Cinco de Mayo Loaded Queso (Printable)

Festive creamy cheese dip with chorizo, pico de gallo, jalapeños, and fresh cilantro for flavorful celebrations.

# What You’ll 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 - 1 bag tortilla chips for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks 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 butter over medium heat. Whisk in cornstarch until smooth and bubbling, approximately 1 minute.
03 - Gradually whisk milk into the butter mixture and cook while stirring constantly until slightly thickened, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat to low. Add shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, stirring constantly until fully melted and smooth. Incorporate cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper.
05 - Pour hot queso into a serving dish or cast iron skillet.
06 - Immediately top the queso with cooked chorizo, pico de gallo, jalapeños, sour cream, cilantro, green onions, and avocado.
07 - Present warm alongside tortilla chips.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cheese sauce stays creamy and velvety because cornstarch does something butter alone never could—it holds everything together without breaking.
  • You can have it ready in 30 minutes flat, which means more time actually enjoying the party instead of stress-cooking in the kitchen.
  • It tastes expensive and impressive, but honestly costs less than most appetizers because cheese goes so far when you build it right.
02 -
  • Temperature control is everything—too high and your cheese breaks into separated, oily sadness; medium and low heat are your friends here.
  • Fresh toppings go on last because the heat from the queso will slightly wilt cilantro and avocado, which is fine, but leaving them off the heat until serving means maximum texture and color.
  • Keep a slow cooker on the lowest setting with a backup batch if you're feeding more than 6 people; queso naturally cools down, and a slow cooker solves that problem beautifully.
03 -
  • Shred your own cheese from a block instead of using pre-shredded—the anti-caking powder in packaged cheese makes it grainy instead of smooth, and you'll taste the difference instantly.
  • Keep the heat source warm under the skillet with a low flame or candle—it's the difference between creamy queso and queso that separates and gets crusty on top halfway through the party.
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