Queso is an appetizer/side dish, that is essentially melted cheese. It originates from Mexico, created by Otis Farnsworth in 1900. It is often put in a ‘Tex Mex’ selection, accompanied by guacamole and salsa/pico de gallo.
There are so many variations of queso, including queso blanco which is simply melted white cheese. However, if you after a bit of variation with your cheese, spicy queso is definitely the way to go!
Many people create spicy queso by either using spicy cheese, such as pepper jack cheese, or by adding chili peppers like jalapeños and habanero. You can even add tabasco sauce if you are feeling brave enough.
There are so many different ways to make spicy queso that it can be quite overwhelming – especially when you are trying to make it in a rush. So, we have narrowed down this selection of 10 amazing spicy queso recipes that are sure to be the star of the show!
It can sometimes be difficult to add meat to dips, especially thick dips like queso. However, the addition of chorizo in this recipe is perfect – the natural spicy flavor of the sausage complements the green chiles, while also adding a smokiness.
The recipe recommends using queso quesadilla cheese, but you can also use Monterey Jack or another white cheese if you don’t have queso quesadilla to hand. It also says to use a can of chiles rather than fresh, making sure to put the liquid in the queso as well.
This will give it a slightly saltier taste, and will also make it a little bit less spicy than fresh chiles. Feel free to add fresh jalapeño though, if you wish to make it spicier!
This delicious recipe uses a mixture of four different types of cheese, so you know you’re going to be in for a rich and creamy dip. However, to get the best texture, you will need to put a lot of time aside for preparation at the start.
This is because you will need to roast your poblano peppers, and then put the combined queso in a slow cooker for at least 2 hours to make the most of the flavors. If you don’t have this much time to spare, maybe check out one of the other brilliant recipes on this list!
This is certainly a unique type of spicy queso dip. However, the butternut squash creates a beautiful orange color for the dip, and it adds such a creamy texture to an already delicious pepper jack-based queso.
While this cheese adds some spice to the recipe, you will also need to put in half a jalapeño and a can of green chiles – who doesn’t love some variation in their spicy flavors!
Interestingly, it also recommends putting in a cup of broth (chicken or vegetable is fine). This will help you to get your desired consistency if you think your finished product is too thick.
With its multiple types of cheese and use of beer, this will certainly be one of the most decadent spicy queso recipes on the internet. It includes serrano chiles, which are known for their ‘delayed fuse’ of a spice hit.
The prep time is estimated to be around 30 minutes with this spicy queso, as you will have to saute your vegetables and also wait for your beer to reduce on the stove (removing the alcohol content). However, it will definitely be worth the wait!
There are multiple ways to make this simple 3-ingredient queso, depending on how much time you have to prepare it.
It can spend a couple of hours in a Crock-Pot slow cooker (which also helps with transportation and keeping it warm hours later), you can pop it in the microwave for around 6 minutes, or you can cook it on the stove.
All of these recipes essentially just need you to make sure your cheese is melted to serve it. The three ingredients are cheese cubes, 2 cans of diced tomatoes, and three fresh jalapeño. It is incredibly easy to build, and extremely delicious. The fresh chiles will also help to give this queso a big spice kick!
As one of the quickest recipes we’ve found, this is perfect if you’re looking for delicious queso in a rush. All you have to do is put all of your ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for 5 minutes, then top it with some green onions.
It’s incredibly simple and delicious – the addition of black beans and corn makes for a great texture change!
If you are looking for a heavily spiced queso (as well as spicy queso), then take a look at this recipe.
It contains taco seasoning, cumin, and cilantro, which will make for an authentic Mexican dip!
You also have the option to add sriracha/your choice of hot sauce to the already spicy queso, to make sure it matches your taste perfectly. The recipe recommends sliced cheese rather than pre-shredded cheese, as pre-shredded cheese may not melt as well.
This is a really easy and quick way of making a spicy queso dip.
The only prep you have to do is cook your onions and garlic in a pan until they’re tender, and then you pop this mixture along with canned tomatoes, chiles, and cheese in the microwave for a couple of minutes until it all melts together.
You will end up with a delicious, gooey queso dip that makes your tastebuds tingle.
If you have some more time to spend making a hot queso dip, then this recipe will definitely be worth the effort.
With a mix of shredded Jack cheese and cream cheese, to get that rich creaminess, the recipe also has tomato, onion, and garlic which elevates the spice from the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.
This recipe requires lots of different forms of cooking. You will have to roast the tomatoes and saute the garlic and onion, before popping them in a blender to avoid any lumps. You should end up with a thick, orange dipping sauce that will go perfectly over tortilla chips.
While this recipe does use their trademark ‘Cooper Cheese’, this spicy queso would also be perfect with any other white cheese you have available! It is extremely easy to make, they use a mix of hot green chilies and hot Picante sauce to double up on the spice.
All you have to do is put the ingredients in a saucepan and combine them over low heat (making sure to continually stir all the way through) for roughly 10 minutes. Drizzle it over your choice of tortilla chips, or put it in a bowl on the side as a dipping sauce.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are loads of different ways to make spicy queso. Using the recipes listed above, why not make a few different types and really spice up your next Mexican night!
