Cinco de Mayo Loaded Queso (Print Page)

Creamy cheese dip topped with spicy chorizo, pico de gallo, jalapeños, and avocado, perfect for gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Cheese Sauce

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
03 - 1.5 cups whole milk
04 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
05 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
06 - 0.25 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 0.25 teaspoon chili powder
08 - 0.25 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
10 - 0.125 teaspoon cayenne pepper

→ Toppings

11 - 6 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo, casing removed
12 - 0.5 cup pico de gallo
13 - 0.25 cup sliced jalapeños
14 - 0.25 cup sour cream
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
16 - 0.25 cup sliced green onions
17 - 0.25 cup diced ripe avocado
18 - tortilla chips for serving

# Directions:

01 - In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the chorizo, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess fat.
02 - In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth and bubbling, approximately 1 minute.
03 - Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Add cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, stirring until fully melted and smooth. Stir in cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper.
05 - Pour the hot queso into a serving dish or cast iron skillet.
06 - Top immediately with cooked chorizo, pico de gallo, jalapeños, sour cream, cilantro, green onions, and avocado.
07 - Serve warm with tortilla chips.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, which means you can absolutely make this while guests are already arriving and nobody will judge you.
  • The chorizo adds enough smoky depth that people will swear you spent hours on this, even though you didn't.
  • It's the kind of dip that works for casual game nights or when you want to impress without the stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip melting the butter and whisking in the cornstarch first—I learned this the hard way when I poured cold milk directly into butter and ended up with a broken, separated mess that no amount of whisking could save.
  • Keep the heat low when melting the cheeses; high heat causes them to become stringy and separate from the sauce, so patience here is everything.
  • Taste the sauce before topping it because once those fresh toppings go on, you can't adjust seasoning anymore without scraping them off.
03 -
  • Make the cheese sauce up to an hour before guests arrive and keep it in the saucepan off the heat; simply reheat gently over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring to your serving dish and topping.
  • Cook your chorizo separately from the cheese sauce so you can drain its fat properly—this keeps the queso from becoming oily even if your chorizo was particularly fatty.
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