Easy Homemade Queso Recipe (Queso Dip)

This Easy Homemade Queso recipe is made with shredded cheese and other simple ingredients. It’s the best queso dip you’ll ever eat and an easy appetizer for game day, parties and Taco Tuesday!

Easy Queso Dip Recipe without Velveeta

Not only is this recipe for queso dip super easy, but it’s also made with real cheese and other real ingredients — just like you get in your favorite Mexican restaurant. As a bonus, this is a naturally low carb queso recipe as it is made without flour.

This delicious cheese dip is pretty much a blend of pepper jack cheese, cheddar cheese, cream cheese and heavy cream. I only added a few other natural ingredients. So, no Velveeta or processed cheese here, folks. But, no judging, either. And even if you do like Velveeta cheese, I think you’ll love this queso dip made with real cheese even better — we do! I have been making this dip for years now, and it’s a hit every time.

If you like cheesy dip recipes, try my Hot Corn Dip, Ground Beef Taco Dip or Hot Bean Dip next. They’re all easy appetizers perfect for game days and family gatherings. After all, you can’t enjoy a football game without some amazing game day food, right?!

How to Make Queso

First, prep all of your ingredients and have them ready to go. This dip comes together quickly.

Then, melt butter, and sauté the onion, jalapeño pepper and garlic in butter over medium heat until soft. If you find you need more butter, you can add that as needed.

Then, stir in the smoked paprika, sea salt and cumin and cook until blended and fragrant.

Next, whisk in the heavy cream. Let the cream cook until it starts to bubble. Then, turn the heat off or remove from the stove while you add the cream cheese. You don’t want the cream cheese to curdle.

Whisk the cream cheese until well blended. Then, stir in about 1 cup of shredded cheese at a time, whisking well after each cup.

You can return the cheese sauce to the stove on low heat if you need to heat it up a bit. When the cheese is completely smooth, melted and has your desired consistency, you are ready to serve. You can add a little more cream if you want the dip a little thinner.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re really impatient, you can dig right in directly out of the skillet. Or, you can pour the sauce into a small crock pot or slow cooker, and keep it warm. So this is definitely a great recipe for tailgating!

When serving this homemade cheese dip, you can also add extra tomatoes, more chopped jalapeño peppers, a serrano pepper, red onion, green onions, cilantro or really just about anything.

Serve with tortilla chips, corn chips or your favorite dippers.

How to Keep Queso Warm for a Party

The best way to keep queso warm and smooth for dipping is to place it in a small crock pot or slow cooker on warm. Or, you can use a dip warmer. Be sure to stir every now and then.

How To Store and Reheat

Homemade queso will keep for 3-4 days when kept in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat leftover queso on the stove over low heat. Add a splash of whole milk or cream to thin it out if needed. You can also microwave cheese dip on low power or defrost for a few seconds, but it does tend to separate.

Variations

This easy queso recipe is very easy to customize.

Add protein — cooked seasoned ground beef or taco meat makes a hearty dip. Or stir in cooked chorizo, diced chicken or shredded or sausage.

Try a blend of Monterey Jack cheese and Colby cheese.

Use roasted hatch chiles or green chiles or a can of Rotel for extra flavor. You can make white queso dip or queso in the Instant Pot!

Or, you can just leave it alone and enjoy the cheesy goodness just like it is! There really are no rules here.

This dip is smooth and just thick enough for dipping. If you want a thicker cheese sauce, I’d add a little more cheese.

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