Cheddar Queso Dip
Creamy queso dip made with freshly shredded cheddar, evaporated milk and green chiles, finished with fresh pico de gallo. Ready in 25 minutes for serving warm with corn tortilla chips.
Ingredients
For the dip
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ small white onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle flakes
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 small tomato finely diced
- 110 g canned chopped green chiles 1 can
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 410 g evaporated milk 1 can
- 250 g cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 2-3 tablespoons milk optional, to loosen
To serve
- Pico de gallo
- Corn tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add ½ small white onion, finely chopped, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 4–5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add 2 garlic cloves, minced, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon chipotle flakes, and ¼ teaspoon chili powder. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add 1 small tomato, finely diced, and 110 g canned chopped green chiles, then cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Measure out 410 g evaporated milk. Whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with a few tablespoons taken from that milk until smooth. Pour the remaining evaporated milk into the saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Add 250 g cheddar cheese gradually, stirring until each addition melts into the sauce.
- Stir in the prepared cornstarch slurry. Keep the heat low and stir continuously for 1–2 minutes, until the queso dip thickens. Add the optional 2-3 tablespoons milk only if a looser consistency is needed. Transfer to a serving bowl, top with pico de gallo, and serve immediately with corn tortilla chips.
Notes
Milk choice: Use unsweetened evaporated milk. Sweetened condensed milk would add unwanted sweetness to the cheese base.
Cheddar texture: Choose block cheddar and shred it yourself; pre-shredded cheese can leave the dip less smooth even after melting.
Milk measurement: The 410 g includes the milk reserved for the slurry. Adding extra evaporated milk for the slurry would change the liquid-to-cheese balance.
Consistency check: This dip should be thick enough to cling to tortilla chips. Treat the ordinary milk as an adjustment, stopping before the dip becomes too thin to scoop.
Nutrition
Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 611mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 655IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 373mg | Iron: 1mg
