I perfected my Best White Queso using silky queso blanco, charred chilies, and a bright pico de gallo that has friends asking for the recipe every time.

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I’ve always loved a simple, slightly rebellious dip that melts into chaos when the chips hit it. My take on queso blanco uses white melting cheese like Monterey Jack and a can of diced green chiles for that sneaky heat.

Topped with fresh pico de gallo, it’s the kind of snack that vanishes in minutes. Folks call it the Best White Queso and yeah I get why, but don’t expect it to be fancy.

It’s creamy, kinda salty, and oddly addictive. I make it when I want to impress without trying too hard.

Ingredients

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White melting cheese: rich in protein and fat, low in fiber, kinda filling.
Milk or half and half: adds creaminess and fat, gives smooth melt, some protein.
Cornstarch or flour: helps thicken without changing flavor, mostly carbs, no fiber.
Green chiles or jalapeños: bring mild heat and tang, add vitamin C, lively dip.
Garlic: gives savory punch, little calories, good for flavor, sometimes strong raw.
Tomatoes for pico: add freshness and acidity, add vitamin C, lighten the heavy dip.
Red onion: brings sharpness and crunch, offers small fiber and antioxidants.
Cilantro and lime: cilantro gives herbal bite, lime adds bright acid, cut richness.
Tortilla chips: give crunch and salt, mostly carbs and fat, great for scooping.

Ingredient Quantities

1 lb (450 g) white melting cheese like Monterey Jack, queso asadero or young queso blanco, shredded or chopped

1 cup (240 ml) whole milk or half and half, use whichever you got

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon cornstarch (or 1 tablespoon all purpose flour) to help thicken

1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, drained, or 2 to 3 fresh jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped

1 small garlic clove, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (for pico de gallo)

1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped (for pico de gallo)

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (for pico de gallo)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (for pico de gallo)

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (for pico de gallo)

About 10 to 12 oz tortilla chips, for serving

How to Make this

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1. Shred or chop the cheese if it isnt already, grate from a block if you can since pre-shredded has weird anti clumping stuff and it wont melt as smoothly; drain the canned green chiles or seed and finely chop 2 to 3 fresh jalapeños for the queso, and seed and dice 2 tomatoes, finely chop 1/4 cup red onion, mince 1 jalapeño, chop 2 tablespoons cilantro and squeeze 1 tablespoon lime juice for the pico — set pico ingredients aside in a bowl.

2. Make the pico de gallo: toss the diced tomatoes, red onion, minced jalapeño, cilantro and lime juice with a pinch of salt, taste and adjust, let it sit while you make the cheese so the flavors marry.

3. In a medium saucepan melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over low heat, stir in 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or 1 tablespoon all purpose flour if thats what you got) and cook 30 seconds while stirring to get rid of the raw taste.

4. Slowly whisk in 1 cup whole milk or half and half (use whichever you got) until smooth and slightly thickened, keep the heat low, dont let it boil.

5. Stir in the drained green chiles or the finely chopped jalapeños you prepped and add 1 small minced garlic clove or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, taste later and adjust.

6. Reduce the heat to very low and add the shredded cheese in small handfuls, stirring each time until fully melted and smooth before adding more; patience here prevents grainy separated cheese.

7. If the dip is too thick add a splash more milk, if it gets too hot or starts to clump take it off the heat and whisk vigorously to smooth it out; keep it warm on the lowest setting if you need to hold it, but dont boil.

8. Transfer the queso to a serving bowl, spoon the pico de gallo on top, sprinkle a little extra cilantro if you want and serve immediately with about 10 to 12 ounces of tortilla chips.

Equipment Needed

1. Medium saucepan with lid (2 to 3 qt), for melting the cheese and making the sauce
2. Whisk, to smooth out lumps when you add milk and cheese
3. Box grater or fine shredder, to grate the cheese from a block (much better than pre-shredded)
4. Chef knife, for dicing tomatoes, onions and jalapeños — wait, dont use that character. Replace with comma.
4. Chef knife, for dicing tomatoes, onions and jalapeños, a good sharp one
5. Cutting board, roomy enough for chopping and safe to use with the knife
6. Measuring cups and spoons, for milk, butter, cornstarch and seasonings
7. Mixing bowl, to toss and let the pico de gallo rest
8. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, to stir the queso gently without scraping the pan too hard
9. Serving bowl and a bowl or basket for tortilla chips, to serve immediately while it’s warm

FAQ

Can I use another cheese if I dont have Monterey Jack or queso blanco? Yes, use any young, mild, good melting cheese like Oaxaca, asadero or a young mozzarella blend, but avoid aged cheeses like cheddar cause they can get grainy when melted.

Why did my queso get grainy or separated and how do I fix it? Most times thats from overheating or adding cold milk to hot cheese. Fix it by stirring in a little warm milk or cream over very low heat, or whisk in a teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in milk, and keep the temp low while stirring until smooth.

Can I make this ahead and reheat later? Yes. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently over low heat or in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring and adding a splash of milk if it gets too thick.

How do I control the spice level? Use canned green chiles for mild heat, or add fresh jalapeños for more kick. Remove seeds and ribs to reduce heat, or leave some in if you want it hotter.

Is this recipe gluten free? Mostly yes. The cheese, milk, chiles and veggies are gluten free. If you use cornstarch instead of flour, and gluten free tortilla chips, the dip is gluten free.

Can I make it thinner or thicker? To thin, stir in a little warm milk or cream until you reach the desired consistency. To thicken, mix a bit more cornstarch with cold milk and whisk into the warm dip until it thickens, cooking a minute so the starch cooks through.

Queso Blanco (White Cheese Dip) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Cheese swaps: mild cheddar, fontina, or low moisture mozzarella. Use the same weight. Cheddar gives a sharper bite, fontina melts super smooth and buttery, mozzarella is mild and stretchy so it’s good if you want a neutral flavor.
Milk or half and half swaps: evaporated milk, whole milk plus a little cream, or unsweetened cashew milk. Use the same volume. Evaporated milk makes it richer, cashew milk is thinner so you may want a splash less or add a touch more cheese.
Cornstarch or flour swaps for thickening: cream cheese, mascarpone, or masa harina. Use about the same weight or start with one tablespoon and adjust. Cream cheese adds body and tang, mascarpone gives silkiness, masa adds a light corn flavor and thickens nicely.
Green chile or jalapeño swaps: canned hatch chiles, roasted poblano peppers, or pickled jalapeños. Use similar volume. Poblanos are milder, hatch chiles bring real chile flavor, pickled ones add a vinegary kick that wakes up the dip.

Pro Tips

1. Grate from a block if you can, keep the cheese cold and toss the shreds with a teaspoon of cornstarch before melting, this helps stop oil separating and gives a silkier finish.

2. Low and slow is the rule, seriously dont rush it by cranking the heat; add cheese a handful at a time and stir until smooth or it gets grainy real fast.

3. If the queso breaks or gets oily take it off heat and whisk in a spoonful of cream cheese or a splash of hot milk, or blitz it briefly with an immersion blender to bring it back together.

4. Let the pico sit salted for at least 10 minutes before topping the dip so the flavors marry and the tomatoes give up some juice, also char the jalapeños if you want a smoky kick.

Queso Blanco (White Cheese Dip) Recipe

Recipe by Dan Coroni

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected my Best White Queso using silky queso blanco, charred chilies, and a bright pico de gallo that has friends asking for the recipe every time.

Servings

servings

Calories

592

kcal

Equipment: 1. Medium saucepan with lid (2 to 3 qt), for melting the cheese and making the sauce
2. Whisk, to smooth out lumps when you add milk and cheese
3. Box grater or fine shredder, to grate the cheese from a block (much better than pre-shredded)
4. Chef knife, for dicing tomatoes, onions and jalapeños — wait, dont use that character. Replace with comma.
4. Chef knife, for dicing tomatoes, onions and jalapeños, a good sharp one
5. Cutting board, roomy enough for chopping and safe to use with the knife
6. Measuring cups and spoons, for milk, butter, cornstarch and seasonings
7. Mixing bowl, to toss and let the pico de gallo rest
8. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon, to stir the queso gently without scraping the pan too hard
9. Serving bowl and a bowl or basket for tortilla chips, to serve immediately while it’s warm

Ingredients

1 lb (450 g) white melting cheese like Monterey Jack, queso asadero or young queso blanco, shredded or chopped
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk or half and half, use whichever you got
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon cornstarch (or 1 tablespoon all purpose flour) to help thicken
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, drained, or 2 to 3 fresh jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced (for pico de gallo)
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped (for pico de gallo)
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (for pico de gallo)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (for pico de gallo)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (for pico de gallo)
About 10 to 12 oz tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

Shred or chop the cheese if it isnt already, grate from a block if you can since pre-shredded has weird anti clumping stuff and it wont melt as smoothly; drain the canned green chiles or seed and finely chop 2 to 3 fresh jalapeños for the queso, and seed and dice 2 tomatoes, finely chop 1/4 cup red onion, mince 1 jalapeño, chop 2 tablespoons cilantro and squeeze 1 tablespoon lime juice for the pico — set pico ingredients aside in a bowl.
Make the pico de gallo: toss the diced tomatoes, red onion, minced jalapeño, cilantro and lime juice with a pinch of salt, taste and adjust, let it sit while you make the cheese so the flavors marry.
In a medium saucepan melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over low heat, stir in 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or 1 tablespoon all purpose flour if thats what you got) and cook 30 seconds while stirring to get rid of the raw taste.
Slowly whisk in 1 cup whole milk or half and half (use whichever you got) until smooth and slightly thickened, keep the heat low, dont let it boil.
Stir in the drained green chiles or the finely chopped jalapeños you prepped and add 1 small minced garlic clove or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, plus 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, taste later and adjust.
Reduce the heat to very low and add the shredded cheese in small handfuls, stirring each time until fully melted and smooth before adding more; patience here prevents grainy separated cheese.

If the dip is too thick add a splash more milk, if it gets too hot or starts to clump take it off the heat and whisk vigorously to smooth it out; keep it warm on the lowest setting if you need to hold it, but dont boil.
Transfer the queso to a serving bowl, spoon the pico de gallo on top, sprinkle a little extra cilantro if you want and serve immediately with about 10 to 12 ounces of tortilla chips.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.