Chile con queso

Chile con queso[1] (Spanish for "chile with cheese"), sometimes simply called queso, is an appetizer or side dish of melted cheese and chili peppers, typically served in Tex-Mex restaurants as a dip for tortilla chips.

Chile con queso
A bowl of chile con queso served with tortilla chips as an appetizer in a Tex-Mex restaurant
TypeDip
CourseAppetizer or side dish
Place of originMexico
Region or stateChihuahua
Main ingredientsCheese (often Velveeta or other processed cheese, Monterey Jack or cream cheese), cream, chili peppers
Chile con queso served in a restaurant

Background

Chile con queso (also spelled chili con queso) is a part of Tex-Mex and Southwestern cuisine. Chile con queso is likely[2] a derivative of Queso flameado[3] from the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua.[4]

Chile con queso is predominantly found on the menus of Tex-Mex restaurants in the southwest and western United States.[5]

Ingredients

Chile con queso is a smooth, creamy sauce, used for dipping, that is made from a blend of melted cheeses (often American cheese, Velveeta or another processed cheese, Monterey Jack or cream cheese), cream, and chili peppers.[6][7] Many restaurants serve chile con queso with such added ingredients as pico de gallo, black beans, guacamole, and ground beef or pork.

Serving

Chile con queso is a warm dish, heated to a desired temperature. Chile con queso can be eaten with tortillas, tortilla chips, or pita chips which are thicker than regular tortilla chips.[8][9] It can also be used as a condiment on fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, migas, quesadillas or any other Tex-Mex dish.

While Tex-Mex restaurants often offer chips and salsa free of charge, queso is usually offered for an additional charge. It can be made with various cheeses. Usually it is white or yellow in color.

Although chile con queso is commonly called "queso", it should not be confused with "cheese dip," which is specifically cheese without the peppers.

See also

References
  1. Patricia Gonzalez La Gran Riqueza de la Cocina Mexicana 1999 Page 62 "Chile con queso de Nuevo León 6 chiles verdes serranos 4 jitomates 1 cebolla 1 queso fresco de vaca sal al gusto.. "
  2. Krishna, Priya (6 November 2019). "Queso Forever: Dive Into an Enduring, Evolving Texas Icon". Vine Pair. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  3. Cook, Allison (24 December 2009), "Why chile con queso matters", Houston Chronicle, archived from the original on 26 April 2012, retrieved 27 May 2013
  4. Alan Davidson, ed. (1981), Food in Motion: The Migration of Foodstuffs and Cookery Techniques - Oxford Symposium 1981, London: Prospect Books, p. 274, ISBN 0-907325-07-6, retrieved 27 May 2013
  5. "Oxnard Forty League Members Entertain Remainder of Club With Spanish Dinner", Oxnard Press-Courier, p. 6, 3 April 1957, retrieved 22 March 2011
  6. Brownstone, Cecily (27 June 1972), "Chili con Queso Tasty Dip", Spokane Daily Chronicle, p. 27, retrieved 22 March 2011
  7. Vincent, Zola (18 April 1959), "Informal Lunch, Supper Ideas Come From Mexico Kitchens", Lodi News-Sentinel, p. 36, retrieved 22 March 2011
  8. Lisa Fain (2017). QUESO!: Regional Recipes for the World's Favorite Chile-Cheese Dip. Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony. pp. 86–87. ISBN 9780399579523. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
  9. New York Style (22 April 2013). "Best Dips for Bread and Pita Chips". B & G Foods, Inc. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
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