This Garlic Jalapeno Queso is a delicious and creamy dip that packs the perfect amount of heat. Made with melted cheese and fresh jalapenos, this dip recipe is perfect for any sporting event or party (cough cough Superbowl). Serve it with chips, crackers, or veggies for a satisfying snack.
If you need a tried and true dip recipe – this is the one. I have dunked, drizzled, and poured this Garlic Jalapeno Queso all over, well, everything! From my Veggie Chimichangas to my Chipotle Black Bean Taquitos, this bad boy works with just about anything you can think of.
Not to mention, it has been one of the most popular recipes on my website for the past three years. What started out as an enchiladas recipe evolved into an addicting cheese dip that totally stole the show. In fact, I had someone message me on Instagram and tell me that her dad loved this queso recipe so much that he was literally drinking it like soup!
I actually took inspiration from La Carreta, a Mexican restaurant back in my home state of Massachusetts. They pretty much have the world’s best queso you’ll ever get your hands on. Cross my heart and hope to die! (Yeah, it’s that good.)
And if you think I’m biased, my husband – who was born and raised in New Jersey – has confirmed that it’s the best queso he’s had, and that’s saying a lot because this man is pretty picky, especially when it comes to food!
Why I Love this Garlic Jalapeno Queso
This spicy cheese dip is fantastic because not only made with real cheese but it can also be made in advance and stored in the fridge, which makes it a super convenient dish as well.
Now, I do recommend if you’re going to make this in advance that you do not add sour cream before refrigerating it. This can make the dip sensitive on the shelf and therefore not last as long. Plus, it’s much better to reheat everything on low heat and add the sour cream to the mix on the day of serving.
The sour cream helps to break the cheese sauce down a bit rather than spooning mouthfuls of straight cheese in your mouth – though there’s no judgment if that sounds good to you.
Another reason I love this Garlic Jalapeno Queso recipe is you can make it as spicy as you want by adjusting how many jalapeños you add in. I even sometimes add Thai chilies or Serranos into the mix because it gives it a nice punch of heat.
If you don’t have garlic powder, you can also use fresh garlic which will actually taste even better. If you really like garlic, you don’t even have to mince it really small, which will help to add a kick of added spice in a different way.
For this recipe, I use boar’s head sliced American cheese. You can get this at your local deli, but I have noticed over the years that not every grocery store carries boar’s head, so you can simply just asked for sliced American cheese if that’s the case.
I tell them to slice it medium-thin; this way, it’s not too thick to work with when you’re cooking. You want to slices to be a decent size where they melt pretty fast in the pot.
Once you make this cheese sauce, it will take all of one big scoop with your chips to realize that it’s literally identical to – actually, scratch that, betterthan – the cheese dip that is served at authentic Mexican restaurants.
What’s great about this homemade version is that the consistency is great throughout, even if you wanna heat it up the next day. No weird, hardened cheese!
I highly recommend if you’re going to make this for an event, like Superbowl, game day, or something else, make it the day before and simply reheat it on low heat the next. Add the sour cream and whisk it in and serve hot. Otherwise, if you want to keep this cheese dip warm
throughout the day for your guests, throw it into a slow cooker and put it on “Keep Warm.” I’ve done this so many times and it’s honestly the best idea to keep it warm throughout hosting because it is a great addition to both appetizers and meals (like in your Spicy Chipotle Veggie Chili)
8slices American white cheeseBoars Head White American cheese
1cupmilk
½cupsour cream
2tbspbutter
2jalapeños finely chopped
½white onion finely chopped
1tspgarlic powder
salt & pepperto taste
Instructions
In a med sauce pan, melt the butter and add the diced jalapenos and onions. Cook for 4 mins on med heat until onion is translucent and jalapeno is fragrant.
Next add salt, pepper and garlic powder. Whisk in the milk and add the sliced cheese. Let this come to simmer about 7-10 mins on med heat. DO NOT let this come to a boil just a low simmer (small bubbles will form on the outer rim).
Once the cheese has melted and the queso sauce has simmered, turn off the heat and let it cool for 10 mins. After the 10 mins, whisk the sour cream in. Whisk the sour cream before adding it into the queso so you don’t have any lumps. Serve and enjoy!
Just an East/West coast girl living the southern life. I love sharing all my tested and perfected recipes here, along with some travel guides and a little bit of my lifestyle
