Queso Fundido is one of those dips everyone looks forward to having at any Mexican restaurant. The good news is that the ooey-gooey, melty and cheesy party dip is very easy to make at home and it only takes about 10 minutes to be ready to serve.
If you are looking for great classic Mexican recipes to serve at your next fiesta, dinner party or game night check our favorite homemade tortilla chips, guacamole and Mexican salsa!
Our Favorite Queso Fundido
I used to work for a chef named Bobby Flay many years ago. You may have heard of him or not (where is the lol emoji on this thing?). Besides being a nice boss, he also makes some of the best Tex-Mex / Southwest food I’ve ever had.
If you wonder why he usually always wins on competitions, let me tell you a secret, he actually prefers to lose but his recipes are so crazy good that he usually ends up winning.
This Queso recipe is my version of a cheese appetizer I had at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill restaurant. I was blown away by their rich and tasty queso dip and I was determined to make it at home. Although this is not your typical queso made with cheese and chorizo, I promise you, this recipe is amazing!
What makes this cheese dip recipe different is the addition of crumbled goat cheese. You may think, goat cheese in queso? Trust me, the combination of warm melty Monterrey Jack cheese with the subtle hint of tangy goat cheese is amazing! Definitely a fun version of the always popular queso.
What is Queso Fundido
Queso Fundido translates to “melted cheese” and it’s the quintessential Mexican restaurant dip and one of the first appetizers to disappear at any gathering. There is nothing quite like sinking a crispy tortilla chip in a pool of deliciously warm melted cheese. Most queso fundido recipes are made with cheeses such as Monterey Jack, Mozarella, Queso Oaxaca, Asadero or Panera.
This recipe is closely related to Queso Flambé or Queso Flambeado in which liquor is poured and burnt off table side.
Queso Fundido Ingredients
- Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is to make a roux that will thicken the dip a bit.
- Milk: I use whole milk for creaminess and richness.
- Monterey Jack Cheese: It melts better when is freshly shredded instead of pre-shredded.
- Roasted Jalapeños: You can roast jalapeño chiles on an open fire or simple use canned chiles (I prefer mild but if you like spicy foods use hot chiles)
- Goat Cheese: This is not one of the traditional cheeses used for this recipe but it works! It adds a bit of sophistication and elevates the humble party dip.
- Salt and Pepper: I use sea salt or Kosher salt.
- To serve: Chopped cilantro as garnish and tortilla chips for serving.
How To Make Queso Fundido
- Make A Roux: For this queso recipe, I start by making a simple roux. A roux is the combination of flour and a fat (in this case butter). It serves as a thickening agent. Roux is the base of many sauces like the cheese sauce on mac and cheese.
- Add Milk: whisk in the milk and cook this mixture for a couple of minutes or until slightly thicken.
- Add Monterey Jack Cheese: Then, I mix in the Monterrey Jack Cheese and roasted jalapenos (or canned chilis). The cheese sauce will become creamy and you will have a hard time from dipping a piece of bread or tortilla chip in it! Self control is of the most importance here!!
- Add Goat Cheese: Next, fold in the goat cheese crumbles. You want to keep some of the crumbles intact for little pops of flavor. Do a quick stir to prevent the goat cheese from completely blending with the Monterrey Jack cheese.
- Bake: Next, bake or broil the dip in the oven until the top is golden brown. Garnish with chopped cilantro (or parsley) and serve.
How To Make Queso Fundido with Chorizo
- Heat a 9 or 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Mexican chorizo and cook until crumbly and crispy. Remove about 1/4 cup of the chorizo to use as topping then, drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat rendered. If you don’t have enough fat from the chorizo, add enough butter to have about a tablespoon of fat in the pan.
- Add flour to the skillet and cook for about a minute stirring constantly.
- Whisk in the milk and cook for about 3 minutes or until slightly thickened,
- Remove from the heat and immediately add the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese. Mix and season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped roasted jalapenos.
- Crumble the goat cheese on top and mix it gently. Don’t over mix. Top with the remaining chorizo.
- Bake or broil until the top is golden brown. Garnish with chopped cilantro (or parsley) and serve.
What Is Queso Fundado Made Of?
Authentic queso fundido is usually made by melting Queso Asadero or Oaxaca however, these two options are not always easy to find outside of Mexico. Commonly, Monterey Jack cheese is used and some recipes suggest using a combination of this cheese with Mozzarella, Queso Panera or Queso Chihuahua.
Other Variations
Cooked crumbled Mexican chorizo is also a common addition to this dip. I wanted to keep this queso vegetarian but if you’d like, you can easily add chorizo to this recipe. You can find more details below.
Other common ingredients added to the cheese are chopped sautéed onions and poblano chiles. As for the toppings, chopped tomatoes, cilantro and pico de gallo are the most common.
What Is the Best Cheese To Use For Queso Fundido?
In my opinion, outside of Mexico I really like the flavor of Monterrey Jack cheese to make this recipe. However, picking one cheese over the other is like picking a favorite child. An impossible task!
Storage and Reheating
Queso Fundido is best eaten fresh but it will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave in small intervals until heated through. You can also warm it up covered, in a pre-heated 325º F oven until heated through.
Queso Fundido Recipe Tips
- Use whole milk for this cheese dip recipe. Whole milk makes this party dip richer and creamier than low fat milk. However, if low fat milk is all you have, go ahead and use it. Just remember the result won’t be as decadent and rich.
- Use a log of goat cheese and crumble it yourself. Sometimes already crumbled goat cheese is a bit dry (great for a salad but not so much for a warm dip.)
- When mixing the melted Monterey Jack cheese queso with the goat cheese, do not over mix. A quick stir is all you need!
- If you use the broiler, keep an eye on the dip as it broils. It gets golden brown pretty fast!
- This recipe uses chopped roasted mild canned jalapenos. If you would like this queso spicy, add hot jalapenos.
- Use a skillet that is oven safe!
Queso Fundido
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese,shredded
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 – 2 tablespoons chopped roasted jalapenos or canned chiles
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
- Tortilla Chips to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit OR preheat the broiler
- In a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for about one minute. Whisk in the milk and cook for about 3 minutes or until slightly thickened.
- Remove from the heat and immediately add the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese. Mix and season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped roasted jalapenos. Crumble the goat cheese on top and mix it gently. Don’t over mix.
If Baking:
- Place the pan in the preheated 400 degrees oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the top starts to get golden brown
If Broiling:
- Put the pan under the broiler and broil until the top is golden brown. Watch it! It won’t take long!!
- Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with tortilla chips for dipping.
Recipe Notes
- If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, use an oven-safe skillet or a sauce pan. You can always pour the queso into a baking dish before baking/broiling.
- Heat a 9 or 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Mexican chorizo and cook until crumbly and crispy. Remove about 1/4 cup of the chorizo to use as topping then, drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat rendered.
- Add flour to the skillet and cook for about a minute stirring constantly.
- Whisk in the milk and cook for about 3 minutes or until slightly thickened,
- Remove from the heat and immediately add the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese. Mix and season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped roasted jalapenos.
- Crumble the goat cheese on top and mix it gently. Don’t over mix. Top with the remaining chorizo.
- Bake or broil until the top is golden brown. Garnish with chopped cilantro (or parsley) and serve.
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