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White Queso Dip

White queso dip with a creamy, white melted cheese sauce and visible jalapeño pepper pieces. Quick stovetop method creates a smooth, dippable texture—finished with cilantro and salsa verde for bright flavor.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 340
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Base and aromatics
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 jalapeño minced
  • 0.5 onion finely diced
Cheese sauce
  • 2 cup white cheddar cheese shredded
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.25 cup salsa verde
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
Serving
  • 1 tortilla chips for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the jalapeño-onion base
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced jalapeño and diced onion and cook for 2 minutes until softened, stirring so they don’t brown.
Melt and smooth the cheeses
  1. Add the shredded white cheddar and cubed cream cheese to the pan and stir frequently until melted and smooth. Keep the heat at medium so the cheese blends into a creamy white sauce without scorching.
Build the queso flavor
  1. Stir in the heavy cream, salsa verde, cumin, and garlic powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the sauce looks silky and fully combined.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste until the flavor pops.
  2. Transfer the queso to a serving bowl and serve warm with tortilla chips. Drizzle with additional salsa verde if desired, so each chip gets a bright green streak.

Notes

For the smoothest queso, shred the cheddar and cube the cream cheese small so they melt quickly; keep the burner at medium and stir often. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; rewarm gently on low with a splash of heavy cream to loosen. Freezing isn’t recommended because the dairy can grain when thawed. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and milk, then add an extra spoon of salsa verde to keep the flavor bold.