At the grocery store the other day my friend’s mom told me she wants a taco bar and a queso fountain for her 50th — and she insisted on “none of that processed cheese.” I laughed and promised a real-cheese solution. If you want authentic queso without Velveeta or canned cheese products, this Chorizo Queso Dip is exactly that: simple, deeply flavorful, and made with real cheese.
This version is packed with flavor — spicy chorizo, roasted poblano and jalapeño, garlic, onion, fresh tomatoes and cilantro — all melted into a smooth, stable cheese sauce. It’s not fountain-friendly as written because of the chunky toppings, but the base sauce can easily be strained or adjusted if you plan to run it through a fountain. It’s also straightforward to make vegetarian by swapping soyrizo or omitting the meat.
I’ve always been suspicious of shelf-stable “queso” that can sit for months — it rarely tastes like real cheese. Making queso at home is easy and rewarding: a couple of blocks of cheese, cornstarch, and evaporated milk form a silky, stable sauce. Using evaporated milk plus cornstarch avoids a floury taste and yields a smooth sauce that reheats and chills well without separating.
The rendered fat from the chorizo does double duty: it flavors the sautéed vegetables and gives the finished dip a richer mouthfeel. If you prefer not to use chorizo, taco-seasoned ground beef works well, or try a plant-based chorizo substitute. The combination of Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar gives a great balance of meltability and tang.
I make this recipe all the time and it’s always a hit. It’s excellent for gatherings like Cinco de Mayo or any time you need a reliable, crave-worthy queso. If you want to test fountain use, try a batch without the chunky pico on top or blend and strain the sauce until smooth. Otherwise, serve it warm topped with crumbled chorizo, fresh pico, cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.
Chorizo Queso Dip
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- Author: Morgan
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 pound chorizo, casings removed
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped, divided
- 5 jalapeños, finely chopped, divided
- 1 large poblano chile, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 4 medium tomatoes, chopped, divided
- Kosher salt
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more to top
- Juice of 1 lime
- 24 ounces (2 cans) evaporated milk
- ½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- ½ pound young medium or sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Sour cream, optional, to serve
Instructions
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chorizo, breaking it up as it cooks. When done, transfer the chorizo to a bowl, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet.
2. Add half the onion, half the jalapeños, the poblano and the garlic to the skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in half the tomatoes and season with salt. Continue cooking until the tomato juices evaporate, about 6–8 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the remaining tomatoes, onions and jalapeños in a small bowl. Add the chopped cilantro and lime juice, season with salt to taste, and set aside as a fresh pico de gallo topping.
4. Pour the evaporated milk into the skillet and warm it gently. In a large bowl, toss the grated cheeses with the cornstarch. Add the cheese to the skillet one handful at a time, stirring constantly to melt and incorporate each addition. Continue until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
5. Serve the queso warm topped with the crumbled chorizo, pico de gallo, additional cilantro and a dollop of sour cream if desired.