Queso Dip Recipe
Queso Dip is a mildly spicy mixture of pork sausage, Rotel tomatoes, cream cheese, corn, and lots of gooey melted cheese. This is the easiest homemade queso dip recipe you can make, and it tastes absolutely delicious with anything you feel like dipping. You can make this easy cheese dip in minutes for those unexpected visits with just a handful of ingredients and a bag of chips.
Looking for another great dip? This Beer Cheese Dip is delicious and made with mozzarella, cheddar, and your favorite beer. Serve your homemade queso dip with this Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese Casserole made from chicken breast and bacon. Another chicken dish your family may enjoy is our creamy Instant Pot Creamy Cheese Chicken Soup flavored with dry ranch seasoning.
Although cheese dip was traced back to Blackie Donnely of Mexico Chiquito Restaurants in Arkansas, others say it was invented in Texas. The reason it is called queso is that queso means cheese in Spanish.
But it was not a cheese dip at the time. In fact, it was a flour tortilla dish made with Mexican chorizo and Oaxaca or Monterey cheese called queso fundido, which means molten cheese.
This homemade queso recipe is just like the kind you get in your favorite Mexican restaurant at a fraction of the price. It is perfect for dipping chips, veggies, or whatever you feel like dipping, or you can pour it on tacos or salads. Turn good queso dip into great queso dip by adding fresh cilantro or pico de Gallo.
Another great way to enjoy cheese is this cheesy cabbage gratin made with heavy cream and smoked paprika or cheesy crack chicken casserole with chicken soup, bacon, and bread crumbs. Our mac and cheese casserole made from Ritz crackers and sour cream is also a delicious cheesy delight.
Ingredients needed:
All you need for this easy queso Mexican cheese dip recipe are the ingredients listed below. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to get the exact measurements and directions on our recipe card when you are ready to begin. Be sure to look at our recipe notes at the bottom of the page as well.
Ingredients for sausage queso:
- Ground pork sausage: Make sure it says sausage.
- Cream cheese: No need to soften.
- Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies
- Can of corn: Drained.
- Medium cheddar cheese: Shredded.
Garnish for queso dip:
- Cotija cheese: Or feta cheese.
- Roma tomato: Diced.
- Chives or green onion: Finely chopped.
How to make sausage queso dip recipe?
- Brown sausage: First, brown the sausage on medium-high heat in a large skillet, breaking it apart with your spatula or wooden spoon. You do not need oil because the sausage has plenty of grease. Once it is browned, you can push a paper towel around the pan to soak up the excess grease.
- Chop the cheese: Meanwhile, chop the cream cheese into small pieces and then stir it into the sausage until it is melted and mixed in.
- Melt the cheese: Then, add two cans of Rotel tomatoes (undrained), a 15-ounce can of drained corn, and eight ounces of shredded cheddar. Save a little cheese for the topping if you like. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbly.
- Add the toppings: When the cheese is melted, remove the queso dip from the heat and garnish with the rest of the shredded cheese, fresh chopped tomatoes, and chives.
- Serve with chips: Finally, serve immediately with tortilla chips or corn chips and chopped cilantro.
How to make slow cooker sausage queso dip?
- Cook the sausage: To begin, cook the sausage in a skillet and soak up the excess grease with a paper towel.
- Cut the cheese: After, cut the cream cheese into small cubes and stir it in with the sausage until it melts.
- Add it all: Then, add the sausage mixture and the rest of the ingredients to the crock pot and stir but save 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese for the topping. Cook on high for two hours or on low for three hours.
- Serve: Lastly, add the rest of the cheese and let it melt for a few minutes before serving with fresh diced tomato, green peppers, and a large serving bowl of tortilla chips or corn chips.
Recipe variations:
- Spice it up: Feel free to add garlic and other spices like onion powder or chili powder, or just adjust seasonings to your preference.
- Make it spicy: For a spicier queso dip, add poblano pepper, hot sauce, green chiles, or cayenne pepper.
- Other cheese: Make it your own by changing the cheese you use. Some of the most popular choices are Velveeta cheese, pepper jack cheese, and even American cheese for an extra cheesy dip.
- White cheese dip: To make white cheese dip, use Monterey jack or mozzarella.
- Evaporated milk: Add a few tablespoons of evaporated milk or whole milk for a creamier silky sauce.
How to serve:
This easy queso dip recipe is ready in minutes and tastes like the stuff you get in fancy Mexican restaurants. With finely chopped veggies and a handful of seasonings, you can have this delicious recipe made and on the table for a party or game night quickly.
- Sprinkle on some romano or parmesan cheese for an extra rich cheese dip.
- Mexican cheese dip goes great with all sorts of dipping ideas from crusty bread to crunchy celery. Try our recipe for olive bread or homemade Irish soda bread.
- Our queso dip is perfect on top of nachos for game day.
- Squeeze in some buffalo sauce or your favorite hot sauce for a bit of spiciness.
- Add olives, pepperoni, and oregano for a pizza dip.
- Homemade queso dip is a great addition to chili. Try it with our easy instant pot Mexican chili recipe.
- You could also mix it with ground beef and serve with fresh warm tortillas and toppings like chopped lettuce and diced tomatoes.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of cheese is queso dip made of?
You can use any kind of melty cheese in queso dip. We use cheddar cheese in this recipe, but many Mexican restaurants use white American cheese for their queso dip. You can also use swiss, provolone, Velveeta, Colby, or cotija cheese. The best cheese to use is the kind that you and your family love.
What are some good add-ins for this dip?
Make your dip spicier by adding red pepper flakes, green chiles, or jalapenos. For a more Italian flavor, add some oregano, basil, thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder. To make it a heartier dip, add some black beans or shredded chicken. You could also add your favorite veggies or spices.
How do you make white queso?
Instead of yellow cheese, why not make it white? Instead of using yellow cheddar, try white cheddar, Monterey jack, or swiss. Most Mexican restaurants use white American cheese, mozzarella cheese, and evaporated milk. You can get specialty white cheeses at your deli counter.
What are the nutrition facts in this recipe?
Each serving of this delicious dip has 410 calories, 35 grams of fat with 17 grams of saturated fat, 100 milligrams of cholesterol, 12 grams of carbs, and 720 milligrams of sodium. But you also get 20 grams of protein, 870 units of vitamin A, 10 milligrams of vitamin C, 260 milligrams of calcium, and 2 milligrams of iron.
How to store leftovers:
- Store: Refrigerate this Mexican cheese dip or keep it in an airtight container. Be sure to use it within a few days or you can freeze it.
- Freeze: Put your chilled Mexican cheese dip in a freezer bag and store it flat in the freezer for up to 90 days.
- Thaw: For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
- Reheat: Warm in the microwave for 30 to 90 seconds depending on how much you are reheating.
More dip recipes:
Cooking tips:
- It is better to use your own block cheese and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese has added preservatives and wax to keep it from sticking so it will not melt as well.
- Additionally, be sure to finely chop the veggies you add to the dip.
- Also, make sure you use real cheese. Those low-cost store-name brands are fine for some recipes, but not for making queso dip.
- You can adjust the consistency by adding extra milk or cream.
- Don’t forget the salt and pepper.
- The dip will get hard and have a layer on top as it cools. Just heat it up to serve warm for easy dipping.
- Alternatively, adding evaporated milk will help the dip stay creamy even after it cools.
Sausage Queso Dip
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork sausage mild or spicy
- 8 oz cream cheese cut into 8 cubes
- 20 oz Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 15 oz can sweet corn drained
- 12 oz medium cheddar cheese shredded
- 8 oz Pepper Jack cheese shredded - optional, but recommended
Garnish:
- 1 Roma tomato diced
- 1 tablespoon green onion diced
- 2 tablespoons cotija cheese crumbled
Instructions
- Place a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and add the ground sausage. Brown it for 10-12 min, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon.
- Once browned, discard the excess grease and stir cream cheese until melted and fully combined.
- Add the Rotel tomatoes, drained corn, and shredded cheese, and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally just until the cheese is bubbly and melted.
- Remove from heat, garnish with diced tomatoes, diced green onion, and crumbled cotija cheese.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
Nutrition
