Learn how to make my favorite asadero queso dip recipe…with having to use Velveeta!
With T-5 days ’til the Super Bowl, I feel like now is probably the right time to share with you guys my secret to homemade cheese dip that you can feel better about.
Actually, it’s a secret that I learned years ago from my friend, Maux, who shares my obsession with all things cheese and believes that a good party is not complete without chips and salsa and a warm bowl of queso.
The secret is NOT in a big un-refrigerated, orange, suspicious block of Velveeta “cheese”. (<– I mean, really, can we even still call it that?) It’s not in a long list of hard-to-find ingredients. (I still believe in the base of good queso being an old fashioned can of Ro-TEL.) It doesn’t require making a roux or standing for an hour babysitting the stove. (In fact, you can actually make this one in the crock-pot if you’d like.)
The secret is…
…ASADERO CHEESE. ?
Have you guys ever cooked with this stuff??
It’s a part-skim (or depending on the brand, 100%-skim) Mexican melting cheese, and it’s delicious in queso. The flavor is very mild and buttery, the texture is soft (think, mozzarella-ish), and it melts perfectly into a creamy queso that would go perfectly with any Taco Tuesday meal…or, you know, that big game day this weekend.
If you want to keep things simple, you can combine a package of asadero cheese and a can of Ro-TEL (diced tomatoes and green chiles) together and heat until melted, either in the microwave, on the stovetop in a double boiler, or in a slow cooker. OR, if you want to get fancy, you can add in some chopped fresh spinach, jalapeno, green onions, and cilantro to give your dip an extra flavor boost.
Up to you.
Either way, this delicious cheese dip is one that you can feel better about. And, speaking from experience, I can tell you it’s one that your friends and family will probably love. Our friends always go through this stuff so quickly that it’s pretty much guaranteed that we’ll need to make a double batch.
Because…CHEESE.
???
Enjoy!
Asadero Queso Dip (with No Velveeta!)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 -10 servings 1x
Description
This delicious queso cheese dip is made with two main ingredients (and no Velveeta), and it’s easy to make on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in the slow cooker!
Ingredients
- 1 (12-ounce) package Asadero cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 (10-ounce) package diced tomatoes and green chiles (I prefer fire-roasted)
- optional add-ins: a big handful of fresh baby spinach (roughly-chopped), a small handful of fresh cilantro leaves (roughly-chopped), 1-2 green onions (thinly-sliced), and/or 1 jalapeno (cored and finely-chopped)
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
To Make On The Stovetop:
- Combine all ingredients in the top bowl of a double-boiler, and stir to combine. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring once ever minute or two, until the cheese is completely melted.
- Taste, and season with a salt and pepper if needed, stirring to combine.
- Serve warm.
To Make In The Slow Cooker:
- Combine all ingredients in a small slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 hours on high, or 3-4 hours on low heat, or until the cheese is completely melted.
- Taste, and season with a salt and pepper if needed, stirring to combine.
- Serve warm.
To Make In The Microwave:
- Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl, and stir to combine. Cook on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between intervals, until the cheese is completely melted.
- Taste, and season with a salt and pepper if needed, stirring to combine.
- Serve warm.
This post contains affiliate links.
Could I make this with salsa verde instead? Like your dip with cream cheese? I’m from Texas, but I’m not a fan of Ro-TEL. Weird, I know!
This queso dip is amazing! It was my first time using Oaxaca cheese and the fire roasted tomatoes added a nice flavor to the dip. Sooooo good.
Hi Lex — oh no, we’re so sorry about that! :( It definitely should’t be curdling. It sounds like your heat may be too high. You definitely want this on medium-low. You don’t want it to come to a boil, and if the heat is too high, that can cause it to curdle. We hope this helps for the future!
Where do you find this Asadero cheese? I can’t seem to find it in my local groceries in Nashville, TN.
Hi Susan! Ali found it at Sunfresh or Price Chopper, but we’re not sure if there are any in Nashville. A lot of Mexican groceries carry it though, so you might want to start there. We hope this helps!
nice, never used this cheese before, love these queso dips so always happy to have another version like this one to try, thank you for this!
Thanks, Sabrina — we hope you enjoy it!
Sounds amazing!!!! I agree that Velveeta shouldn’t even be called cheese ;). I’ll have to give this one a try!
Thanks, Emily! We hope you love it as much as we do! :)
Oh my goodness, These look scrumptious. I will try this recipe in my next kitty party.
Thank you, we hope you enjoy it!
I cannot find this cheese! I live in Central Florida, and went to the Mexican grocery store. No luck!! I’ll try online!
We’re sorry, Pam! We’re surprised you weren’t able to find it at your local Mexican grocery though — most Mexican groceries should carry it. We hope you can track some down!
This doesn’t work!! That cheese doesn’t melt- it just goes all curdled and clumpy. And I heated it just like she said in the recipe! Guess there’s a reason everyone uses Velveeta. Super Bowl dip ruined :(
Hi Sara! Eek, we’re sorry to hear that! We’ve tested this several times and honestly have no idea why it didn’t work. Maybe the heat was up too high?
What a deliciousness! Look so yummy!
Thank you, Carlos — we hope you can give it a try sometime soon!