Spicy Chorizo Queso — No processed cheese in this EASY queso dip that’s ready in 20 minutes!! Wonderfully spicy thanks to the chorizo! Great appetizer for holiday entertaining, parties, and game days!!
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Easy Homemade Queso Dip
I am a huge cheese fan. I consider it a food group and I can make a meal out of it. I love cheese even more when it’s warm and melted like in this spicy chorizo queso dip. I could eat the whole bowl.
Between the fire-roasted chiles, the chorizo, and the (optional) jalapeño garnish, this chorizo cheese dip is wonderfully spicy. It has the kind of heat that keeps you going back for more.
I washed down my (many) mouthfuls of spicy queso on salty tortilla chips with Sutter Home White Zinfandel. This medium sweet, chilled wine is a perfect pairing for this easy, spicy, party appetizer that’s ready in 20 minutes. #SweetOnSpice is where it’s at and Sutter Home White Zinfandel is a must have for holiday entertaining.
Not only is this queso dip a great holiday entertaining appetizer, but save the recipe for game days and Super Bowl parties.
Chorizo Queso Ingredients
To make this homemade queso with chorizo, you’ll need:
- Chorizo
- Garlic
- Queso quesadilla
- Evaporated milk
- Fire-roasted green chiles
- Cilantro
- Jalapeño
- Sutter Home White Zinfandel, for serving
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Queso with Chorizo
Making queso chorizo dip is quick and easy and I love that there’s no processed cheese in this recipe! Here’s an overview of how the recipe is made:
- Cook the chorizo and garlic in a large skillet. I prefer to let the chorizo get pretty dark so there are some very crispy bits; cook until as done as desired.
- Add the evaporated milk and grated cheese to a high sided pot. Heat until the cheese is melted and the mixture can be stirred.
- To the melted cheese, add fire-roasted green chiles and cooked chorizo. The chorizo turns your milky white cheese into a pale shade of orange since chorizo is quite red.
- Pour the spicy queso into a serving bowl and garnish with reserved chorizo, jalapeño rounds, and fresh cilantro.
Tips for Making Queso with Chorizo
For the best queso dip, it’s very important that you grate whatever cheese you’re using by hand or in a food processor. Don’t use bags of pre-shredded cheese because it’s resistant to melting.
Do not drain the can of fire-roasted green chiles. The liquid the chiles are packed in contains so much flavor!
I used pork chorizo, but you may use beef. Just be sure to remove the casings so you can crumble the chorizo in the skillet.
Recipe FAQs
I used pork chorizo, but beef is fine. Just be sure to buy ground Mexican chorizo and not Spanish chorizo, which has a different flavor profile.
There are no highly processed blocks of cheese in this totally from-scratch queso. To achieve a lovely smooth melted cheese texture, I used hand-grated queso quesadilla that I find in my regular grocery store in the cheese section. It should say something like ‘Mexican melting cheese’ on the package.
Other cheeses in that section may include cotija (crumbly) and panela (slicing cheese) and while both are delish, stick with queso quesadilla for this recipe. Grate it by hand so that it melts evenly and smoothly.
If you absolutely can’t find queso quesadilla, Monterey Jack or American white cheese from the deli counter should work just fine. Again, buy a block and grate it yourself!
The chorizo and cheese dip is made with Mexican ground chorizo, grated queso quesadilla cheese (see recipe card for alternatives), evaporated milk, and garlic.
Yes, just remember that without the chorizo the queso won’t be spicy. However, you can also add browned ground beef that’s been seasoned with taco seasoning or even seasoned black beans.
What to Serve with Chorizo Queso Dip
Pretty much any chip or cracker pairs well with homemade queso:
- Baked tortilla chips
- Pretzels or pretzel thins
- Ritz crackers
- Celery sticks
- Potato chips
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Spicy Chorizo Queso
Ingredients
- one 9-ounce package chorizo, casings removed (I used pork; beef may be substituted)
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- one 10-ounce package queso quesadilla, grated (Monterey Jack or American white cheese may be substituted)
- one 12-ounce can full-fat evaporated milk, you likely won't use all of it
- one 4-ounce can fire-roasted green chiles, do not drain
- fresh cilantro, for garnishing
- 1 jalapeño, sliced into thin rounds; optional for garnishing
- tortilla chips, for serving
- Sutter Home White Zinfandel, wine pairing for serving
Instructions
- To a large skillet, add the chorizo and cook over medium-high heat until cooked through. Crumble as it cooks and stir frequently to ensure even cooking. Note - The chorizo I used had plenty of fat and there was quite a bit of grease splatter; use caution when cooking if yours is similar.
- In the last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking, add the garlic, and stir to combine. I prefer to let the chorizo get pretty dark so there are some very crispy bits; cook until as done as desired. Remove cooked chorizo from the skillet, set on a paper towel on a plate; set aside.
- To a medium high sided pot, add about 6 ounces milk, the grated queso quesadilla, and heat over medium heat until cheese is melted and mixture can be stirred smooth.
- Add the green chiles, about 3/4 of the chorizo (reserve remaining 1/4 for garnishing), and stir to combine. If desired and as necessary, add additional milk to achieve desired consistency, and stir to combine. (I added about 3 ounces used about 9 out of 12 total ounces.)
- Pour queso into serving bowl, top with the reserved chorizo, cilantro, optional jalapeños, and serve immediately. Queso is best warm and fresh.
- Serve with Sutter Home White Zinfandel.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Post is brought to you by Sutter Home. The recipe, images, text, and opinions expressed are my own. #SweetonSpice #SutterHome #SutterHomeWine #Wine #Cocktail #WineCocktail #WhiteZinfandel #Moscato