Real Cheese Queso Blanco Dip Appetizer Recipe

Want a hot queso dip with real cheese? This Queso Blanco Dip is awesome and you’ll be hooked from the get go!

Real Cheese Queso Blanco Dip

It’s almost football weather. Well, today in Iowa it is football weather. With a high of 69 degrees, it’s got me busting out my cargo vest and clogs. But, then tomorrow it will be 80 and sunny again. I do love that about Iowa, that we have four seasons. And, case in point, sometimes we have two seasons all in one week. And, then there was that one time where it snowed on Cinco de Mayo. Yah, that wasn’t awesome. Ha!

Anyways, this current weather has me all starry eyed about fall and football, and orange leaves, leggings, pumpkin spice lattes and cardigans. And… football food. I absolutely LOVE appetizers.

They are by far my favorite “meal” to make, and thankfully, my little family also feels the same way. It’s not too uncommon that Saturdays are filled with dips, dips, some pizza and more dips.

Our son’s favorite appetizer is the ‘ol Velveeta and Rotel Dip trick. Yes, the Velveeta cheese dip is easy, but gosh as much as I love Velveeta for its versatility and creaminess while putting together a queso dip, I can’t help but wonder how it lasts on the shelf or even in my fridge, opened nonetheless for as long as it does, am I right?

So, I set out to make a version that our family would devour that contains real cheese, for the special times, you know. And, you’ll be amazed too I think at just how easy it really is!

Here’s how I whip this dip up:

Add everything in to the 3 quart slow cooker or a 2 quart crock pot (this is my absolute favorite size!) and set to low, stirring often. (This is the crock pot I use all of the time and I LOVE it! It’s actually on sale right now, too!

If you want this crock pot cheese dip to be “dippable” much sooner, you can certainly put it all in a pot, heating over low for 15-20 minutes and then transfer to the crock pot – either way, it’s absolutely delicious! This Wearever Jumbo Cooker is a number one best seller on my other site, always selling out every time it drops to this price! Check it out here.

You will want to make sure that the dip stays warm. Just like with Velveeta, when it cools down it gets kind of hard.

This will do the same, so keeping it on the low or warm setting on the crockpot is a good idea.

I assure you that this queso blanco will be one for the record books and a hot appetizer dip that will be served at your house time and time again!

A Closer Look at the Ingredients

White American cheese from the deli counter

A half pound, sliced thick and cubed. This is the secret to a real queso blanco. Deli American melts smooth the way Velveeta does, because it is made to.

Ask for it in one thick slab rather than thin slices. The packaged singles in the dairy case have a different texture and do not melt the same.

Pepper jack

A half pound, also from the counter, cubed. It brings the flavor and a gentle heat. Monterey jack if you want it completely mild.

Cream cheese and sour cream

An eight ounce block of cream cheese and a half cup of sour cream keep the dip creamy as it sits on the warm setting. Without them it tightens up fast.

Rotel

A ten ounce can of original Rotel, tomatoes and all. The juice is part of the liquid, so do not drain it. Hot Rotel if your crowd likes a kick.

Milk and the spices

A cup of whole milk, with more on hand for thinning. A teaspoon each of garlic powder, mild chili powder, and onion powder season it without any chopping.

Step by Step, With the Details

Cube everything

Cut the American, the pepper jack, and the cream cheese into one inch cubes. Small, even cubes melt at the same rate and keep the dip from getting a scorched bottom.

Everything into the crock pot

Add the cheeses, sour cream, Rotel, milk, and spices to a two or three quart crock pot. Stir once so the spices are not in a clump on top.

Low, with a stir every fifteen minutes

Set it on low and stir every fifteen minutes or so, scraping the bottom. It takes forty five minutes to an hour to go fully smooth.

Thin it and serve

When it is smooth, stir in a splash more milk if it is thicker than you like. Turn the crock pot to warm and set out the chips.

Why Deli Cheese and Not a Bag of Shredded

Shredded cheese from a bag is coated with starch to keep it from clumping, and that coating keeps it from melting into a smooth dip. It goes grainy and greasy in a crock pot.

Deli American and a block of pepper jack cut into cubes melt clean every time. That is the whole trick to real cheese queso that behaves like the processed kind.

The Faster Stovetop Start

If people are already hungry, put everything in a pot over low heat and stir for fifteen to twenty minutes until it melts. Then move it to the crock pot on warm.

Low heat is the rule. A pot of cheese over medium heat breaks and turns oily, and there is no bringing it back.

Keeping It Dippable All Night

Leave the crock pot on warm, not low, once it is melted, and give it a stir every twenty minutes. A tablespoon or two of milk whenever it starts to tighten.

If it does get too thick, do not add cold milk all at once. Warm it first, or stir in a little at a time so the dip does not seize.

Add-Ins My Family Votes For

Chorizo or taco meat

A half pound of cooked, crumbled chorizo or seasoned ground beef stirred in at the end turns it into a meal with chips.

Jalapenos

A quarter cup of diced pickled jalapenos, or one fresh one minced, for the people who want real heat.

Cilantro and lime

Chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime right before serving brighten it up. Add them at the end so the cilantro stays green.

Green chilies

A four ounce can of diced green chilies added with the Rotel for more of a restaurant queso flavor.

What to Dip

• Tortilla chips, the sturdy restaurant style ones
• Soft pretzel bites
• Warm flour tortillas torn into pieces
• Raw vegetables for the people avoiding chips
• Spooned over carnitas nachos or shredded beef tacos

Leftovers and Reheating

Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for four days and set up solid when cold. That is normal.

Reheat in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of milk, stirring until smooth, or in the microwave at half power with a stir every minute.

Questions I Get About This Dip

Can I use Velveeta?

You can, in place of the American cheese, and it will melt fine. But then it is Velveeta dip, and the whole point of this one is real cheese.

Is it spicy?

Mildly, from the pepper jack. Kids eat it at our house. Hot Rotel or jalapenos take it up for the adults.

How long does it take on low?

Forty five minutes to an hour with stirring. Start it before guests arrive so it is smooth by the time they are hungry.

Can I double it?

Yes, in a four quart crock pot. Give it an extra twenty minutes to melt and keep stirring.

Why did it turn grainy?

It got too hot, or bagged shredded cheese went in. Keep it on low or warm and use cubed deli cheese.

More Party Dips

• Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Cold Asian Chicken Dip
• 8 Cheesy Dip Recipes for Game Day
• Crack Chicken Crescent Roll Appetizers

Print this Real Cheese Queso Blanco Dip Appetizer Recipe:

½ lb Pepperjack cheese, cubed
½ lb American cheese, cubed
½ cup full-fat sour cream
8 oz original cream cheese, softened
1 10oz can original Rotel tomatoes & green chilies
1 cup whole milk
+ Add in all spices

In your crock pot, combine all ingredients
Set on low, stirring often to melt cheese dip
Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!
** If you want to melt the cheese dip faster, melt on the stovetop on low and transfer to a crock pot for fantastic dipping!