A hearty Tex-Mex dirty queso dip that is so easy to make and so good that everyone will beg you to bring it to your next gathering! My family begs me to bring this to EVERY family gathering … and even though I always make it hot and spicy, even the youngest of the kids just love it. In fact, on Easter weekend, when everyone else was making ham and mashed potatoes and hot cross buns, colored Easter eggs and pretty spring desserts, I was making queso. It felt really weird, but that’s what they wanted!
My sister (mother of four of the voracious young queso eaters) has asked me for the recipe so many times, but I’ve made it so much, I never bother to write it down. Well, THIS time I did! Ha! So sis, this recipe is for you … or maybe you should have your kids make it themselves! It’s so easy, they can totally handle this … with a little light supervision.
What’s Dirty Queso?
“Dirty” queso is a Mexican cheese dip that includes meat (or, for a vegetarian version, mushrooms!). This recipe includes both for extra flavor. (Don’t worry if some of your eaters don’t like mushrooms … they won’t even notice they are there.)
Do I have to use American cheese?
Technically, no, you don’t have to, but it really melts nicely and makes the dip so easy to make. There are also Mexican dipping cheeses, if you are lucky to find that, I would substitute the Mexican variety! We used to have a Mexican dipping cheese at our grocery store, but they no longer carry it. The alternative is to use a bit of heavy cream as the base and add more cream cheese in place of the American processed cheese.
What kind of salsa should I use?
Any salsa that you really love the taste of! My personal favorite is my cilantro almond salsa, which is also a favorite salsa with all the pepper head friends I have along with the heat-lovers in the family (because I make my salsa REALLY hot).
How many hot peppers should I use?
Everyone’s taste buds are different and what’s hot to one person may be mild to another, so I don’t specify how many peppers you should put in. If you’re not sure how many hot peppers (or what kind) to use, I would start with a teaspoon of jalapeno, then add just a bit of another hot pepper such as serrano or habanero. Keep adding and tasting until the dip is hot enough for your own liking. I recommend a mix of peppers, if you can find them, because it adds another dimension of flavor and a different kind of heat. I like to use jalapenos with carrot peppers because the jalapeno hits your tongue first, then the carrot peppers add a little bite at the end. If you prefer your queso mild, use mini sweet peppers or bell pepper as your second (or third) pepper.
Print
Easy Spicy Queso Dip
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 of a large onion, cut into chunks
- 2 – 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 oz. baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half
- 1/2 Tablespoon bacon butter (rendered fat from baking bacon) or butter or olive oil
- 1/2 lb. very lean ground meat (beef, venison, chicken or turkey – for vegetarian, substitute 1/2 lb.chopped mushrooms)
- 4 oz, American cheese (something like Velveeta)
- 3 oz. Greek cream cheese (or Neufchatel)
- 1/4 cup salsa (or more, to taste – I like to use my cilantro almond salsa – recipe here)
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups Mexican shredded cheese
- Mixed hot peppers, finely chopped, to taste – jalapenos, serranos, salsa peppers, carrot peppers, habaneros, etc.
Instructions
- Peel the onion and cut into chunks. Peel the garlic. Put both into a mini food processor and pulse a couple times until finely chopped.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon butter or fat of choice and heat until melted and warmed. Use a spatula to coat the bottom of the pan, then add the onion and garlic and saute until fragrant, soft and translucent.
- Meanwhile add the mushrooms to the food processor and pulse a couple times to chop finely. Add the mushrooms to the pot, cover and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are fragrant and soft.
- Move the veggies to the outside of the pan and add the meat to the middle. Stir and cook, cutting the meat into bits with a spatula, until the meat is browned.
- Lower the heat to medium low, add the American and cream cheese in chunks. Stir to mix and let cook until melted, stirring occasionally. Add the salsa and Mexican cheese. Cook until melted. Taste and add mixed hot peppers and/or hot salsa to your liking.
- Serve warm with tortilla chips and enjoy!
Notes
RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/
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Nutrition
- Calories: 199
- Fat: 13.6g
