Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 3 cups
Queso dip is a cheesy, gooey delight that has made a name for itself as a staple for game day parties and social gatherings, but it can also make for a fun dinner. Since queso is mostly cheese, you may assume that it’s already keto-friendly, but most recipes call for evaporated milk and flour or cornstarch. The flour or starch quantity is usually small, but the evaporated milk is substantial, and that ingredient adds a hefty amount of carbohydrates per serving.
To make a keto queso dip, we’ve swapped the evaporated milk for heavy cream, and the flour or cornstarch for cream cheese. The result is a queso dip that’s even cheesier and gooey-ier than the usual version. Cheese fans will adore it, whether they’re carb counters or not.
Ingredients
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1 tablespoon butter
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1/4 cup water
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1/2 teaspoon cumin
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
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1 teaspoon salt
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3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream
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3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
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2 cups sharp cheddar, grated
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1 cup Monterey jack or pepper jack, grated
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2 tablespoons pickled jalapeño slices, minced
Steps to Make It
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Gather all of the ingredients together.
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In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add butter, water, seasonings, and heavy cream. Stir until very hot and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese and stir until melted, about 2 minutes more.
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Reduce the heat to low, then add all of the cheeses. Stir until the cheeses are thoroughly melted, about 5 minutes. If you'd like the texture to be thinner, add 1 tablespoon more water at a time, as needed. Remove from the heat.
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Add jalapenos and stir to combine. Pour into a dish and serve hot with keto almond flour tortillas, crudites such as broccoli, bell pepper, and cauliflower, pork rinds, or lettuce wraps. The queso dip will thicken as it cools, and can be reheated in the microwave or on the stove.
Variations
This basic queso dip is easy to change up. For all additions, stir them into the dip once you have removed it from heat.
Make this into a protein-rich, cheeseburger-reminiscent meal by adding 1/2 lb cooked ground beef.
Create a chicken chili verde dip by mixing in 1 cup shredded cooked chicken and 2 tablespoons minced fresh jalapeno, and adding a smattering of salsa verde atop.
Add 1 cup chopped cooked spinach (fresh or frozen) and 1/2 cup minced artichoke hearts for an artichoke queso dip.
For a spicier, meaty dip, add 1/2 lb cooked chorizo.
Turn queso into a supreme pizza night by adding 1/2 cup cooked Italian sausage, 1/2 cup minced pepperoni, 1/4 cup minced bell pepper, 1/4 cup diced tomatoes, and 1/4 cup sliced olives.
For a brunch affair, add 1 cup chopped cooked bacon and serve over eggs.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 460 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 42g | 54% |
| Saturated Fat 26g | 128% |
| Cholesterol 126mg | 42% |
| Sodium 882mg | 38% |
| Total Carbohydrate 4g | 2% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 2g | |
| Protein 16g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 2% |
| Calcium 473mg | 36% |
| Iron 0mg | 3% |
| Potassium 131mg | 3% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
