Take the stress out of snack prep with this crowd-friendly recipe for Slow Cooker Queso Dip made with real cheese.
Four words: Slow Cooker Queso Dip.
And there’s nothing thin or saucy about it! We’re talking about a queso dip. A big ol’ thick and hearty dip. A stick-to-the-chips kinda dip. An eat-it-with-a-spoon kinda dip. Ready for the rundown? (Spoiler Alert: It’s only four ingredients!)
It all starts with fresh chorizo, but if you’re not a fan of the slightly spicy sausage, you can easily substitute the same quantity of ground beef. Simply sauté it until it’s cooked through and then transfer it to your trusty slow cooker along with three other ingredients.
That right there is the real deal. As in, real cheese. No processed stuff in sight! The chorizo gets cosy alongside cubed sharp cheddar, cream cheese and homemade or store-bought salsa.
A quick stir and a few hours later, and the result is a thick and cheesy queso dip perfect for dipping and dunking or spooning atop a platter of chips for the ultimate nachos. Toss on a few (optional!) sliced jalapeños for added zing, and your taste buds will be singing your praises.
Looking for more ways to satisfy your snack cravings? Don’t miss our full lineup of Quick and Easy Dip Recipes, which even includes a little something sweet to complete your feast!
And if you’re ready and waiting to see this chip-and-dip deliciousness in action, tune in to the video below!
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Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh chorizo sausage or ground beef
- 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups chunky salsa
- Sliced jalapeños, for serving (optional)
- Tortilla chips or veggies, for serving
Instructions
- Brown the chorizo or ground beef in a large sauté pan set over medium heat, using a spatula to break it apart into crumbles. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ground meat to the slow cooker.
- Add the cubed cheddar cheese, cream cheese and salsa to the slow cooker, stirring to combine. Cover and cook it on LOW for 1 ½ hours. Stir the dip then change the slow cooker to the WARM setting.
- When ready to serve, enjoy the queso dip directly from the slow cooker or spoon it into serving bowls and top with sliced jalapeños (optional). Serve with tortilla chips or veggies for dipping.
Kelly’s Note:
- The queso dip can remain in the slow cooker on the WARM setting for up to 3 hours and stirred intermittently. If it thickens too much, you can thin it by stirring in milk as needed.
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Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
can you make this without a slow cooker?
That should work, Jenni!
Delicious! I swapped about 1/4 cup salsa for green chili sauce. Ended up great! Can’t wait to make it again.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Helen!
If I am increasing the serving size to 30, will it need to cook longer than 1 1/2 hours?
It shouldn’t need to!
Is there a specific brand of chunky salsa you like to use?
I love Pace Chunky Salsa!
Really tasty! I loved it. 2nd time I tried it I traded out half the cheddar with some pepper jack cheese and it gave it some nice tang.
I’m thrilled you’re enjoying the recipe, Kathy!
This is delicious and 1 of the only that doesn’t use Velveeta!!! Real cheese, real food, real good!! Thank you!
YES! Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Jolene!
Soooo cheesy and yummy!
So glad you enjoyed the dip, Beth!
I am totally going to try this. I’m happy to see that Velvetta isn’t an ingredient. Thanks for sharing.
You are so welcome, Sharon! Enjoy :)