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White Queso Dip

White queso dip is a creamy, white melted cheese sauce made on the stovetop with visible jalapeño pepper pieces and chopped cilantro. It melts shredded white cheddar and cream cheese into a smooth dip that’s ready in minutes for chips and party snacking.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

White Queso Dip
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 jalapeño minced
  • 0.5 onion finely diced
  • 2 cup white cheddar cheese shredded
  • 8 oz cream cheese cubed
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.25 cup salsa verde
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • pepper and salt to taste
  • tortilla chips for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the pepper base
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced jalapeño and diced onion, cooking for 2 minutes until softened, stirring so the onion turns translucent.
Melt the cheeses
  1. Add the shredded white cheddar cheese and cubed cream cheese, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Keep the heat at medium so the cheese fully melts without separating.
Season and simmer briefly
  1. Stir in the heavy cream, salsa verde, cumin, and garlic powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the sauce looks glossy and uniformly creamy.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm with tortilla chips. Drizzle with additional salsa verde if desired for extra visible green specks.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, shred the white cheddar and keep the heat at medium while melting so the sauce stays creamy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and rewarm gently on the stovetop, stirring until smooth; freezer not recommended. For a dairy-light swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese and milk-based cream alternatives, but melt slowly to prevent graininess.