Queso Blanco Cheese Dip
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If you love Chipotle queso, you’re going to adore my recipe for homemade queso blanco dip! Featuring 3 types of cheese, plus a healthy helping of cream and green chiles, it’s spicy and creamy all at once!
I’ve never met a dip I didn’t like — and my family is right there with me! Bonus points if there’s some type of cheese involved. Some of our favorites include Cajun hot crab dip, RoTel party dip, and jalapeño popper dip.
The original cheese dip? Queso, of course! If you’re new here, I love Mexican cheese, so it’s only natural that I crave dips made with it. Today, I’m sharing my recipe for homemade queso blanco that you can try at home. It’s ready to serve and enjoy in just 5 minutes. It doesn’t get much better than that in terms of prepping for a party!
I use a combination of 3 types of cheeses, heavy cream, green chiles, and some spices and seasonings. Simply heat it up on the stove and you’ll have a delicious queso blanco dip ready for your next party. Or, make a big batch to enjoy yourself at home. No judgment here — a big bowl of melted cheese ready for dipping is always a good idea.
Better than Chipotle queso
My white queso is creamy and slightly spicy. I use 3 different types of white cheese, green chiles and heavy cream. It’s a snap to make… ready in just 5 minutes!
If you’re having a crowd over for game day or a holiday party, queso blanco dip is the perfect party snack!
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Oaxaca Cheese – My local supermarket carries Oaxaca, but if you can’t find any locally, you can substitute it with Asadero or Monterey Jack.
- American Cheese – Use white American cheese, not orange, for this queso blanco recipe.
- Heavy Cream – For that ooey gooey creamy texture. You could also use half and half or evaporated milk, but the consistency will be a bit thinner.
- Queso Fresco – I like to crumble a bit of queso fresco on top as a garnish.
- Green Chiles – Use canned green chiles to add some heat to your queso cheese dip.
- Ground Cumin – To add a bit of earthy flavor to the mix.
- Mexican Oregano – I like Mexican oregano because it boasts a slightly more citrus flavor than Italian oregano. That said in a crunch you can use the latter.
- Plum Tomatoes & Jalapeños – Use as a garnish along with the queso fresco!
Video: Making Chipotle queso
Want to see this cheesy goodness in action?
Watch the video in the recipe card at the bottom of this post to learn how to make queso blanco like a pro!
HOW TO MAKE QUESO BLANCO DIP
- Heat the Heavy Cream. Add the heavy cream to a saucepan and heat over medium until it starts to simmer.
- Add the Cheese. Stir in the Oaxaca and American cheese and stir until completely melted, but not boiling. As a note, cheese separates at about 160 degrees F, which is why it will curdle if the sauce starts to boil. If it does separate, simply remove it from the heat source and add a bit of cream until you get the consistency you’re after.
- Add the Other Ingredients. Incorporate the green chiles, cumin, and oregano. Stir to combine.
- Garnish & Serve. Pour your dip into a serving dish and garnish with diced tomatoes, jalapeños, and crumbled queso fresco. Serve warm with a side of tortilla chips!
Queso blanco recipe variations
With a few simple additions, you can have a completely different, but equally delicious, white cheese dip! Here are some ideas:
- queso fundido is a crave-worthy chorizo white cheese dip.
- fiery hot queso diablo – Want to clear your sinuses fast? Add a few ghost peppers or Carolina reaper chiles!
- beef queso dip has yellow cheese rather than white. With ground beef, it’s a delicious cheeseburger dip.
- smoked – add your favorite smoked white cheese!
- roasted salsa verde stirred into white queso is amazing!
By the way, it’s delicious for dipping, but there are other ways to use queso blanco dip. Serve it over roasted vegetables, a steak, grilled pork chops, or salmon!
FAQ
No, queso blanco is actually a Tex Mex dip, but using Mexican cheese like Oaxaca or Asadero gives it more authentic Mexican flavor.
To keep your dip warm and creamy, transfer it to a slow cooker set to the “warm” or “low” setting. It will stay dippable that way for at least two hours. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Every queso blanco recipe may differ slightly, but most are made with a few different types of white cheese, chiles, and spices. I like to use Oaxaca cheese, American cheese, queso fresco, and green chiles in mine!
Queso means cheese in Spanish, and you may have noticed that many restaurants use the word to describe cheese dip. Some queso is white and others are orange. Queso blanco is a cheese dip made with white cheese only. It makes sense — blanco means white in Spanish!
This dip is so much more than just melted cheese! If you try to simply melt cheese on its own, it will eventually start to harden. Thanks to the addition of heavy cream in my queso blanco recipe, you don’t have to worry about it solidifying!
Are you hoping to recreate your favorite restaurant’s queso blanco recipe at home? You’re in luck because my version uses the same cheese that lots of Mexican places around the US use! Most are made with queso fresco and cotija cheese. I opt for American cheese instead of cotija, but you can also feel free to add it if you’d like.
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Queso Blanco Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz Oaxaca cheese cut into 1-inch cubes (See Note 1 for substitutions)
- 8 oz white American cheese cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup heavy cream (See Note 2 for substitutions)
- 4 oz canned green chiles chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp Mexican oregano or original oregano, crushed
Garnish
- 1 plum tomatoes
- 1 jalapeno diced
- 2 tbsp queso fresco crumbled
Instructions
- Add heavy cream to a saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a simmer.
- Add cheeses to pan and stir until completely melted (See Note 3).
- Add green chiles, cumin and oregano. Stir thoroughly to combine.
- Pour into serving dish and garnish with diced tomatoes, jalapenos and crumbled queso fresco, if desired. Serve warm with tortilla chips.
Video
Notes
- If unable to find, you can substitute Oaxaca cheese with Asadero or Monterey jack cheese. Both Oaxaca and Asadero are good quality Mexican cheeses that melt well.
- Half & half and evaporated milk are good substitutes for heavy cream, if needed. However, the consistency of the final queso blanco dip will be a bit thinner.
- Cheese separates at about 160°F which is why it curdles or separates if the sauce is pushing close to boiling. If it separates, off the heat source add some more cream (fat assists) and whisk until smooth and emulsified.
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.
Amazing queso recipe! We loved it! The Oaxaca cheese really made it special and extra ‘melty’. I was worried it was too thin of a queso for dipping chips, but it seemed to thicken up after setting out for a bit. Great flavor. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed this one Kathy. Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know!
This is a great cheese dip. I actually found Oaxaca cheese in my neighborhood supermarket. It is a mild flavor, so the addition of green chiles and cumin really made the flavor pop. Was great with tortilla chips for our Stanley Cup playoff watch party.
Excellent, it’s such a great queso dip. Thanks for coming back to let me know Michael.
Kevin, your recipies are the best. I have been hooked on them all since trying your corned beef!
Thanks so much for the kind words Cindy, much appreciated! 🙂
So good! Our new fave!
Excellent! So glad you enjoyed this one Lois!