Homemade Loaded Queso

Close up of the homemade queso in a skillet with its garnishes

Loaded Queso is the perfect appetizer for any occasion. Studded with ground beef and garnished with avocado, sour cream and jalapeño rounds, this homemade queso blanco is a restaurant-quality dish that's easy to make at home. No shelf-stable cheese or canned milk necessary.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 178kcal

Ingredients

Queso

2 teaspoons avocado oil or another unflavored oil
1 small yellow onion (about ¾ cup diced)
½ jalapeño pepper diced
1 lb. ground beef (I used 85/15)
1 ½ teaspoon taco seasoning divided
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ cup milk 2% works great
4 oz. cream cheese
1 ½ cups white cheddar shredded
½ cup hot pepper jack cheese shredded

Garnishes

1 avocado sliced
¼ cup sour cream
Chopped parsley or cilantro

Instructions

Prep the Ingredients

Using a sharp knife, dice the onion and jalapeño pepper. Transfer them in a bowl together, and set aside.
Shred the white cheddar cheese and the hot pepper jack cheese. Transfer them to a bowl, and set aside.
Measure out the milk into a liquid measuring cup, and set aside.

Brown the Meat

In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, pour in the oil.
When the oil is hot, add the diced onion and jalapeño pepper.
Using a wooden spoon, move the onion and jalapeño around the pan, cooking until they’ve softened and browned just slightly. (About 5-8 minutes, depending on how hot your stovetop runs.)
Add the ground beef. Season with 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning, as well as the salt and pepper.
Break the beef up with a wooden spoon, and let cook until browned.
Once the meat has been browned, transfer it from the skillet to a large bowl, and set aside.

Make the Queso

In the same skillet, turn down the heat to medium-low.
Add the milk and the cream cheese, giving both time to warm up and the cream cheese begins melting. (About 10-15 minutes, depending on your stovetop and how warm the ingredients were before adding to the skillet.)
Once the cream cheese is melting, add the other cheeses and the remaining ½ teaspoon of taco seasoning.
Stir until the cheeses have completely melted together.
Add the beef mixture back to the pan, stirring the ingredients all together, and let bubble for a few minutes.
Remove from the heat and garnish with fresh avocado, sour cream, jalapeño slices and parsley or cilantro.
Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe makes a ton of queso, which is fabulous for a party! That said, if you’re making it for your family, you will probably have leftovers. And that’s OK!

To reheat the queso: Transfer the amount you'd like to enjoy to a bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk, and heat in 30 second increments in the microwave. Add more milk if necessary, as the queso will thicken when it cools, and heat until the desired temperature.

Ingredient swap ideas:

Don’t like things spicy? Leave out the jalapeño peppers
and swap a mild cheese, like a mozzarella, for the hot pepper jack cheese.
Can’t find white cheddar? Use sharp orange cheddar instead.
Not a fan of cilantro? Use parsley instead.

A note about the cheese: Please, please, please purchase blocks of white cheddar and hot pepper jack cheese instead of buying bags of the pre-shredded stuff. Pre-shredded cheese is super convenient, but it’s coated in additives that prevent clumping and mold. Which is great… except it can affect the consistency of your queso if you use this. Take the extra 5-10 minutes to shred your cheese yourself. I promise it’s worth the effort!

Nutrition