# Smooth Queso Dip

Queso dip is warm, silky melted cheese with jalapeño, tomatoes and a little spice. Made from real cheese and a simple flour base, it stays creamy and smooth, with no processed blocks needed.

Shred the cheese yourself and melt it gently over low heat, and it will not turn grainy. Serve it with tortilla chips, nachos or spooned over tacos.

- Total time: 25 min (prep 10 min, cook 15 min)
- Serves: 8
- Per serving (estimated): 240 kcal, 11 g protein
- Cuisine: Mexican. Category: Appetizer. Diet: vegetarian.

## Ingredients

- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 can (280 g) diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
- 225 g Monterey Jack cheese, freshly shredded
- 115 g sharp white cheddar, freshly shredded
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

## Method

1. Shred both cheeses from the block and toss them together in a bowl. Block cheese melts smoother than bagged.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeño and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.
3. Add the garlic and cumin and stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute to cook off the raw taste. It will look like a thick paste.
5. Slowly whisk in the milk, a splash at a time, until smooth. Simmer gently 2 to 3 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon.
6. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until each handful melts before adding the next.
7. Stir in the drained tomatoes and chiles and the salt. Taste and adjust.
8. Top with cilantro and serve warm with tortilla chips. Keep it on the lowest heat or in a small slow cooker to hold.

## Why it works

- A small flour roux thickens the milk and stabilizes the sauce so the cheese does not separate.
- Freshly shredded block cheese melts smoother because it lacks the anti-caking coating found on bagged cheese.
- Adding the cheese off high heat, a handful at a time, keeps the proteins from tightening into clumps.
- Whole milk has enough fat to keep the sauce rich and silky.
- Cumin, garlic and jalapeño give the queso its Tex-Mex flavor.

## The science

- **Cheese melts best gently.** Cheese proteins tighten and squeeze out fat when overheated, leaving a greasy, grainy sauce. Melting the cheese slowly over low heat, in small amounts, lets the proteins relax and blend into the milk without breaking.
- **Roux as insurance.** Flour starch swells in the hot milk and forms a stable network that holds the fat and protein together. This helps the cheese stay smooth even as the dip cools slightly, which is why a roux-based queso is easier to keep than one without.
- **Why shred it yourself.** Pre-shredded cheese is coated with starch or cellulose so the shreds do not clump in the bag. Those coatings keep it from melting into a perfectly smooth sauce, so grating your own from a block gives creamier results.

## Tips

- Pick cheeses that melt well, such as Monterey Jack, young cheddar, or American.
- Keep the heat on low after the cheese goes in and never let it boil.
- Thin with a splash of milk if it thickens while it sits.

## Mistakes to avoid

- Using bagged shredded cheese, which can turn grainy; shred it from a block.
- Boiling the sauce after adding cheese, which makes it greasy; keep the heat low.
- Dumping all the cheese in at once, which clumps; add it by the handful.

## Variations and swaps

- Stir in 225 g cooked chorizo or ground beef for a heartier dip.
- Add 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo for a smoky, spicy queso.
- Swap the diced tomatoes for a can of black beans and corn.
- Swap whole milk for evaporated milk for an extra-stable sauce.
- Swap Monterey Jack for pepper jack for added heat.
- Swap the flour for 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold milk to make it gluten-free.

## Storage

Refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat with a splash of milk, stirring until hot (165°F/74°C). Do not freeze.

## FAQ

**How do you make queso dip smooth and not grainy?**

Shred the cheese yourself from a block, use a roux base, and melt the cheese slowly over low heat. High heat makes cheese grainy.

**What cheese is best for queso?**

Monterey Jack, white cheddar, pepper jack and American cheese melt smoothly. Aged hard cheeses tend to clump.

**How do you keep queso warm for a party?**

Hold it in a small slow cooker on warm, or in a pot on the lowest heat, stirring now and then. Add a little milk if it thickens.

**Can I make queso without Velveeta?**

Yes. This recipe uses real cheese and a simple flour base instead. It melts smooth and tastes fresher.

**Can I make queso ahead of time?**

Yes. Make it up to 2 days ahead and reheat gently on the stove with a splash of milk, stirring until smooth.

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Source: https://cookingscientist.com/recipes/queso-dip (Cooking Scientist). Learn the science of cooking in the Cooking Scientist app for iPhone and iPad: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6830326846