How to Make Queso Just Like a Tex-Mex Restaurant

Queso, a dip made with cheese and chile peppers, can be made in thousands of ways. With processed cheese or real, adding beans or meat to make it more like a meal, and in a variety of appliances — there's no wrong way to be cheesy with this hot dip.

Queso has been a hit stateside since 1918 when Mexican restaurateur Miguel Martinez opened his Tex-Mex spot Martinez Café in Dallas and offered queso as a taco topping. It really became a nationwide snack in the 1960s as processed food (ahem, Velveeta) grew in popularity. Then Texas-based canned tomato company Rotel started marketing a Famous Queso Dip that calls for just two ingredients (one being Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, naturally) and queso became a mainstay on nearly every tailgating menu and party spread.

While you can — and should — customize your queso recipe to your own flavor preferences and the ingredients you have on hand, use this guide for how to make queso on a stovetop, in a slow cooker, and in an Instant Pot as a foundation. Feel free to change-up the cheeses, of course, then toss in your favorite mix-ins and garnish as desired!

How to Make Queso 3 Ways

How to Make Queso on the Stovetop

"This was very delicious. For smooth results I added a few tablespoons of cheese at a time and whisked constantly. I didn't have salsa, so I improvised with an equal amount of chopped red onion and sriracha." — Allrecipes member Mochi Puffs

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter.
2. Thoroughly stir in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
3. Stir in ¾ cup sour cream, then once the mixture becomes hot and bubbly, mix in 1 cup of cheese and 1 tablespoon of your preferred spice-level of salsa.
4. Continue stirring until all of the cheese has melted and mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Get the recipe: Queso Dip

How to Make Queso in a Slow Cooker

"Made exactly as written and this turned out great! I was tempted to not soften the onions before adding to the slow cooker but I'm sure glad I did. The caramelized onions added another depth of flavor." — Allrecipes member Soup Loving Nicole

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of salted butter in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add 1 chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves; cook and stir until tender, or about 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Transfer this onion mixture to your slow cooker (read our picks for the best slow cookers on the market).
4. Stir in two 15-ounce cans of chili, three 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, 1 16-ounce jar of your preferred spice-level of salsa, plus 2 tablespoons or so of minced jalapeño peppers.
5. Top with lid and cook on low, stirring occasionally, for 4 hours.
6. Flip to "keep warm" and devour all party long.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Chili con Queso

How to Make Queso in an Instant Pot

"I made some adjustments to the peppers because of my personal spice tolerance. It's a really good recipe." — Allrecipes member Sarah

1. Turn on your Instant Pot (read our picks for the best electric pressure cookers here) to the high temperature. Add 8 ounces of shredded cheese, 4 ounces of heavy cream, and 4 ounces of Neufchatel cheese (or cream cheese). Stir until melted, or for about 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Reduce temperature to low, and let the queso cook for 5 to 7 more minutes.
3. Add one 4-ounce can of chopped green chiles, 1 tablespoon of finely-chopped pickled jalapeño peppers and 1 ½ teaspoons of the pepper juice from the pickled jalapeño jar for a little extra kick. Mix well and enjoy warm.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot Italian-Style Sausage-Queso Dip