Chile Con Queso Recipe (New Mexican)

The understated thrill of the road trip is in the realization that you have the choice to keep going; to never come back. Responsibility washes over and away from me in a wave of relief. I exhale. I stare out the window. I sleep. I dream. I am on vacation....

Because I absorb so many life experiences through food and cooking, my vacation souvenirs are usually aprons and ingredients. So to mark the trip we took to New Mexico,  I bought a jar of authentic roasted New Mexican green chiles. And now, almost a year later, on the eve of our next road trip, I will honor last year's trip by using them in an authentic Chile Con Queso Recipe. Queso is popular during Cinco de Mayo and is the ideal dip for your super bowl party!

On our road trips we eat grocery store roast chicken, continental breakfasts and swim in heavily chlorinated swimming pools. And although we sleep in hotel beds, the van is our home – our cocoon. It is there that we really live; we bond and we grow. We don’t have to keep to a schedule – we have the freedom to go where and when we want. It is heaven.

Art by: my talented young artist daughter Abby Gilson

We don't always go to Winnipeg...

And this is a good thing. But we’ll drive from Calgary to Winnipeg again this year, my family and I. We've been taking road trips with our kids since the first months of their lives and long before they were even born. And we’ve done this trip a number of times over the years.

Over the years we have taken road trips to Mt. Rushmore, Las Vegas, Portland, and Minneapolis. And last year we had the unforgettable experience of driving through Colorado to New Mexico.

New Mexico

Aside from the usual grocery store grub, we do eat the odd meal at restaurants. One of the many highlights of the trip was in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where we ate dinner at the Blue Corn Café.  It came highly recommended in reviews and for good reason. It was unpretentious, had great service, and awesome authentic New Mexican Food. The Chile con queso was fabulous!

🥘 Ingredients

🔪 Instructions

This chile con queso dip is a really easy recipe to make in one pot on the stovetop. Just be sure to follow the directions exactly.

👪 Serving Size

This authentic chile con queso recipe makes 5 cups (20 servings), so it's perfect for a Cinco de Mayo celebration. However, you can half, double or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust accordingly.

🍽Equipment

You only need a medium pot and something to stir with, for this cheese dip recipe. A whisk (affiliate links) also comes in handy.

🌡️Storage

You can make this creamy queso dip a day or two in advance. And since it makes 5 cups, you may have leftovers. I store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, then reheat them in a microwave-safe bowl (in the microwave, of course!) It does not stand up well to freezing

🥗 What to serve with Chile Con Queso dip?

Chili Con Queso dip goes best with crispy tortilla chips, corn chips, or baked flour tortillas for the perfect appetizer or snack. It's great alongside salsa and sour cream. You can also serve it with fresh veggies.

It goes great as a starter with Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe (gluten-free) (shown), or Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas, and my Healthy Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elote), with Coconut Lime Tres Leches Cake!

If you are looking for Chile Con Queso recipes or the ideal dip for Cinco de Mayo or the perfect game day spread, then give this Authentic New Mexican Queso Dip a try!

📋 Chile Con Queso Recipe (New Mexican)

This cheesy Chile Con Queso is a delicious dip made without Velveeta cheese and with authentic roasted New Mexican green chiles. It's easy to make, pairs perfectly with tortilla chips, and is ideal for your Cinco de Mayo or game day celebrations!

5 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, Snack, snacks

Cuisine: Mexican, New Mexican

Keyword: cheese, chile con queso, dip, queso

Special Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: 20 people

Calories: 114kcal

Author: Terri Gilson

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

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Equipment

whisk

medium pot

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup chopped green chiles, (canned) drained
• ▢ 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 2 cups 1 % milk or skim/non-fat milk
• ▢ 4 cups grated old light/low-fat sharp cheddar cheese
• ▢ 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
• ▢ ½ cup salsa
• ▢ 4 tablespoon (or more) chopped jalepenos - to your heat preference

Garnish:

• ▢ cilantro sprigs/pieces

For Serving:

• ▢ tortilla chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• In a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add the onion, garlic, and salt and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. 
• Once the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes more, add the flour and cumin and whisk into the butter mixture and cook until lightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Increase to medium heat and slowly pour in the milk, whisking continually  until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.
• Lower the heat to medium-low and add the shredded cheese (both kinds) a little bit (about ¼ -⅓ of it ) at a time. Stir until cheese is incorporated before adding more cheese.
• Fold in the salsa, chiles and jalapenos. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve warm with tortilla chips

Notes

*NOTE: Makes about 5 cups

** NOTE : I bought "mild" because I was worried about the heat level, but the mild had no bite, whatsoever. If you want some heat, add some jalapeno peppers or tamed jalapeno peppers to your liking.

***NOTE: You can buy green chiles at just about any grocery store, but they are not going to be the authentic New Mexican ones but you can use: Old El Paso chopped green chiles in a can

Nutrition Facts

📋 Chile Con Queso Recipe (New Mexican)

Amount Per Serving (0.25 cup)

Calories 114 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 341mg15%

Potassium 95mg3%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 305IU6%

Vitamin C 6.3mg8%

Calcium 213mg21%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 114kcal (6%) | Carbohydrates: 3g (1%) | Protein: 9g (18%) | Fat: 7g (11%) | Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) | Cholesterol: 20mg (7%) | Sodium: 341mg (15%) | Potassium: 95mg (3%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 305IU (6%) | Vitamin C: 6.3mg (8%) | Calcium: 213mg (21%) | Iron: 0.4mg (2%)

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