Stuff You Need
- 1 small yellow onion (about 6 oz), finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or ½ tsp Morton kosher salt), plus more to taste
- ⅓ cup chopped pickled jalapeños, undrained, plus 1 Tbsp pickle juice
- 8 oz American cheese, thinly sliced (about 8 slices)
- 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cups whole milk, divided
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Stuff to Know Before Cooking
This queso uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt; if you’re using Morton kosher salt, halve the amount. Pickled jalapeños and their juice add brightness—adjust to taste.
Sauté the Aromatics
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter. Add 1 small finely chopped yellow onion and cook until translucent, about 3–4 minutes.
Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, and 1 tsp kosher salt; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the Milk and Slurry
Pour in 1¾ cups of the whole milk and bring to a bare simmer. In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tbsp cornstarch with the remaining ¼ cup milk until smooth.
Stir the slurry into the pan and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened and coating the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.
Melt in the Cheeses
Reduce heat to low. Add 8 oz thinly sliced American cheese, stirring vigorously until melted, about 3 minutes.
Gradually stir in 8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese, one handful at a time, waiting 30 seconds between additions until the mixture is thick and stringy, about 4 minutes total.
After all the cheese is incorporated, stir another minute to ensure smoothness.
Finish the Queso
Remove from heat. Stir in ⅓ cup chopped pickled jalapeños and 1 Tbsp pickle juice. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Serve
Transfer queso to a warmed bowl or keep it in the saucepan over low heat. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.
Game Day Queso
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion about 6 oz, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 1 Tbsp)
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ tsp Morton kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ⅓ cup chopped pickled jalapeños undrained, plus 1 Tbsp pickle juice
- 8 oz American cheese thinly sliced (about 8 slices)
- 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese shredded (about 2 cups)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 cups whole milk divided
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- Tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Sauté onion, garlic, cumin, cayenne, and salt in butter until fragrant, 4 min.
- Simmer 1¾ cups milk; whisk in cornstarch slurry (¼ cup milk + cornstarch) and cook 1 min.
- Melt American cheese over low heat, 3 min; stir in Monterey Jack gradually, 4 min.
- Off heat, stir in jalapeños and pickle juice; season to taste.
- Serve warm with tortilla chips.
