This queso diablo is a spicy cheese dip, and is perfect for game day, gatherings, or for queso fanatics who are looking for a creamy yet fiery dip to pair with tortilla chips. This is ready in 20 minutes and a hassle-free way to add a little spice to your party spread!
This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you're in a rush, please use the "Jump to Recipe" below!
💭 Why you'll love this spicy cheese dip
- Ready in three easy steps: roast the peppers and tomatoes, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, add in the spices. Heat, stir, and voila - you have your queso diablo!
- Full flavor experience, the perfect balance of creamy and spicy. This will surely be loved by queso fanatics, or even those who'll be trying queso dip for the first time, who are looking for a spicy kick on their creamy cheese dip.
- Prepare it in advance and store for later. So when you're ready to serve, you can just grab it from the fridge, warm it up, and enjoy with your chips and other sides!
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this queso diablo, you'll need poblano peppers, Roma tomatoes, heavy cream, Monterrey Jack, Swiss cheese, White American cheese, garlic, paprika, salt, ground cayenne pepper, and tortilla chips for serving.
Variations & Substitutions
- Poblano peppers. You can substitute this with a blend of jalapenos, serrano peppers, or green peppers if you prefer to take the spice to the next level. You can also add smoky chipotles for a full flavor experience. To make a mild version of this dip, you can use green bell peppers.
- Cheeses. If you don't have Monterrey Jack, Swiss cheese, or White American cheese, you can use other types of melting cheese for this recipe like sharp cheddar cheese, asadero cheese, or queso blanco.
- Spices. Add spices like cumin or chili powder to combine unique flavors that compliment the cheese well.
📖 How to make queso diablo
Step 1:
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Halve and deseed the green bell peppers (or poblano peppers) and Roma tomatoes. Place them, cut side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes until the skins slightly blacken. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes, then peel and dice them.
Step 2:
In a small saucepan, combine heavy cream, Monterey Jack, Swiss cheese, White American cheese. Heat over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to melt and blend the cheeses. Be vigilant to prevent burning.
Step 3:
Stir in minced garlic, paprika, cayenne, salt, and the roasted veggies. Heat for a few minutes until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and heated through.
Step 4:
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve the warm cheese dip with hand-cut tortilla chips.
👩🏽🍳 Top tips for the best queso diablo
⭐ Roast your poblano peppers and Roma tomatoes until they're just charred, not burnt. This brings out their sweetness and adds a smoky flavor to the dip. Let them cool before peeling to make the skins easier to remove.
- Melt the cheeses over low heat and stir frequently. This prevents the cheese from separating and becoming oily or grainy, ensuring a smooth, creamy texture.
- Stir the mixture with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to prevent sticking and ensure even melting of the cheeses.
- Don’t overcook. As soon as the cheese is melted and well combined, remove the saucepan from heat to prevent overcooking and preferably transfer to a serving dish.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
If your queso diablo becomes too thick, you can thin it out by adding a little bit of milk or cream and stirring until you reach the desired consistency. Adjust the amount of liquid based on how thick or thin you want the dip to be.
Yes! As long as it can melt the cheeses under low heat setting. But still make sure to stir the mixture frequently to ensure a smooth texture and even melting of the cheeses.
The spice level can be adjusted according to your preference. You can control the heat by adding ingredients like diced jalapeños, chipotle peppers, or hot sauce gradually until you reach the desired level of spiciness.
🍴 How to serve queso diablo
Queso diablo is a great dip for game day, parties, and other special occasions. Serve it warm with hand-cut tortilla chips and it's sure to be a hit. For more variety, you may also serve this with fresh vegetables, or drizzle it over nachos or a taco salad for an extra spicy kick. For a more delicious snack, serve it alongside other dips such as salsa and guacamole.
🍴Storage and reheating suggestions
This queso dip can be easily made and stored so you can conveniently make this a permanent addition in your food diary, especially if you are looking for keto diet recipes to include in your weekly meal plan.
Store the cheese dip in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When reheating, do it gently over low heat to prevent the cheese from becoming grainy or separating. If it thickens, add a splash of milk or cream to thin it if necessary.
🍴 More cheesy dip recipes
If you like this recipe, check out these other delicious dip recipes:
📖 Recipe
Spicy Cheese Dip (Queso Diablo)
Ingredients
- 2 poblano peppers, roasted, can substitute green peppers
- 2 Roma tomatoes, roasted, medium sized
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 oz Monterey jack
- 4 oz Swiss cheese
- 6 oz American cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450℉.
- Halve and deseed the green bell peppers (or poblano peppers) and Roma tomatoes. Place them, cut side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 15 minutes until the skins slightly blacken. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes, then peel and dice them.
- In a small saucepan, combine heavy cream, Monterey Jack, Swiss cheese, White American cheese. Heat over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to melt and blend the cheeses. Be vigilant to prevent burning.
- Stir in minced garlic, paprika, cayenne, salt, and the roasted veggies. Heat for a few minutes until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and heated through.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve the warm cheese dip with chips.
Notes
- Maintain a low to medium-low heat when melting the cheese to prevent scorching.
- Stir the cheese mixture regularly to ensure even melting and to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- As soon as the cheese is melted and well combined, remove the saucepan from heat to prevent overcooking and preferably transfer to a serving dish.
- Store the cheese dip in an airtight container for up to 3 days. When reheating, do it gently over low heat to prevent the cheese from becoming grainy or separating.
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