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    Home » Dips » Monterey Jack Queso Dip

    Monterey Jack Queso Dip

    Published: Feb 21, 2023 by Sula · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    The “chips and dip” area in the grocery store is always an interesting place for me. The variety in salsa type dips is astonishing! So many ways to be creative and change up the flavor in salsa.

    Now, I feel like the manufacturers are applying that same mentality to queso dip. One of the popular variations is to use Monterey Jack cheese to make queso dip. And why not? “Mo Jack” cheese is delicious and melty, both great qualities in a cheese for dip.

    And it’s just as easy to make yourself. With only 4 ingredients and 10 minutes of your time, you can make a delicious warm queso dip just ready for dipping into with a pile of tortilla chips.

    bowl of Monterey Jack queso served with chips.

    Why I love this Queso Dip

    I usually make Queso (without Velveeta!) using 4-cheese Mexican blend. In order to make a Monterey Jack version, I simply swapped the cheese blend for a bag of all Monterey Jack. Easy-peasy, and totally delicious!

    The only discernable difference with this queso is that it is a lighter color. The bag of 4 cheeses does include Monterey Jack cheese, but also cheddar, queso quesadilla, and asadero cheeses. Since not all these cheeses are “white” in color, the queso made from them will have a tint of orange in the color.

    Ingredients

    ingredients: evaporated milk, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes with chilis, and cayenne pepper.

    How to make the Monterey Jack Queso Dip

    Start by warming a can of evaporated milk in a small saucepan. Heat to a boil, then add the bag (2 cups) of shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Heat and stir to melt the cheese.

    Now, add a can of Rotel tomatoes and chilis to the saucepan. I usually stick with the original version of Rotel, but the can with habanero peppers is also a good choice, for when you want a little extra kick of spice.

    adding cayenne and diced tomatoes to saucepan.

    Speaking of spice, I also add a little cayenne pepper. This can be considered optional, if you are sensitive to heat. I add ¼ teaspoon and find it to be just right. Not “hot” by any means, just a little something to keep the dip interesting.

    tortilla chip that has just been dipped into the pan of monterey jack queso.

    Sula’s Tips

    Try different versions (or brands) of Rotel tomatoes to see if you prefer different flavors. I mentioned the habanero peppers version, but there are others to try as well.

    It’s easy to vary the spice by adjusting the quantity of cayenne pepper. If you are sensitive to it, you can omit or maybe just add ⅛ teaspoon to see how it tastes to you. You could also substitute with chili powder for a more mild spice alternative.

    Use the bagged pre-shredded cheese for this dip. In many recipes, we are told to avoid this cheese as it is coated with something (usually potato starch) to help prevent the shreds from sticking together. In the case of this dip, that potato starch helps to thicken the dip as you heat it. It makes the texture perfect!

    I like to make this for dipping air fryer nachos - because you can never have too much cheese!

    pin for Monterey Jack queso dip.

    More Dips that will Delight

    • Queso Dip (without Velveeta)
    • Pico-Avocado (Pico de Gallo with Avocado) Dip
    • Pineapple Habanero Salsa
    • Avocado Dip with Corn and Black Beans
    bowl of Monterey Jack queso dip ready to be served.
    5 from 47 votes
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    Monterey Jack Queso Dip

    Use Monterey Jack cheese for a queso dip that is just as easy as processed cheese and much more delicious!
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time10 mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Servings: 20
    Calories: 68kcal
    Author: Sula

    Ingredients

    • 12 oz can evaporated milk
    • 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese 2 cups shredded
    • 12 oz can Rotel tomatoes with chilis undrained
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

    Instructions

    • In a small saucepan, bring the evaporated milk to a boil.
    • Add in the cheese and stir until melted.
    • Add cayenne pepper and canned tomatoes, including liquid, and stir well.
    • Remove from heat.
    • Serve warm with tortilla chips.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 0.3mg

    Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

    « Air Fryer Nachos with Chicken
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    Filed Under: Dips

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy Liu Dong

      February 28, 2023 at 6:18 am

      5 stars
      Such an amazing dip and it looks so easy to make!
      The perfect dip for my favorite snack.

      Reply
      • Sula

        February 28, 2023 at 8:08 am

        It's always a hit!

        Reply
    2. Sherry L Ronning

      February 26, 2023 at 10:38 pm

      5 stars
      Your Queso dip tastes amazing!! My family loves Queso dip so I had to try your recipe. It was a huge hit!!

      Reply
      • Sula

        February 27, 2023 at 3:12 pm

        Awesome!

        Reply
    3. Anne

      February 22, 2023 at 5:13 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a great dip! I like the mild and creamy taste of Monterey Jack and adding the tomatoes is brilliant. It is perfect with fries.

      Reply
      • Sula

        February 22, 2023 at 5:24 pm

        Yummy idea to have it with fries! Thanks!

        Reply
    4. Kris

      February 22, 2023 at 3:29 pm

      5 stars
      This was the best queso recipe we've ever tried! The evaporated milk and Monterey Jack combo was divine!!

      Reply
      • Sula

        February 22, 2023 at 5:24 pm

        Thank you so much!

        Reply
    5. Jennifer

      February 22, 2023 at 8:58 am

      5 stars
      This dip is amazing! It's so creamy and cheesy and it was a breeze to make! My only problem is we ran out of chips!

      Reply
      • Sula

        February 22, 2023 at 5:28 pm

        Now THAT is a big problem!! LOL

        Reply
    6. Sarita

      February 22, 2023 at 7:04 am

      5 stars
      Great tip with using the pre-shredded cheese coated with potato starch! This was just the right consistency for staying on those chips!

      Reply
      • Sula

        February 22, 2023 at 5:28 pm

        Yes! The consistency is important!

        Reply

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