Easy Slow Cooker Queso Dip

Recipe: Slow Cooker Queso Dip

Queso dip, for the uninitiated (welcome to the fold!), is an unapologetically cheesy sauce designed for chip-dipping and ladling over fries. And, most importantly for us, it's the scene-stealer at any party. We're making this creamy dip in the slow cooker and utilizing a few choice ingredients to ensure it tastes just like the neon nacho cheese sauce you love to break out for parties.

So if you're looking to infuse your game-day menu with a dose of nostalgia, be sure to invite this slow cooker queso dip to the party.

Embrace the Neon Cheese

The use of Velveeta cheese in this recipe is going to raise some eyebrows, but here's the thing: Because Velveeta is a shelf-stable cheese product, it can sit in the slow cooker for several hours without getting grainy or gloopy, or separating. It is also so creamy on its own that it only needs a little milk and the heat of the slow cooker to transform it into dip.

Even though it's shelf stable, Velveeta is sometimes found next to the shredded cheese in the dairy case. If it's not there, look for it near the canned Parmesan in the pasta aisle.

(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

Top Your Nachos

This queso recipe only requires three ingredients. Up the nacho ante by picking out three to four extra toppings for guests to dress up their chips and cheese dip with. While the dip can be thrown together the day of the party, fix up your toppings the day before and stash them, covered, in a serving dish in the fridge.

A Few Ways Upgrade Your Queso

Canned diced tomatoes and peppers (like Ro-tel)
Canned black beans
Salsa
Avocado
Chopped fresh tomato
Chopped cilantro or chives
Crumbled cooked bacon
Chopped red onion
Sliced black olives
Chopped bell or poblano peppers

We're making this creamy dip in the slow cooker and utilizing a few choice ingredients to ensure it tastes like the neon nacho cheese sauce of your youth.

wheat-free
low-carb
fish-free
peanut-free
vegetarian
shellfish-free
pork-free
pescatarian
gluten-free
tree-nut-free
soy-free
egg-free
red-meat-free
alcohol-free

Per serving, based on

servings. (% daily value)

Calories 1992
Fat 161.4 g (248.3%)
Saturated 92.4 g (462.1%)
Carbs 18.1 g (6.0%)
Fiber 0.1 g (0.3%)
Sugars 13.9 g
Protein 116.8 g (233.7%)
Sodium 3585.0 mg (149.4%)

Ingredients

1 pound
Velveeta cheese spread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup
milk
1 to 2 tablespoons
hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot or Cholula
Tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions

Place the Velveeta, milk, and hot sauce in a 1 1/2-quart or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on the LOW setting until the Velveeta is completely melted, about 1 hour.
Whisk until smooth, then turn the slow-cooker setting to WARM if your slow cooker has that setting. If your slow cooker doesn't have a warm setting, leave on LOW uncovered to keep the dip warm without burning. Serve warm with tortilla chips and toppings.

Recipe Notes

Stovetop option: Place all the ingredients in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the Velveeta is completely melted and the dip is smooth and warmed through.

Storage: Store leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat in the slow cooker or on the stovetop over low heat until pourable.

Meghan Splawn

Food Editor, Skills

Meghan is the Food Editor for Kitchn's Skills content. She's a master of everyday baking, family cooking, and harnessing good light. Meghan approaches food with an eye towards budgeting — both time and money — and having fun. Meghan has a baking and pastry degree, and spent the first 10 years of her career as part of Alton Brown's culinary team. She co-hosts a weekly podcast about food and family called Didn't I Just Feed You.

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