Abuelo's Chile con Queso recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between queso and chile con queso? ›

Chile con queso (Spanish for "chile with cheese"), sometimes simply called queso, is an appetizer or side dish of melted cheese and chili peppers, typically served in Tex-Mex restaurants as a dip for tortilla chips.

However, the cheeses that are used in Mexican food all have one thing in common; they are made from cows milk. Every now and then there will be cheese that is made from goats milk, but by and large, the cheeses you will find in Mexican food come from a cow.

This dip works with tortilla chips, pretzels, crackers, celery or carrot sticks – almost anything. You really can look at it as a spread and/or a dip. Put it on burgers (like I did with pimento cheese here), sandwiches, in pasta or even a casserole.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with the classic nachos, but Queso For All suggests trying out some other dippers for your queso besides corn chips. Consider dunking pretzels, homemade bread, sausages and vegetables to get a different flavor from your dip.

Rich and Comforting Flavor: The combination of melted cheese, often with added spices or chilies, creates a flavorful and comforting experience that many people enjoy.

Queso is a dip of shredded & melted cheddar cheese with chopped onion, garlic, jalapenos, tomatoes, cilantro & spices. Melted cheese is just, well, melted cheese with none of the above.

Fresco Cheese

For a restaurant-style queso dip, you can pair it with other more readily melting cheeses, like Monterey jack, chihuahua, Oaxaca or asadero cheese.

Two main kinds of cheese are used in Mexican restaurants. If it's grated like Parmesan it's probably Cotija. If it's melted it might be Queso Blanco. There are regional variations.

Queso blanco: A white, crumbly cheese that is commonly used in Mexican dishes. It has a mild flavor and is often melted over tacos and burritos.

The best way to avoid this problem is to shred or cube your own cheese and use it fresh! The other issue could be that you broke your cheese! When you rapidly overheat cheese, all of the fats separate from the protein and create a very grainy texture. To avoid this, use low heat and gently melt your cheese.

What is restaurant queso dip made of? ›

To make the traditional Mexican restaurant style queso blanco, use white American cheese. It melts the best. You can also mix in a small amount of Mozzarella, pepper jack, or Monterey jack to enhance the flavor. Buy the block and then hand shred it for a spicy but smooth cheese dip.

Scanning the internet and the supermarket shelf, we realized that the cheese sauces are divided into two basic categories: Queso Dips, which include some amount of heat, spices, and other flavorings, and Cheese Dips, which are cheese and little else.

Not really. Queso is Spanish for cheese and “nacho cheese” is a commercial cheese product that can be poured on top of tortilla chips and the other toppings, to make nachos.

Bacon bits bring flavor and a crunchy texture to store-bought dip, while chicken and ground beef add protein to the cheesy side. All of these will turn queso into a more filling and flavorful treat. Beans also pair well with queso. Mixing black or pinto beans into jarred dip will turn a snack into full-blown nachos.

And while chile con queso is usually only lightly garnished with pico de gallo or maybe taco meat, queso fundido often comes capped with mushrooms, chorizo, or grilled peppers. Notably, it's traditionally served with tortillas instead of tortilla chips.

Although they are often used interchangeably, queso blanco is typically seen in fried or grilled dishes because it doesn't completely melt when exposed to heat. On the other hand, queso fresco is often used to top off soups, tacos and salads due to its crumbly nature.

The Best Chile Con Queso Recipe

What can be better than a hot and cheesy dip that's got some beef, lots of fire roasted tomatoes, green chiles and jalapeños. So you see, I am also getting my veggies in.