Chili Con Queso

And another Friday in lock down rolls by. I was so stir crazy today, I barked at a squirrel. Our corporate happy hour / CAH game is over, and I’m hungry / bored. Quick, Fatman, to the kitchen …

Prowling the fridge, and the pantry I find a can of fire roasted tomatoes with chilis, a half block of Monterey Jack, and a half block of Cheddar, along with a bit of minced garlic, and a few lonely cumin seeds.. Match that with a full bag of tortilla chips and some sliced picked Jalapeno’s and we have a righteous snack…

From Wikipedia:

Chile con queso (Spanish for “chile with cheese”), sometimes called simply queso, is an appetizer or side dish of melted cheese, or more usually, processed cheese such as Velveeta, and chili peppers, typically served in Tex-Mex restaurants as a dip for tortilla chips.

Background:

Chile con queso (also spelled chili con queso) is a part of Tex-Mex and Southwestern cuisine, originating in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua as a version of Queso chihuahua and Queso flameado. Chile con queso is predominantly found on the menus of Tex-Mex restaurants in the southwest and western United States.

Ingredients:

Chile con queso is a smooth, creamy sauce, used for dipping, that is made from a blend of melted cheeses (often Velveeta or another processed cheese, Monterey Jack or cream cheese), cream, and chili peppers. Many restaurants serve chile con queso with such added ingredients as pico de gallo, black beans, guacamole, and ground beef or pork.

Serving:

Chile con queso is a warm dish, heated to a desired temperature. Chile con queso can be eaten with tortillas, tortilla chips, or pita chips which are thicker than regular tortilla chips. It can also be used as a condiment on fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, migas, quesadillas or any other Tex-Mex dish.

The recipe below is basic, I usually will kick up this up with some toasted cumin seed, maybe some minced garlic, onion and chilis I’ve sweated off, but I have been known to go full on crazy and add taco meat as well

Chili Con Queso

Smooth, creamy, spicy, a match for crisp tortilla chips
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course PubGrub, Sauce, Snack
Cuisine American, Southwestern
Servings 6 People
Calories 195 kcal

Equipment

  • Small cast irn skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp Butter Unsalted
  • 1 tgps Flour AP
  • 1 cup Milk Full Fat
  • 1 cup Tomatoes / Chili Mix Fire Roasted, drained
  • 1.5 cup Cheddar Cheese Grated
  • 1.5 cup Monterey Jack Cheese Grated

Instructions
 

  • Over medium heat melt and foam out butter
  • Whisk in flour to form a roux
  • Whisk in milk, and whisk until smooth
  • whisk in tomato / chili mix. (Yes, canned, yes you know the brand, No I won't say it)
  • Add cheeses slowly, and whisk until smooth

Notes

I'll serve these in the pan, with a heaping helping of tortilla chips, and sided with sliced pickled jalapenos.
Maybe I'll add a beer to the side.

Nutrition

Calories: 195kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 572mgPotassium: 110mgSugar: 1gVitamin A: 7IU
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

  Filed under: American, Basics, Cast Iron, Pub Food, Quick, Sauce, Vegetarian

Feedback

  Comments: 1