Easy White Queso Dip (Mexican Cheese Dip)

Pop quiz: what’s simple, delicious, and goes with just about anything? A cheese dip, of course.

Cheese is just such a flexible ingredient, and since it’s so easy to make into a dip, it’s a quick and easy addition to any menu plan. Just whip up a batch of Mexican cheese dip (or adjust the spices to make it something completely your own!) and serve it on the side of a meal, as an appetizer, or just a snack on game day.

I’ve been making a lot of cheese sauces recently, and the difference between a cheese sauce and a cheese dip is pretty minimal. A dip is a little thicker and has some other bits added to it, but that’s about it. My usual cheese sauce is a nacho cheese sauce, but I also make a good mac and cheese. If you want that recipe, let me know in the comments.

For this one, though, I decided I wanted to try to make something queso. A good white queso dip is neutral enough to be flavored however you like, so making it into a Mexican cheese dip is super simple.

The Ingredients

The ingredients for this white queso dip are super simple.

Cheese. A good White American cheese goes great here. I just used Kraft Singles, since they were the easiest to find. You can also get it at your local grocery deli. Some people use Velveeta Blanco, but I’ve never actually seen that around. Another option is to add some portion of Mozzarella in place of some of the American, if you want a stringier dip. Pepper Jack is also an option to add a bit of heat, but that also comes later. Or, if you’re ridiculous, you could make your own Queso Blanco.

Dairy. Your options here are whole milk, half and half, or even heavy cream. I chose half and half, and I really like how it turns out.

Butter. There’s no substitute for a good butter in a recipe like this. You need the fat for the texture and creaminess in the final dip.

Spices. The key two flavors you need for this dip are Cumin (which is the quintessential Mexican spice) and garlic. I recommend a mix of garlic powder and garlic salt. For heat, you can add in some chopped jalapenos or other chiles at the end, some cayenne along with the cumin, or even a dash or two of your favorite hot sauce.

Garnishes. I topped mine with some green chiles and diced tomatoes. Again, jalapenos work if you want something with more kick to it. You can also add in some black olives or even some ground beef if you want to make it more of a centerpiece of a meal. Though, at that point, just pour it on some chips and turn it into nachos instead of a dip.

Storing and Reheating

One quirk of this dip is that it doesn’t stay a creamy, liquidy dip for very long. The reason you always see it in a cast iron serving dish is because the iron holds heat for a lot longer than other serving dishes, so it stays melty for longer. Once it cools off, it will solidify into something a lot more like the original, pre-melted cheese. Still soft, still delicious, just not a dip.

On one hand, that makes it a little more difficult to eat with some chips. On the other hand, it’s perfect for scooping into and out of a storage container. I don’t let it sit long enough anyway, and I doubt you will either.

The dip will last in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for several months, though I honestly have never tried that because I don’t make enough to let it last that long.

To reheat, just scoop out what you want into a sauce pan or back into your skillet and heat it back up, stirring until it’s thoroughly melted and creamy again. That’s all there is to it!