Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo! What better time to mix up some delicious Tex-Mex food like this Easy Beef Queso Dip! Seasoned beef, onions, and green chiles mixed in with a homemade queso dip makes for a perfect appetizer.

Quite honestly, I could eat it as a whole meal, but who’s keeping track right?

Crack open a cold beer, make some tacos, and dip into this beef queso!

Cooking the Beef Mixture

You don’t really need a full pound of this beef for the queso dip. If you had a full pound that you wanted to cook, you could use the other half for actual tacos or quesadillas or something.

For the queso though, cook the beef in a sturdy skillet and then add the onions, green chiles, and seasonings. Cook until the beef is browned well and the onions are soft.

Cooking beef for queso dip.

Making the Queso Dip

You could use Velveeta for this I guess, but I wanted to make a from scratch roux for this version so I could use some other cheeses. I stirred some flour directly into the beef mixture.

I also removed some of the beef mixture before doing this to use it as a topping. You’re call on that!

Making roux for queso dip

After the flour cooks for a minute or two, it’ll turn into a very thick paste. Then you should whisk in your chicken stock, followed by your milk. Continue to cook the mixture until it thickens, maybe 2-3 minutes.

Now it’s time to add the cheese to the queso!

QUESO TIP: Be sure not to boil the queso once you add the cheese. Low heat is best. If the cheese gets too hot, it’ll break apart and you’ll end up with a grainy queso.

I used a mix of Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese for my queso, but other cheeses are encouraged!

Adding Cheese and Liquid to Beef Queso

Stir that together over low heat and you’ll be getting close to delicious queso when all the cheese is melted.

Beef queso dip ready to serve.

To serve the queso I like to transfer it to a pretty bowl with loads of toppings on it: seasoned beef, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, and tomatillo salsa.

Homemade Beef Queso Dip

Storage and Reheating Queso Dip

This Beef Queso Dip is honestly best right away. But if you do have leftovers, it does store okay in the fridge for a few days. It’ll obviously congeal and harden.

To reheat the queso, microwave it in 30 second bursts and stir it well between cooking times. It should reheat okay and be very dippable still. Not as good as on day one, but it’ll work!

Beef Queso Dip and Chips

Have a great Cinco de Mayo everybody! Make some great queso!

Easy Beef Queso Dip

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Author: Nick Evans
Servings: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Perfect for Tex-Mex entertaining, this Beef Queso Dip is packed with seasoned beef, onions, chiles, and a homemade queso dip! Plus, it’s all made in one skillet and is always a hit!

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 8 ounces ground beef
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, homemade
  • 1 cup red onion, divided
  • 1 4 ounce can green chiles
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
  • 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
  • Diced tomatoes, garnish
  • Fresh cilantro, garnish
  • Tomatillo salsa, garnish (optional)
  • Tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions

  • In a large skillet or medium pot, add olive oil and ground beef over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until beef is browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Add onions, green chiles, cumin, and taco seasoning. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until onions soften. Remove 1/4 of the beef mixture and set aside as a topping for the queso.
  • Add all-purpose flour to the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes until the mixture forms a thick roux.
  • Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and use the liquid to scrape up any bits. Whisk well to combine. Then whisk in milk slowly. Continue to cook for a few minutes until mixture thickens.
  • Turn heat down to low and add cheese. Stir until cheese is just melted. Don’t boil the mixture once the cheese is added or it will break down.
  • Remove queso from the heat and transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with beef, onions, tomato, cilantro, and salsa. Serve immediately.
  • Leftover queso can be reheated in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 476kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 540mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 598IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 521mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Appetizers, Dips, Side Dishes, Snack Time
Cuisine: Tex-Mex

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Here are a few other great queso recipes!