Queso, a.k.a. best cheese dip ever, is a very special gift to mankind. And this Easy Queso recipe is made with Velveeta and Rotel…everything you will ever need to make the best queso ever!
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.
The bet part is…queso is stupid easy to make. Like, 15-minute, pantry-friendly kinda easy.
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 warm tortilla chips.
I like to serve up this Velveeta Queso with some of my other Mexican favorites such as guacamole, Mexican Rice, Pico de Gallo Stuffed Avocado, and salsa.
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. 🧡
Quick and Easy Queso Recipe
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.
Rotel, chicken broth and the other seasonings then gives it additional flavors. Just throw it all in there and you got yourself a creamy and flavorful Velveeta Queso.
Velveeta and Rotel Queso
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 – tomatoes and chili peppers
- Chicken broth
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Smoked paprika
How to make 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 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.
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.
- 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.
Grab some tortilla chips and DIP IN.
Tips and Tricks
Here are a few things you need to know when you make this Velveeta and Rotel Easy Queso recipe!
- Cook under medium low heat and stir continuously when cooking queso in the pot to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Add more chicken broth at any time during cooking to dilute the queso if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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. ❤️
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!)
DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE? Please comment below and give us a 5-star rating! This will help others find this recipe on Google and Pinterest. We very much appreciate your help! 🤍
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!
2pots2cook says
Cinco de Mayo perfection ! Thank you !
Joyous Apron says
Yes!! You are so right!! 🙂
Allie says
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.
Joyous Apron says
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! ?
Rikki says
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!
Joyous Apron says
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!
Christie says
MMMM so delicious and I just love how this comes together in only 15-minutes!
Joyous Apron says
Thank you so much! 🙂
MY Lim says
SO YUMMY!!
Joyous Apron says
So glad you like it! 🙂
Emily says
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!
Joyous Apron says
That sounds amazing!!!
Tristin says
Melty queso is the BEST! Made your dip for a get together and it didn’t last long, everyone loved it.
Joyous Apron says
That’s great! So glad everyone loved it!
Julie says
I absolutely loved this queso recipe. I’ve made many in the past but this one is my go-to. Delicious every time.
Joyous Apron says
I am so glad this one worked out for you! Thanks so much for sharing!
Kathi says
So creamy, delicious and beautifully spiced! Making it again this week for Taco Tuesday!
Joyous Apron says
That’s awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Kathi!
Lynn @ Fresh April Flours says
DELISH! Thanks for the recipe!
Joyous Apron says
Thank YOU for making it!