You know what “hangry” is, right? It’s irritation or anger brought on by intense hunger. Been there? We have, too. So our team is always putting our heads together to come up with great snack ideas that the whole family will love come game or movie night. Enter: Queso Blanco.
Video: How to Make Queso Blanco
What Is Queso Blanco?
Queso Blanco is essentially a gussied up version of a white cheese dip. It’s one of those unicorn recipes: filling, inexpensive, and easy to prepare. It’s made with real dairy milk which provides nine essential nutrients including high-quality protein; it’s a great snack for the whole family, and even more kid-friendly if you have older kiddos who fancy themselves chefs. With little to no effort, they can test out their cooking chops by whipping up a batch.
How Do You Make It?
Real milk is the star of the show here: It’s thickened with a simple roux (a mixture of flour and melted butter) to create a sauce, which is then flavored with white American cheese and a variety of spices.
It’s really easy to make, but to avoid curdling, whisk in the shredded American cheese off the heat, or over very low heat.
TIP! In the event that your dip does curdle slightly, whisk a tablespoon or two of real milk into the warm dip to smooth it out again.
What Kind of Cheese Is Best?
White American cheese is the go-to for creating a smooth dip that holds up to extended warming times without the fear of curdling. Avoid pre-shredded, packaged cheese if you can. Using cheese that you grate yourself eliminates the added starches in which most pre-shredded cheeses are coated. Those starches are great in preventing clumping in the bag, but they also make it difficult to achieve a smooth queso blanco. TIP! If you aren’t able to find blocks of white American cheese in your dairy section, head on over to the deli and ask them to cut a chunk for you.
What Should I Serve With Queso Blanco?
Serve your queso blanco with a topping of fresh pico de gallo, and scoop it up with your favorite tortilla chips, pretzel bites, or pita chips. And of course, a glass of real milk! Also, what makes this dip even more appealing is the fact that you can use it in any number of other recipes. Queso blanco with chips is, of course, the classic snack food, but stirring cooked taco meat into it creates a chili con queso. Serve this dip over fries, steamed broccoli, or even grilled chicken for a jazzed up side or a more substantial meal.
How Do I Reheat My Queso?
If you have leftovers, be sure to store them in the fridge for up to 48 hours. The queso blanco may be reheated with a splash of milk on the stove over medium-low heat, or in 30 second bursts in the microwave until warmed through.
