Made with real cheese, this Chile con Queso is incredibly creamy and loaded with poblano cheese, green chiles, and onions. This is a smoky and spicy one-pot sauce. Topped with fresh pico de gallo sauce and herby cilantro, it’s the perfect appetizer!

Easy Chile Tacos Recipe
This chile cheese is paired with tangy cheddar cheese, flavorful Monterey Jack cheese, and brown onions for a warm and melty dip that everyone will love! Served with nachos and refreshing pico de gallo sauce, it’s a Tex-Mex fiesta in a bowl.
For extra texture, add a generous amount of cream and sauté the yellow onions, pesto and sweet poblano until soft. Adding a little milk also works well to mix everything together before adding the classic cheese mixture. For extra creaminess and a bit of flavor, don’t forget the cream cheese. Mixing in hearty refried beans or sausage also takes it to the next level.
Cook until a nice cheese pull is added, adding smoky cumin, paprika and spicy green chilies before serving. Topped with crispy bacon or chicharrones for extra flavor, this is a comforting appetizer that hits the spot every time.

Why you’ll love this chile dip
Chile con queso or “queso” is one of the best appetizers to serve at a dinner party. Who doesn’t love melted cheese on nachos?
- healthy. There are no interesting or weird ingredients in this recipe, just cheese, vegetables, milk, and spices.
- Fresh. You don’t have to worry about this cheese sitting in a restaurant pan for days before serving. You know exactly when you’ve succeeded.
- simple. Stir until cheese is softened and melted. That’s it! You don’t need to do much for this satisfying recipe.
- Great for parties. Loaded with tortilla chips, this taco will be a hit at all your parties.

What are Chilean Tortillas?
Chile con queso is a popular Tex-Mex appetizer/dip made with melted cheese and chopped chiles. The name means “chili with cheese” in Spanish. The dipping sauce is served warm and is a blend of cheeses like cheddar, Monterey Jack, Chihuahua and more. Melt them with a little milk until fine and smooth. To add flavor, other ingredients such as chopped onions, garlic and ground cumin are often added. Ingredients like pico de gallo and chicharron are common but not required.

Recipe ingredients
It’s packed with Tex-Mex ingredients like cheddar cheese, dill, chiles, and garlic. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities.
- Unsalted butter—— If you use salted butter, reduce the salt in the rest of the recipe.
- yellow onion—— White onions are a great substitute. Please do not add red onion.
- Poblano – Feel free to use the frozen ones as long as they are thawed.
- garlic – Do not use garlic powder as it will make the cheese grainy.
- All Purpose Flour – Cornstarch also works.
- milk – I used 2%, but use your favorite, other than plant-based.
- sharp cheddar cheese – Mild cheddar cheese is a great substitute.
- Monterey Jack Cheese – Pepper Jack can add a little heat if you like.
- cream cheese – You can use full fat or low fat.
- cumin powder – You can also use equal amounts of chili powder or taco seasoning.
- paprika – Chili peppers are a good choice, as are red pepper flakes.
- green pepper – Serrano and jalapeños are perfect for this. Try to use fresh rather than canned.
- Salt – I prefer kosher salt. Himalayan salt also works.
- coriander– You can leave it out if you like, but please don’t swap it out for fresh parsley as it has a refreshing minty flavor.
- Garo Peak – This is an optional topping.

How to Make Chilean Tortillas
As long as you don’t leave the tortillas in the heat forever, you’ll be fine. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.
- Cook vegetables. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cream, onions, poblano and garlic. Stir well and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until onions are soft.


- Make the batter. Sprinkle in flour and stir until vegetables are completely coated. Pour in the milk and continue whisking until the mixture thickens slightly.


- Add cheese. Add cheddar, Monterey Jack, and cream cheese. Mix and cook everything over low heat. Stir occasionally until cheese is melted. Remove from heat immediately.
- Add spices. Add cumin, paprika and green chilies. Mix well. Add the cilantro and season with salt.
- Serve. Top with pico de gallo sauce and serve hot.

Tips and variations
You can improve any chile tortilla recipe with these simple tips and changes.
- Add protein. Sausage and ground beef are great protein options that you can mix in or add as ingredients.
- Exchange cheese. Chihuahua, Gouda, mozzarella, and Tex-Mex cheese blends are great substitutes for cheese in this recipe. Make sure they are melted!
- Don’t overheat. Leaving the cheese in the pan for too long or microwaving it for an extended period of time may cause the cheese mixture to become grainy and separate. Always be aware of your problems.
- Make it spicy. In addition to adding more green chiles, swapping out the Monterey Jack cheese for pepper jack cheese will bring a touch of heat to this recipe.
- Add more ingredients. Crispy bacon, crumbled chicharrones, and sliced avocado are all great topping options to add flavor.
- Bean jam. Make a bean dip variation of this recipe by stirring in 1/2 cup of your favorite refried beans.

Food recommendations
This Chile Nachos with Nachos is a great appetizer for Taco Tuesday dinner.Eat with it Homemade Salsa Set aside for extra Mexican vibe.As for taco ideas, try my Ground Beef Tacos, Shredded Pork Tacosor Steak Street Tacos.If you are looking for chicken recipes, look for mine Chicken Street Tacos with Street Corn.
How to store and reheat leftovers
Once completely cooled, refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. When placing on the counter to reheat or serve, keep it away from direct heat or sunlight. To reheat, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon milk and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and heat for another 30 seconds or until warm. You can also put it in a pot and heat it over medium-low heat for 7-8 minutes.
More Mexican Recipes to Try
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Made with two cheeses, this spicy chile dip is a creamy, soft dip with sweet poblano peppers and fresh pico de gallo sauce.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add cream, onions, poblano and garlic to pan. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent.
- Add flour to vegetables. Stir to coat the vegetables and quickly make a batter, then slowly add the milk, stirring throughout.
- Next, add the cheddar, Monterey Jack, and cream cheese.Cook over low heat and stir constantly until cheese is melted and smooth
- Once smooth, add cumin, paprika, green chilies and finally fresh coriander and salt to taste.
- Top with fresh pico de gallo sauce.
**Transfer to a small pot to keep warm during the party.
Nutrition
- Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 196
- sugar: 2 grams
- sodium: 320 mg
- fat: 15g
- Saturated fat: 9 grams
- carbohydrate: 6 grams
- fiber: 1 g
- protein: 10 grams
- cholesterol: 50 mg
Keywords: Chili and Cheese, Chili and Cheese Recipe, Chili and Cheese Sauce