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Smoked Queso Dip

Smoked queso dip made in a cast iron skillet with melted, silky cheese and smoky poblano char. Finished with floating jalapeños and served hot over tortilla chips for an appetizer-style pour-and-dip.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shredded cheese base
  • 1 lb white cheese Use Oaxaca or mozzarella; shred for faster melt.
Roasted pepper & sausage
  • 8 oz poblano peppers Roast, then dice.
  • 0.5 lb chorizo Cook until done, then crumble.
Creamy, smoky seasonings
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 0.25 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 jalapeño Slice for floating topping.
  • 0.1 tsp salt To taste.
  • 0.1 tsp pepper To taste.
  • 1 tortilla chips For serving; warm before dipping.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Melt and season the queso
  1. Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, then add the shredded white cheese and stir constantly until fully melted and smooth (about 5 minutes). Keep the heat steady so the cheese stays glossy, not grainy.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream and smoked paprika until fully incorporated and smooth (about 2 minutes). You should see the mixture turn uniformly creamy with a gentle orange-smoke tint.
Add fillings and finish
  1. Fold in the roasted diced poblano peppers and cooked crumbled chorizo, mixing gently until evenly distributed (about 3 minutes). You should see peppers and chorizo suspended throughout the queso.
  2. Top the queso with sliced jalapeños and season with salt and pepper to taste (about 1 minute). The jalapeños should remain visible on the surface.
  3. Keep the skillet warm on low heat and serve immediately with warm tortilla chips (about 4 minutes). Look for light bubbling at the edges and a steaming surface.

Notes

Pro tip: shred the cheese and melt over medium heat while stirring constantly—this prevents a grainy texture. Store leftovers covered in the fridge up to 3 days and rewarm gently on low, adding a splash of cream if needed; freezing is not recommended for best texture. For a lower-fat option, use part-skim mozzarella instead of full-fat white cheese and reduce the butter slightly.