Tex-Mex Chorizo and Cheese Dip
We are thrilled with our first Tex-Mex recipe on the Mexican Food Journal, Queso con Carne provided by Mary The Cake Chica, a Houston native. Queso was a delicious and fun part of her Friday nights when she was growing up. Here she shares the recipe with you. Enjoy!
Friday Night Favorite
Growing up as a kid in my house, Friday nights were all about simple and easy dinners. That meant, my mom would make some queso , or cheese dip as she would call it, get a table cloth and lay it out in front of the TV while we watched T.G.I.F. (Am I showing my age?) and we would all have a little bit of a Tex-Mex picnic right there. That was Friday night dinner and it was perfect!
Queso Dip
Queso is a warm dip you can find at any Tex-Mex restaurant around Houston and other areas of Texas, usually for an additional charge served as an appetizer, with complimentary chips and salsa. If the chips and salsa are not free, I suggest eating at another restaurant. In my experience that is never a good sign. Moving forward, there are several ways to enjoy your queso other than just a dip. You can use it as a condiment for many Tex-Mex dishes, such as tacos, nachos, fajitas and enchiladas just to name a few.
Mom’s Queso
My mom’s version of queso was made with Velveeta and a can of Rotel. Velveeta is a type of processed cheese and Rotel is canned tomatoes with chilies. I am one who likes to keep things real in the kitchen as much as possible, however sometimes real food just doesn’t work out for certain things, like queso. I’ve tried a mix of cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, and while good, the texture was just off. Nothing comes close to the creaminess of Velveeta cheese and is what is most commonly used here for queso in Texas. I did however use fresh chilies for this recipe. I have to add some freshness in somewhere.
A Favorite at Every Gathering
Queso or Queso con Carne always makes an appearance at my family get-togethers no matter if we are making Tex-Mex food or not. It’s just what we do here in Texas. Queso should be served warm. The best way to do this is by pouring the dip into a slow cooker to keep warm for your guests. Serve with tortilla chips.
How to Make Queso con Carne
Queso con Carne Cheese Dip
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 8
Texas queso dip from Mary The Cake Chica - Velveeta cheese with chorizo, onion, tomato, cilantro and jalapeño peppers. Guaranteed to be a favorite at every family gathering.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
- 3 serranos, seeded and chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped, about ½ cup
- 12 ounces Mexican chorizo
- 2 pounds Velveeta, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ -3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- Tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and saute the chiles and onion with the chorizo, until vegetables are soft and chorizo is cooked, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and add Velveeta cubes and stir until Velveeta has melted and is smooth and creamy. Slowly add milk if the queso is too thick. Add as much or as little as you like to achieve your perfect consistency.
- Add canned tomatoes and cilantro and stir to combine. Serve with tortillas chips.
Notes
Party Tip: Queso con Carne is best served warm. To do this, simply transfer the queso to a slow cooker to keep warm. This also works great as a way to transport it to your next family gathering.
Courses Appetizer
Cuisine Tex-Mex, Mexican
Provecho!
CeeCee Cicirello says
That is Cheese Dip which was first created at the Mexico Chiquito in North Little Rock, Arkansas in 1935. Chile con Queso is not cheese dip and “Queso” simply means cheese in Spanish. We have got to set the record straight on this delicious and humble Arkansas staple. Bon Appetit