If queso is on the menu, I’m in. I wouldn’t even have to think about it, because I am always in the mood for melty cheese transported via tortilla chips.
Recently, I was introduced to another version of queso and she is every bit as cool as the original…
While queso fundido is also melted cheese, it contains chorizo or a spicy sausage and has a different consistency than the queso we usually think of. It is not a loose, fully melted dip, but a thicker, stretchy cheese dip meant to be scooped up into tortillas and while you can use tortilla chips, they better be hearty ones because this dip is substantial.
Let’s get started…
To make a skillet of queso fundido perfect for sharing, you’ll need 8 ounces of chorizo, spicy sausage or ground beef, 7 ounces of diced green chilies, 1/2 cup of your favorite beer, 12 ounces of oaxaca, asadero or white American cheese and 8 ounces of sharp cheddar.
Begin by adding 8 ounces of chorizo or a good spicy sausage or ground beef into an oven safe skillet. A great cast iron skillet is perfect for this dish, but any oven safe one will work.
Cook the meat until it is broken down into fine pieces and browned throughout.
Should we season the meat?
If you are using chorizo, it is already going to be seasoned, but if you end up using a different sausage or ground beef, I like to add some of my favorite taco style seasoning. You could either add a packet of taco seasoning or a mixture of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, chili powder, sea salt, black pepper and a little cayenne.
Once the meat is seasoned and nicely browned, deglaze the skillet with a half cup of your favorite beer. Use a wooden spoon or stiff spatula to work up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. You don’t want to leave any of this flavor behind!
Add 7 ounces of diced green chilis and all of your cheese.
I highly recommend shredding or cubing fresh cheese for this dish. Pre-shredded cheese is almost always coated in a non-stick ingredient that prevents the shreds from clumping together during storage and this coating will also prevent the cheese from melting down smooth, so it is definitely worth the time and effort to do it yourself.
When it comes to choosing your cheeses, I am using oaxaca and sharp white cheddar today, but if you cannot find oaxaca, you can substitute asadero or white American cheese instead.
Give everything a good mix and bake your queso fundido in a 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until everything is completely melted and all bubbly.
I like to reserve a little extra sausage to add over the top right after I pull the skillet out of the oven. I also garnished this beauty with diced tomatoes, onion and some fresh cilantro.
While garnishes are purely cosmetic, I love what they add to a dish, but a skillet of molten hot cheese and caramelized sausage is going to get people excited even without the garnishes.
Can you tell how thick this queso fundido is? It is spectacular and when you fill a little street taco tortilla with this melted goodness, you are going to fall in love. Guaranteed. No chance you’re not going back in for more.
If you are looking for an easy appetizer that takes 10 minutes to bring together, you can toss it in the oven for another 10 and have a delicious skillet that everyone will love then you need to add queso fundido onto your list for your next game day party or game night with friends.
You are going to love this one…
Queso Fundido
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of chorizo, spicy sausage or ground beef
- 12 ounces of diced green chilies
- 1/2 cup of your favorite beer
- 12 ounces of oaxaca, asadero or white American cheese, shredded
- 8 ounces of sharp cheddar, shredded
Garnishes
- tomatoes, diced
- onion, finely diced
- fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Assembly
- tortilla chips
- tortillas
- tostadas
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
- Shred or cube 12 ounces of oaxaca, asadero or white American cheese and 8 ounces of sharp cheddar and set aside for now
- Place a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat and add 8 ounces of crumbled chorizo, spicy sausage or ground beef
- Cook until brown and crispy and then drain the excess fat from the skillet
- Add 1/2 cup of beer and 12 ounces of diced green chilies and use a wooden spoon or spatula to work up any of the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet
- Mix in the shredded cheeses until everything is evenly distributed
- Transfer the skillet into a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted ad bubbly
- While the queso funded is baking, prep your garnishes so everything is ready to serve as soon as the queso fundido is pulled out of the oven
- As soon as the cheese is all melted and bubbly, carefully transfer the skillet onto a heat proof surface, garnish and serve while hot
