Queso is the first food I ever learned to cook myself. A bowl full of Velteeta cubes and several spoonfuls of Rotel tomatoes zapped in the microwave is a dish even 9-year old Katie could master. Variations of this basic cheese sauce got me through my tiny-bank-account 20s, and with a side of bean dip, made what I considered a well-balanced meal.
I still love queso, but my childhood version has grown up over the years. Today, it’s a hearty, meaty and spicy dip that keeps my giants coming back for another scoop. A staple at our family football watch parties, it’s a breeze to make and reheats well for late-night munchies.
You can make queso with a fancy white cream sauce but the 9-year old in me prefers it a little trashy. There is nothing fancy about this queso. Velveeta is by its very nature un-fancy. But melt it together with cream cheese, Rotel, sausage and green chiles, and suddenly nobody cares about the bougie cheese board.
I brown the sausage on the stove, then use my electric fondue pot to melt everything together and keep the queso warm for serving. A slow cooker works well, too. Stir occasionally and add a splash of milk if it thickens. Or make it right in the sausage skillet if everyone is ready to dig in.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage, mild or hot
- 16 ounces Velveeta, cubed
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
- 1 4 oz. can mild green chiles
- ¼–½ cup milk, as needed
Instructions
1. Brown the sausage in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small crumbles. Drain excess grease.
2. Add all ingredients to your fondue pot or crock pot.
3. Cook gently, on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cheeses melt and the dip is smooth.
4. Stir in milk a little at a time until it reaches your preferred dipping consistency. Start with ¼ cup.
5. Serve warm with sturdy tortilla chips.
Makes: About 4 cups.
Note: You can also make this in the skillet you cooked the sausage in. Just add all the ingredients, cook over medium-low and stir until smooth and melty.
