Perfect Queso Dip Recipe
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This Perfect Queso Dip Recipe is creamy, cheesy, and super tasty—ready in under 15 minutes! Made with real cheese and simple ingredients, it’s the ultimate dip for parties, game days, Tex-Mex dinners, and any time you crave restaurant-style queso at home.
The Perfect Queso Dip for snacks, dinners, and parties!
Hi there, friends! Nothing compares to warm, rich, cheesy homemade queso dip! This easy, made-from-scratch recipe delivers smooth texture and amazing flavor without processed cheese. Whether you’re having a family dinner, a casual party, tailgating, or craving a snack, this queso is sure to disappear quickly! I hope you love it as much as we do!
Why You’ll Love This Perfect Queso
- Quick and Easy: Ready in under 15 minutes with a few simple ingredients.
- Real Cheese Taste: Creamy, melty, real cheese—nothing artificial.
- Choose the Heat: Make it mild or spicy—adjust to your crowd.
- Make-Ahead Easy: Reheats perfectly for parties or leftovers.
- Crowd-Fave: Kid-approved and always the first thing to go at gatherings.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
To make this queso, you need the following:
- Jalapeno Cheddar or Pepper Jack cheese: Grate this yourself for the best results. Either of these types of cheese adds just enough “spice” or flavor.
- White American Cheese: May be found in slices, so it’s easy to stack and cut into smaller pieces. Melts easily for creamy queso.
- White Queso Blanco: Usually comes in a block, grate prior to making recipe. Mixes well with the other cheeses.
- Whole Milk or Half-and-Half: Gives the perfect consistency for dipping or eating atop favorite Mexican dishes.
If you need help finding any of these cheeses, ask your deli or dairy departments at the grocery store.
How to Make Queso {THREE Ways!}
There are three easy ways to make this: the Stovetop, Slow Cooker, and Microwave.
Stovetop (Double Boiler Method)
- Grate the cheese and add it to 1/2 of the half-and-half or milk in double boiler over low heat.
- Stir as the cheese melts; add more half-and-half or milk until it reaches desired consistency.
- Sauce should be thin but thick enough to coat a chip when dipped.
- Serve immediately, or pour it into a small slow cooker set to Warm to keep it hot.
Slow Cooker
Step by Step Instructions
- Add all of the grated cheese and the half-and-half or the whole milk.
- Stir to combine and turn the slow cooker to Low setting.
- Heat for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Turn the slow cooker to the Warm setting to keep it hot for serving.
Microwave
This is ready in 5 minutes in the microwave. Great for quick snacks!
- Add the grated cheeses and the half-and-half or milk into a large microwaveable bowl.
- Microwave for 3 minutes at 80% power, stopping and stirring after each minute. Remove from the microwave and stir vigorously to combine.
- If needed, continue microwaving for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese is thoroughly melted and all ingredients are well blended.
- Serve it immediately or pour it into a small slow cooker on the Warm setting for serving.
Recipe Tip
Three Easy Methods to Make Queso:
- Let it cook on the stovetop while preparing other dishes.
- Make in the slow cooker when you want to make ahead, or let the slow cooker do the “work”. Keep it warm in the crockpot for serving, especially for parties.
- Prepare it quickly in the microwave. It is easy for my son and his friends to make it in the microwave in just a few minutes when they want a tasty snack.
Recipe Success Tips
- Grate Your Own Cheese: Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents; can make queso grainy.
- Cook Slow with Low Heat: Never boil; high heat causes cheese to separate.
- Keep Warm for Serving: Use a small slow cooker on the warm setting for serving and parties.
- Thin if Needed: Stir in 1–2 tbsp extra milk or half-and-half if it thickens too much.
Storage Tips
- Store: Refrigerate cooled queso in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm on stovetop or in microwave (30-second intervals, stirring each time). Stir in 1–2 tbsp milk as needed.
- Make Ahead Tip: Prepare a day ahead and reheat slowly before serving.
More Favorite Dip Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Queso means “cheese” in Spanish. But it most commonly refers to Mexican cheese dip or Tex-Mex cheese dip.
Grab the tortilla chips and use queso as a dip. Pour it over nachos, burritos, Steak Fajitas or Chicken Fajitas, or other Mexican food favorites.
You probably cooked it too hot or used pre-shredded cheese. Use low heat and freshly grated cheese.
Why This Perfect Queso Dip is a Snack and Party Favorite
Creamy, smooth, and loaded with real cheese flavor, this homemade queso dip is the ultimate crowd hit. Quick and better than any restaurant version—once you taste it, you’ll never go back to store-bought!
Perfect Queso Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese
- 1 cup grated white American cheese
- 1/2 cup grated white queso cheese
- 1/2 cup half and half or whole milk
Instructions
Stovetop Queso:
- Add cheeses and half of the half and half or milk to the double boiler over low heat. Stir as the cheese melts and add more of the half and half or milk until the mixture reaches the desired consistency. The cheese sauce should be thin, but still thick enough to coat a chip when dipped. Serve immediately or pour into a small slow cooker on the warm setting to serve.
Microwave Queso:
- Add cheeses and the half and half or milk into large microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes at 80% power, stopping and stirring after each minute. Remove from the microwave and stir vigorously to combine.
- If needed, continue microwaving an additional 1 – 2 minutes, or until cheese is melted thoroughly and ingredients are well blended. Serve immediately or pour into a small slow cooker on the warm setting to serve.
Slow Cooker Queso:
- Add cheeses and half and half or milk to the slow cooker. Stir to combine and set on low setting for at least 30 minutes. Then, stir when the cheeses have melted and lower to the warm setting to keep warm while serving.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate cooled queso in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm on stovetop or in microwave (30-second intervals, stirring each time). Stir in 1–2 tbsp milk as needed.
- Make Ahead Tip: Prepare a day ahead and reheat slowly before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Originally published in 2010. Updated with additional cooking methods.
AMAZING! Our local supermarket ran out of jarred refrigerated queso so we quickly pivoted with a recipe search and yours popped up. The kids love it! They dip fresh dough pretzels into it and couldn’t get enough! Thanks for the awesome recipe.
I’m so happy you found my recipe and that you and your kids love it. I hope you find many more recipe here that you love. xo
This is the BEST recipe – no Velveeta, no cream cheese, no cornstarch…just pure ingredients, and it is SO good. Bravo for coming up with this recipe. We’re going on a ski trip up Canada next week, and I just have to figure out how to increase the amount of ingredients (and that should be easy).
Thanks, Liz. Hope you have a great ski trip.
This dip is super delicious! I over bought the ingredients. Can I pre make batches, then freeze them in freezer bags to use other times?
Kornelia, I have never frozen the Queso dip but I think you should be able to freeze it. I would freeze in the size batch you think you would use at one time. You can reheat in the microwave at 30 second intervals when ready to serve. Let me know if this works for you.
Is Queso Fresco the same as Queso Blanco?
Queso Fresco and Queso Panella are not the same as Queso Blanco. Only Queso Blanco melts properly to be used for a dip.
Hi Robyn,
Well I have loved some of your dips so this must be great too. However—I too have never heard of queso cheese, am wondering what American cheese is and am glad to see that one can create jalapeño cheddar by adding jalapeños (in the grocery stores here there is jalapeño havarti but not jalapeño cheddar). Perhaps this recipe is one you’ve been able to create because of what is accessible to you in your area.
But it does inspire me to make a cheese dip by using other cheeses. Thanks!
Elizabeth,
I have added photos of the cheeses I used in this recipe to my post. You may be able to find these or other brands in your grocery stores. Sometimes I can’t find the brand that I prefer so I improvise, too. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
I live in Texas and still cannot find the queso Blanco aka white queso cheese at the grocery store that’s not in a can. Could you add a photo of the cheese you are referencing?
Teague,
I just ask for white queso cheese at my deli in my grocery store so have used different brands. Maybe someone in your deli could help you find it.
Where – do you find jalapeño cheddar? I’ve never seen that … or what brand do you use? Thanks!
Do not use package shred. It will not melt and blend properly for this application.
What is queso cheese? I’ve never seen that in the cheese section. Is it one that you get at the deli?
Queso cheese is a Mexican cheese that has a very nice flavor and melting quality. Depending where you live it should be in the Hispanic food section of your store.
I don’t know what Queso cheese is, we live in Canada and I have never seen it in our grocery stores.
is there a substitute??
Love the Cheese dips.. Thanks
try a local latin/mexican/spanish market
My trick is to stick blend everything together. The cheese never liked to melt nicely for me so using a stick blender really helped it all come together and to be nice and smooth.