MEXICAN RESTAURANT STYLE WHITE CHEESE

A creamy, restaurant-style white queso dip made with Monterey Jack and white American cheeses, jalapeños, and a touch of cream — perfect for chips or drizzling over tacos.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

16 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
8 oz White American cheese, cubed
1 cup Heavy cream
2 tbsp Unsalted butter
0.5 cup Yellow onion, diced
2 clove Garlic, minced
2 unit Jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
4 oz Canned diced green chiles, drained
0.5 tsp Ground cumin
0.25 tsp Cayenne pepper Adjust to taste
1 tsp Kosher salt Or to taste
1 tbsp Fresh lime juice
0.25 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Preparation Steps

Prepare ingredients: shred the Monterey Jack, cube the American cheese, dice the onion, mince the garlic, and finely chop the jalapeños and cilantro.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped jalapeños and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the diced green chiles and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low.
Add the cheeses in small handfuls, stirring constantly until each addition melts and the sauce is smooth. Continue until all cheese is incorporated and the dip is creamy.
Season the queso with ground cumin, cayenne, and kosher salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Remove from heat and stir in fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm with tortilla chips or as a topping for tacos.

Notes

For a smoother texture, grate cheeses on the larger hole of a box grater and add them slowly. Keep warm over low heat or in a small slow cooker for serving.