Queso Dip · Stovetop
Smooth Stovetop Queso Dip
Real cheddar and Monterey Jack melted into evaporated milk make a silky queso that stays smooth, with green chiles and tomatoes for flavor. Ready in 15 minutes for game day.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Serves
- about 3 cups
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 8 oz cheddar cheese, shredded from a block (about 2 cups)
Swaps for cheddar cheese
Instead of cheddar
- Colby or Colby Jack: The same amount. Milder and softer, and melts very smoothly.
- Monterey Jack: The same amount. Mild and buttery, one of the best melting cheeses.
- Gouda or Gruyère: The same amount. Nuttier and richer; melts beautifully.
- 8 oz monterey jack, shredded from a block (about 2 cups)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Swaps for cornstarch
Instead of cornstarch
- All-purpose flour: 2 tbsp flour for each 1 tbsp cornstarch. Sauces turn cloudy instead of glossy and a bit heavier.
- Arrowroot: The same amount. Very clear and glossy; can turn slimy in dairy sauces.
- Potato starch: The same amount. Thickens fast with a clear gloss; don't boil it long.
Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.
- 1 can evaporated milk, 12 fl oz
- 1 can diced green chiles, 4 oz
- ½ cup tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
- ½ tsp ground cumin
Swaps for ground cumin
Instead of cumin
- Ground coriander: The same amount. Brighter and citrusy, less earthy.
- Chili powder: Twice as much. Contains cumin, plus chile heat and garlic.
- Caraway seeds, ground: Half as much. A related flavor, a bit sharper.
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Swaps for garlic powder
Instead of garlic
- Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
- Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.
- 1 pinch cayenne (optional)
Swaps for cayenne
Instead of cayenne pepper
- Red pepper flakes: The same amount, crushed fine. Slightly milder, with visible flakes.
- Hot sauce: A few dashes for each pinch. Adds vinegar and a little liquid.
- Chipotle powder or hot paprika: The same amount. Chipotle is smoky; hot paprika is milder and fruitier.
- tortilla chips, to serve
Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.
Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.
Steps
- Toss the shredded cheeses with the cornstarch in a bowl until every shred is lightly coated.
- Pour the evaporated milk into a saucepan and heat over medium-low until it steams and small bubbles form at the edges. Don't let it⏱ Warm milk: 4 min.
boil (how to boil)
Boil Heat liquid until big bubbles rise and break all over the surface. 1. Use a pot big enough that the water fills it no more than three quarters.2. Cover it to boil faster, over high heat.3. Salt pasta or vegetable water once it boils.4. Add the food, stir, and bring it back to a boil before you start timing. Done when: A rolling boil keeps bubbling hard even when you stir. Safety: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove, and drain pasta into a colander in the sink, pouring away from you. Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to boil water for pasta and vegetables: mistakes to avoid - Add the cheese one handful at a time, stirring after each until it melts before adding more.
- Keep stirring over low heat until the queso is smooth and glossy.⏱ Melt: 3 min
- Stir in the green chiles with their juice, the tomatoes, cumin, garlic powder and cayenne, if using.
- Pour into a warm bowl and serve right away with tortilla chips.
Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.
Tips
- Low heat is the secret. If cheese gets too hot it turns stringy and oily.
- Brown 1/2 pound of ground beef or chorizo to 160°F (71°C), drain it and stir it in for a meaty queso.
Storage
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat over low heat or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring, with a splash of milk until smooth and hot (165°F).
How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: tomatoes (July to September).
Quick answers
- What can I swap?
- Instead of cheddar: Colby or Colby Jack, the same amount.
- Instead of cornstarch: All-purpose flour, 2 tbsp flour for each 1 tbsp cornstarch.
Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 1,210 kJ
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugars
- 5 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Saturated fat
- 13 g
- Sodium
- 460 mg
Whole recipe, 8 servings: about 2,340 calories.
Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 8 of 8 ingredients.
How we estimate
We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 8 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.
Not counted: cayenne (optional); tortilla chips (to taste or as needed).
Estimated cost
About $1.00 a serving
About $7.85 for the recipe as written (8 servings).
Estimate; prices vary by store and region. U.S. average prices for September 2026 from BLS Average Price Data and USDA ERS Purchase to Plate prices updated with the BLS Consumer Price Index. Priced: 4 of 8 ingredients, 88% by weight.
How we estimate
Each measured ingredient is weighed as in the nutrition estimate and priced at the U.S. average: BLS's average price where BLS publishes one, else USDA ERS's Purchase to Plate price for 2017-18 raised to September 2026 with the CPI for that food group. Whole packages, store brands, sales and regions all change the real cost: treat it as a ballpark.
- monterey jack $3.20 ERS
- cheddar cheese $3.05 BLS
- evaporated milk $1.20 ERS
- tomatoes $0.40 BLS
Not priced (no official average price we can match, so not in the total): cornstarch, diced green chiles, ground cumin, garlic powder.
Not counted: cayenne, tortilla chips (optional, or to taste).
More dishes for less: cheap eats.
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Gear for this recipe
- See price on Amazon: 3-quart saucepan (opens Amazon)
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Cleanup score 3/5 (some cleanup): 3 things to wash, saucepan, mixing bowl, box grater.
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