! The protein and fat thicken as soon as they’re heated, and once combined with the equally important butter and flour roux, it’s an extremely effective thickener. This is basically a bechamel sauce with cheese and the other fixings.
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Chili Cheese Dip (Beefy Queso)
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (90/10)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup pepper jack cheese shredded
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup Pace Salsa Medium (or salsa of choice)
Serve
- tortilla chips
- 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
- 2 tbsp Cotija cheese crumbled
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat brown the ground beef seasoned with salt, chili powder, cumin and garlic powder. Remove meat from skillet and set aside.
- Make the roux to thicken your sauce by melting butter in skillet over medium heat and add the flour. Stir with whisk and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and continue to cook on low for 3-4 minutes until thickened.
- Whisk in the cheeses until smooth. Add the salsa and seasoned, browned beef (with accumulated juices). Simmer on low for 5 minutes.
- Serve warm with tortilla chips and garnish with chopped cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese.
Video
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Kevin— I have always made a queso that is usually a hit anytime I serve it. THIS queso is a game changer!! I know what I will be serving the next time I’m asked to bring an appetizer! Thanks for yet another amazing recipe!
This would be great with diced or canned chicken as well ! thank you for this video and recipe . Looking forward to trying it soon !
Let me know if you try it with chicken! Would love to hear!
What a Fantastic Post!! Love your work.
Total YUM Kevin! The perfect comfort food for right about now! Pinned!
This turned out very well! It was hard to find a “real food no velveeta” recipe with good reviews so I’m glad I did! I followed the recipe exactly because I was terrified it would separate. The only thing I changed is – I couldn’t find low fat pepper jack. So I used 1.5 c low fat cheddar and 0.5 cup jack to get a lower fat content as I see this makes a difference in the texture. I think mine was too thick…clarifications on The ounces of cheese would have been helpful. Tip- put it in a deep mug/ramekin in the middle of a crockpot set on high, with chips surrounding it, for a crowd. It was a hit!
Thank you for taking the time to tell me about it! I am so glad it all worked out for you!
The roux turned out perfectly! The queso was amazing. I’ve failed many times before. Thanks!
I am so glad to hear that! Thank you for sharing!
I live in Yucatan, Mexico and was unable to get pepper jack cheese so I substituted readily available manchego cheese. I also opted for half ground beef, half ground pork (since it was already packaged that way at my local grocery store) and used salsa a little spicier than I normally would (to make up for the lack of the pepper in the pepper jack) and it turned out fabulously. I served it a my pool party as “queso con carne” and my guests (mostly locals) raved about it!
Love to read comments like this. Thanks so much for trying this and coming back to report John!
My dip separated! So sad. Cuz the picture looked so yummy.
Cheese soften can separate due to fat content, just be sure to whisk the cheese slowly into the sauce when heating.
I’m not even through this appetizer collection yet, but have my menu well in process for the two big football games this weekend. Go Seahawks! Go Washington Huskies!
Your stomach and those other guests will thank you. 🙂 Go Seahawks!
Kevin, this looks and sounds amazing as usual. But I know where you got those beautiful bowls BECAUSE I was just holding the exact ones in my hand yesterday trying to justify buying them and put them back for lack of storage space! Don’t we already own several of the same cutlery and stoneware? I love that we are of similar minds! 😀
We are indeed Sally. A friend gifted a set of those to me. Lucky me!