Queso, a.k.a. best cheese dip ever, is a very special gift to mankind. This Easy Queso recipe is creamy, silky, made with Velveeta cheese and Rotel (tomatoes and green chilies), and ready under 15 minutes!
Serve with tortilla chips, It’s the perfect appetizer for game day, parties, or a side to your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex meal. Keep reading to learn about everything you need to make the best (and easiest) queso ever!
What is queso dip?
Technically short for chili con queso, queso is a common appetizer in Tex-Mex cuisine (fusion of Texan and Mexican cuisine).
It is a bowl of warm, melted cheese with seasonings and ingredients such as tomatoes and chili peppers (that’s where the Velveeta and Rotel come in), served with corn chips.
Another important ingredient to really take queso to the next level is chicken broth. It gives queso that added dimension of flavor and blends seamlessly with that cheese.
To the first person who said ‘hey, let’s melt some cheese!’ – the world has benefited from your ingenuity, so thank you thank you thank you. Because life certainly got yummier since then.
A Quick and Easy Queso Recipe
My husband is a lover of all queso. Queso is always present when we have Mexican food.
We are always trying out new quesos. We make our own queso. You get the picture. We are avid queso eaters…and creators 🙂
You need to thank my husband for this easy queso recipe. He came up with this recipe and has been making it since high school. We have tweaked it slightly since then, but this is a tried and true recipe from my hubs.
It is such a good one I knew I had to include it in the blog. Good things are meant to be shared. 🧡
This is a very easy queso recipe that is ready under 15 minutes. One of the reasons why it’s so easy to make is because it uses Velveeta cheese, which melts beautifully and quickly, and gives the cheese dip a nice creamy texture.
Ingredients
It is super quick, only six ingredients (yes, SIX!) and takes less than 15 minutes to make. Here’s what you need:
- Velveeta cheese – the perfect cheese to make queso because velveet melts beautifully and is super smooth!
- Rotel tomatoes – canned mix of diced tomatoes and green chilies – a total MVP in Tex-Mex cooking. I use it in so many recipes – Crispy Baked Chicken Tacos, Chili Cheese Dip, Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup etc.
- Chicken broth – this is an important ingredient that will bring added dimension of flavor to queso. Most Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurant add this to their quesos – that’s why it tastes so good! Avoid substituting with water. If you do end up using water, add some chicken bouillon to it to bump up the flavor. Chicken stock or chicken bone broth can be used as well.
- Garlic powder – this will make the queso more flavorful!
- Chili powder – a classic Mexican spice that will also contribute to flavor of the cheese dip.
- Smoked paprika – a smoky spice that is a must!
How to make Velveeta and Rotel Queso
Step 1: Bring everything to the pot to boil
Bring chicken bone broth and Rotel to a boil in a pot, then add Velveeta cheese (cubed into smaller pieces so it is easier to melt), garlic powder, chili powder and paprika.
Bring to a boil and cook until queso is smooth, and at your desired consistency.
Feel free to add more chicken broth at anytime if you want to make queso less thick.
Step 2: Serve with chips on the side
Serve queso warm with corn chips on the side. That’s how easy it is!
Pro tip: you don’t want queso to sit out for too long before serving, because then queso will harden.
This easy Velveeta and Rotel Queso recipe is perfect for Cinco de Mayo, game day, Super Bowl Sunday, parties, gatherings, or as a side for your favorite Mexican meal any day!
Warning: it is very, very hard to stop at one bite.
Proceed with caution. ❤️
Variations
If you would like to add more ingredients to make a more complex version of a queso, here are some other yummy ingredients to add:
- Tabasco – this will provide a spicier and more sour spin. A little goes a long way.
- Cayenne – if you like spicy, this is a good add! Be warned that a little bit does go a long way as well!
- Taco seasoning – this can be used in place or in addition to the spices suggested in this recipe.
- Other spices – besides chili powder and paprika, you can also use cumin, Mexican oregano, onion powder in addition or in place of it.
- Garnish with cilantro! Cilantro gives it a fresh burst of flavor when you bite into it.
- Other garnishes – cubed tomatoes, more smoked paprika etc.
- Ground beef or chorizo – want to add some protein to your queso? You can add cooked ground beef or chorizo to it as well. Add it at the end as a garnish.
Tips and Tricks
Here are a couple of things you need to know when you make this Velveeta and Rotel Easy Queso recipe!
- Use cheese that melts easily: That’s why we are using a process cheese such as Velveeta. It melts like a dream (and it tastes really good too!) and that is key to success for a good queso.
- Cook under medium low heat and stir continuously: Low heat and constant stirring is needed when cooking queso in the pot to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Adjust consistency: Add more chicken broth at any time during cooking to dilute the queso if needed. If you want to thicken it further, keep boiling and stirring for a few more minutes. Keep in mind that queso does thicken up after sitting for a while.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can but do note that a lot of cheese are hard to melt and the cheese sauce will not be smooth. I find that velveeta melts the best and makes a better queso dip than say cheddar or even mozzarella. Oftentimes if you do use a non-process cheese, you’ll want to make a roux and use flour or cornstarch to thicken.
Store leftover queso in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
– To reheat queso in the microwave, add a teaspoon or two of chicken broth or water, then microwave at 30 seconds increment. Every 30 seconds, remove from microwave and stir queso. Keeping doing that until queso is warm and smooth.
– To reheat queso in a pot, add a few tablespoon of chicken broth to queso in the pot, heat under medium heat until it comes to a boil. Stirring continuously.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
More Mexican Recipes
- Homemade Chunky Guacamole
- Mexican Chicken Casserole
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Pico de Gallo Stuffed Avocado
- Chipotle Chicken Tostadas
- Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Taco al Pastor (by my friend Tania at Cooking for my Soul!)
Easy 15-Minute Queso (Velveeta Queso)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Chicken broth more if needed
- 10 oz Rotel tomatoes
- 1 lbs Velveeta cheese cubed
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- cilantro chopped, optional
Instructions
- Add chicken broth, Rotel tomatoes to a pot. Bring to a boil. Then add cubed Velveeta cheese, garlic powder, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Lower to medium low heat and stir continuously.
- Add more chicken broth at anytime to dilute it if it becomes too thick.
- Once queso is smooth, cheese is dissolved, and queso reaches desired consistency, remove from heat.
- Serve immediately with chips. Optional: Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!
Cinco de Mayo perfection ! Thank you !
Yes!! You are so right!! 🙂
Made this for a girls’ night, and everyone loved it! Several of my friends wanted the recipe. I loved the smoked paprika. I had never even heard of that before. I’m not even a big cheese dip fan usually, but I couldn’t stop eating this. Thanks for another good recipe.
Thank you for trying it Allie! I am so glad you and your friends love the recipe. I definitely like the smoked paprika in there too, it gives it a nice, deep smoky flavor. You are now making me crave for cheese dip…might have to make it this weekend! ?
I made this yesterday and it was a hit. I kept it on the back burner while my boyfriend and I made tortillas for taco night and he devoured it as he stood at the stove flipping tortillas. I also put some inside my tacos for the ultimate cheesy taco experience. Yum!
Thanks so much for the feedback and review, Rikki! This is also a favorite in our household. Whenever we make it we cannot stop eating it as well! Haha. Quite addictive I must say. 🙂 I am so happy you and your boyfriend like it!
Can you make this in a small crockpot instead of on the stove?
Yes! I think that should be fine! You may need to use less chicken stock so that queso is not overly diluted. Typically queso will not thicken as much when cooking in the slow cooker.
MMMM so delicious and I just love how this comes together in only 15-minutes!
Thank you so much! 🙂
SO YUMMY!!
So glad you like it! 🙂
Super easy to make – Deliciousness to last days and multiple meals. Drizzling it all over our chips and burritos, and hopefully enough to last us another round of tacos and snacks!
That sounds amazing!!!
Melty queso is the BEST! Made your dip for a get together and it didn’t last long, everyone loved it.
That’s great! So glad everyone loved it!
I absolutely loved this queso recipe. I’ve made many in the past but this one is my go-to. Delicious every time.
I am so glad this one worked out for you! Thanks so much for sharing!
So creamy, delicious and beautifully spiced! Making it again this week for Taco Tuesday!
That’s awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Kathi!
DELISH! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank YOU for making it!
We’ve made a lot of queso and this one has been by far the most requested. Super simple. Perfect flavor.
Thank you so much! Happy to hear that!
THis is the ultimate easy, cheesy queso! Saving it for all my parties!! I love the easy to follow instructions to make this too.
Thanks Jennifer! Glad you like this recipe!
Holy yum! This is my new favorite queso recipe! It came out so tasty and perfect.
I always love to hear that!!!
The only time I used processed cheese is to make dips like this! It’s just so good. Thanks for sharing.
Same, Dee, SAME!!
If I used water in place of chicken broth would I be sacrificing flavor? I have a grand daughter who is vegetarian.
Yes it would. I would use vegetarian broth instead of chicken broth – it’ll give the queso more flavor compared to water.
I used milk! that’s how I grew up with it. this recipe was great for reminding me the proportions of liquid/Velveeta/Rotel.
Is there anything else, besides chips, this dip is good on? Baked potato? Thanks, it’s deliious.
I love it on french fries! Queso with baked potato sounds delicious too!
We have made served this for years at parties. I use a 6 qt crockpot on low and use 2 lbs Velveeta, 2 lbs Mexican Velveeta, 20 oz diced tomatoes, and 2 lbs mild sausage, & 1/2 cup milk. As the party starts, check consistency and add milk as needed to maintain consistency. Also, use a crock pot (slow cooker) bag for quick and easy clean up. Don’t forget the dipping chips! This serves 20-25 people.
Thank you for sharing your modifications, and how you keep it warm over time at parties…so helpful!
Very informative and helpful. i will use the Velveta as suggested because they have a white Queso variety.
That’s a great idea!