How to Make Mexican Flavor With Canned Cheese Sauce
A restaurant quality Mexican White Cheese Dip recipe that takes 5 minutes! With just 3 ingredients, this is the authentic queso blanco dip that is crazy delicious and melty smooth. Perfect for nachos, enchiladas, and dipping!
When I go to my local Mexican restaurant, I always order the cheese dip, usually called queso blanco. It's creamy, a bit spicy, and addictive to scoop up with tortilla chips! Since I love making Mexican dishes at home like Enchiladas, Elotes, and Chicken Nachos, I decided I needed to learn how to make this at home too. After asking our local restaurant and doing some research, I was shocked by how easy it is!
With just three ingredients, it is exactly like all the Mexican restaurants around here serve and it takes only MINUTES TO MAKE. So, if you need an easy, Rockstar delicious cheese sauce to make anything and everything better – this is it! You can pour it over nachos, dip it, or serve with burritos for a yummy dinner. And it's from our local restaurant so I know it's authentic, like a secret weapon.
Honestly, I should have known it would be easy! I worked for years in restaurants and bars. When it comes to restaurant recipes, generally speaking, the simplest version is usually right on the money. Spices are expensive and most restaurants want to keep the ingredient list low for inventory purposes.
Ingredient Notes
Here is an overview of the ingredients you will need to make Mexican White Cheese Dip.
Cheese: Land O' Lakes White American cheese found at the deli counter is generally my favorite to give you the smooth, authentic flavor. Another option I use frequently is Kraft Deli Deluxe White American. These are the only two that I recommend.
Milk: Whole or 2% milk is okay. Skim may be used, but it may cause your dip to be a bit thin.
Canned Green Chiles: Hot or mild, depending on the spice level you prefer. If some like it hotter than others, serve some sour cream on the side to cool it down for them.
Butter: Salted or unsalted regular butter is fine
Tip: This is an excellent base to play with! Add in Rotel for a different flavor or mix in spicy meats like Chorizo or Ground Beef. Sometimes I add garnishes like salsa, cilantro, diced tomatoes, Pico de Gallo, or jalapenos.
HOW TO MAKE QUESO BLANCO DIP
Depending on how you would like to serve up this delicious dip, there are a few options to the method of making this recipe:
Crock pot: This takes a bit longer to get smooth than the other methods. Simply add all the ingredients except any toppings into the crock pot and stir occasionally until smooth.
Microwave: In a medium bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Add ¼ cup milk and the cheese to the bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth and creamy. Stir in chiles and serve immediately.
Stove Top: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add the cheese, milk, and butter. Stir frequently, scraping the sides until melted and smooth. Stir in the green chiles. Serve immediately.
What Kind of Cheese is used in Mexican Restaurants?
There are several kinds of cheese traditionally used in Mexican and Latin American dishes:
- Chihuahua: white, mild, and melts well like American cheese.
- Oaxaca: mild, stringy and made similar to mozzarella, melts okay.
- Queso Fresco: white, soft and tangy, does not melt well.
- Cotija: white, crumbly, salty, doesn't melt well. Closest similarity to feta.
Queso Chihuahua is rather difficult around here to find, but not just any cheese will substitute. Most restaurants don't have access to all the brands that we do at the grocery store. I find that they use Land o' Lakes White American Cheese, but it only comes in 4-lb bricks for restaurant use. Our grocery store deli carries the same cheese, and they can slice 1lb.
If your local deli doesn't carry Land o' Lakes, then Kraft Deli Deluxe White American works great too. Not the Kraft American singles that come in packaged individual slices. This has a blue foil wrap (pictured in the ingredients photo) and is usually found with the other sliced cheeses like Swiss and Cheddar. Velveeta queso blanco also works too, but I have not used it because my stores don't carry it.
Serving and Storage Tips
Serve: The cheese dip will harden as it cools. It is best to serve directly from a skillet or keep it warm in a mini-crock pot. If it does harden, reheat in 30 second intervals (stirring between intervals) to make it creamy and smooth again.
White queso dip is traditionally served with tortilla chips, but there are plenty of options to suit your personal preference or dietary restrictions:
- Sliced veggies like cucumbers or bell peppers
- Poured on top of our Delicious Enchiladas or Carnitas Tacos
- Scooped up on roasted potato wedges
PRO TIP: A mini crock pot like this is perfect for keeping dips just the right temperature to keep them melty and smooth! Perfect for parties or enjoying snacking and dips.
Store Leftovers: Store leftover dip in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. I would say it lasts about a week, but we always seem to gobble it down. It's easiest to spoon out how much you want and reheat in the microwave in 15-30 second intervals depending on volume. If you reheat too often, the cheese can turn hard but 1-2 times should be fine.
Frequently asked questions
Can I adjust the heat level in this recipe?
Yes! I used canned green chiles in the recipe. There are both hot and mild versions. You can also swap the chiles for poblanos if you prefer a milder dip. Adding ground cayenne or serving with a spicy salsa on the side is another great option to customize it!
What do you use Queso Blanco Cheese for?
Queso Blanco isn't just great as a dip for salty tortillas. It also makes a great topping for Chicken Nachos, Enchiladas, Carnitas Tacos, and other Mexican or Tex-mex dishes.
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PS. If you make this recipe, leave a COMMENT AND A STAR RATING in the comments section at the bottom and be sure to take a photo and tag it #cravingcreative on Instagram! I appreciate you for taking the time to read about me and my family recipes.
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Mini Crock-pot (Optional)
- 1 pound white american cheese – see note on brands
- ¼ cup milk more if you want it thinner
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 4 oz can green chiles mild or hot
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In a saucepan over medium-low heat, Add the cheese, milk, and butter.
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Stir frequently, scraping the sides with a spatula until melted and smooth. It only takes a few minutes.
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Stir in the green chiles.
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Add more milk if you prefer, to make it thinner.
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Serve immediately with chips, tortillas, or poured over Nachos or Enchiladas. To keep warm, a mini crockpot is best. However, if it cools and hardens, simply reheat in the microwave in 30 second intervals and stir well.
What Cheese to Use?
The cheese that most Mexican restaurants here use is Land o' Lakes White American Cheese, which you can sometimes find at the deli counter of grocery stores. If not, then I like Kraft Deli Deluxe White American (not the Kraft singles) as well. You can find that brand usually in the cheese aisle with other American Cheeses.
Store Leftovers: Store leftover dip in the refrigerator in an air-tight container. I would say it lasts about a week, but we ate it before it got that long. It's easiest to spoon out how much you want and reheat in the microwave in 15-30 second intervals depending on how much. If you reheat too often, the cheese can turn hard but 1-2 times should be fine.
Calories: 220 kcal
How to Make Mexican Flavor With Canned Cheese Sauce
Source: https://www.cravingsomecreativity.com/mexican-cheese-dip-queso-blanco-recipe/