This easy queso dip recipe is super cheesy, and almost as easy as buying from the store! It'll take just 10 minutes to make, and has delicious pantry ingredients like cheddar cheese, milk, butter, whole wheat flour, and a pinch of salt.
[This recipe was originally posted in December 2018. It has been updated with new cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
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Table of contents
How will this queso recipe make your life easier?
Bring cheddar jalapeno dip, or Instant Pot Crispy BBQ chicken wings or this easy queso dip to a watch party. You know for sports on game day and fun shows! It takes 10 minutes to prepare and is super deliciously cheesy.
Plus, if you have any leftovers, or double the recipe, you've got an awesome cheese sauce to turn around the lamest burrito bowl ever, make into the ultimate mac & cheese, or dip pretzels into.
Other great appetizers for game day:
What makes this game day queso so good?
- Butter
- Whole wheat flour
- Milk
- Salt
- Shredded cheddar cheese
How do I make queso?
Start your queso dip by placing small pot over medium-low heat. Once it's hot, add butter, whole wheat flour, and smoked paprika (optional). Whisk together until it becomes a paste, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk constantly, until smooth.
Whisk in milk. Whisk until smooth and slightly thickened, with medium sized bubbles forming, about 1 minute. Add salt. Remove from heat once smooth.
Add cheddar cheese and continue to whisk until cheese is well combined and smooth. Cheese will melt while whisking all ingredients together.
Pour your queso dip into bowl, then top with salsa or sliced jalapenos if desired, and serve with chips and veggies.
Substitutions/Tips
- Swap the whole wheat flour for white flour if that's all you have
- Make sure to stir continually (and don't leave it!) so paste doesn't get clumpy or burned
- You'll be ready to remove the roux + milk mixture from the burner once it's all smooth, incorporated, and medium bubbles are forming (about ½ inch in diameter)
- Other great add-ins: sliced jalapenos or salsa.
- Serve your queso dip with chips &/or vegetables
FAQ
Queso is made of cheese (a white cheese like white American, monterey jack, pepper jack, or cheddar cheese), milk, and a roux (flour + butter).
This queso recipe isn't spicy, it doesn't have any pepper added. But you can add fresh or pickled peppers to it, salsa, and lots of other ingredients to make it spicy.
Queso dip is more of a Tex-Mex, or Texas dish. It's morphed over time from chiles with some cheese to more of a fondue type sauce that's used to dip chips into. One source traces this queso back to El Fenix restaurant in the early 1900s.
Source: Mashed
Queso usually lasts 3-4 days in the fridge. I recommend doing the sniff test, even if it's more than 3-4 days and it still smells good, it'll be safe to eat. Foods will usually smell bad BEFORE they're unsafe to eat.
I'd recommend using leftover queso to improve the lamest burrito bowl ever, or add it to the ultimate mac & cheese, or you can dip pretzels into it.
How can I repurpose?
- Add leftover queso to a Burrito bowl
- Make it into mac & cheese, like this one
- Dip a quesadilla into it
What can I make with leftover ingredients?
- Cheddar Cheese: Secret Ingredient Mac & Cheese, Pantry Rice and Bean Soup, and Chorizo Breakfast Casserole.
- Flour: Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins, Chocolate Blueberry Muffins, and Stove Top Peach Crisp.
- Milk: Strawberry Banana Milkshake, Butterscotch Milkshake, Biscoff Milkshake, and Apple Pie Overnight Oats.
Did you make this queso dip? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Easy Queso Dip
Equipment
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cups
- Small Cooking Pot
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- salsa optional
- sliced jalapenos optional
- ½-1 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
Instructions
- Place small pot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add 2T butter, 2T whole wheat flour, and optional ½-1 teaspoon smoked paprika. Whisk together until it becomes a paste, about 1-2 minutes
- Whisk in 1 c milk. Whisk until smooth and thickened, about 1 minute, add salt. Remove from heat once incorporated.
- Add 2 c cheese, and continue to whisk until well combined, and smooth. About 2-3 minutes. Pour into bowl, top with salsa or sliced jalapenos, and serve with chips and veggies.
Video
Notes
- Swap the whole wheat flour for white flour if that's all you have
- Make sure to stir continually (and don't leave it!) so paste doesn't get clumpy or burned
- You'll be ready to remove the roux from the burner once it's all smooth, incorporated, and medium bubbles are forming (about ½ inch in diameter)
- Level up your queso dip with sliced jalapenos or salsa. Serve with chips &/or vegetables
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Tawnie Kroll says
This is going to be a perfect appetizer for my holiday party coming up!
Rebecca says
yay! great to hear! LMK how it turns out
Traci says
Oh yeah! Nothing like a warm queso dip to soothe the soul on a winter day. I love it that this is completely from scratch too! Great recipe!
Rebecca says
right?! its so warm & comforting AND soo easy from scratch!
Elaine Benoit says
I love queso dips! This looks perfect! It's delicious and easy and I can't wait to try it! Hmm. Perhaps as an appetizer at my NYE party!
Rebecca says
yaaaa! it's good any time!
Tayler Ross says
You had me at cheeeese!! I am saving this recipe for football this Sunday!
Rebecca says
right?! can't go wrong with cheese! and LMK how it turns out
Caroline says
I've not made queso either, but it looks so easy and I can see it being all too addictive to dip when you are hungry or as you say pour over some veg for an easy snack or meal.
Rebecca says
ya it's surprisingly easy! try it out 🙂