Growing up in the American Southwest, the flavour of the well-known chile con queso dip made with microwaved shelf-stable cheese product and a tin of diced tomatoes and green chiles is one that is achingly nostalgic. It’s also not something I can readily get outside of that one small geographic area.
However, I’ve find that making queso dip from scratch and using real cheese and charred vegetables is even better than the one of my childhood – and it’s really not all that difficult! Sure to be a hit amongst guests, this is one of my absolute favourite dips and it’s totally crave-able.
How to Make Homemade Chile con Queso
You’ll find this similar to my mac and cheese recipe, but using evaporated milk here makes all the difference to ensuring that you end up with a silky and smooth dip with none of the graininess that you would get if you were to make it from a mornay base (which was my first inclination).
To get an intense, smoky flavour, I like to start with roasting my veggies, which I just do under the grill. Set the grill (broiler) to high and move a rack to the top position in the oven. Add some tomatoes, onion and jalapeños to a rimmed baking tray and move it to the oven.
If you’re sensitive to heat, you can always remove some or all of the ribs and seeds from the jalapeños.
Roast the veggies until they’re very charred – I find this takes about 10 minutes, but keep a keen eye on them as grills can vary from oven to oven. Remove the veggies from the oven and allow them to cool for a minute before finely chopping them.
Meanwhile, go ahead and shred some cheddar cheese. Grate your own cheese; don’t use pre-shredded – those tend to be treated with anti-caking agents that can inhibit the ability for it to melt effectively, which is essential in this dip.
Add the cheese to a mixing bowl and toss it in a bit of cornstarch. Set it aside until needed.
Now, add a bit of oil to a medium saucepan and set it over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add your chopped roasted veggies and a generous pinch of salt along with some minced garlic, ground cumin and a bit of turmeric.
The turmeric aids in giving that classic yellow colour that you would get with a packaged cheese product (except this colour is 100% natural). Then, pour over some evaporated milk and bring it to a simmer, stirring frequently to avoid scorching on the bottom.
Once the milk is simmering, add in your cheese and cornstarch mixture and whisk constantly just until the cheese is melted.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in some sour cream, fresh cilantro and a few dashes of hot sauce.
This is also a good time to taste and adjust for seasoning, adding more salt if you think the dip needs it. Now all you need to do is serve the dip hot with plenty of tortilla chips!
Queso Dip Without Velveeta & Rotel
Ingredients
- 1-2 jalapeños halved, ribs & seeds remove if desired
- 2 roma tomatoes halved
- 1 white onion peeled and quartered through the root
- 250 g (9 oz) cheddar cheese shredded
- 15 g (1 tbsp) cornstarch/cornflour
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 50 g (¼ cup) sour cream
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- 3-4 dashes hot sauce such as Cholula or Tapatío
Instructions
- Move a rack to the top portion of the oven and turn the grill/broiler to high. Place the jalapeños, tomatoes and onions on a rimmed baking tray and move to the oven. Grill until blackened and blistered, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, then finely chop the vegetables.
- Add the cheese to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the cornstarch and toss to coat the cheese. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, add 1 tbsp of neutral oil and set over medium heat. Once shimmering, add your chopped roasted vegetables, the garlic, cumin, turmeric and a generous pinch of salt. Cook until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour over the evaporated milk and bring to a gentle simmer, whisking occasionally.
- Add the cheese, whisking until it is completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream, cilantro and hot sauce. Taste to adjust for seasoning, adding salt where needed. Serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
Stored in an airtight container, the dip can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop before serving.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Making homemade queso dip without using Rotel or Velveeta is not only possible, but honestly preferable! The process is easy and the dip is incredibly delicious.
Are you after a great queso recipe? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments!
