Tequila Queso Fundido

You can make this restaurant-style Tequila Queso Fundido at home for a decadent and indulgent cheese dip with a hint of tequila. This queso dip pairs perfectly with fresh tortilla chips and a margarita!

You guys know by now Mexican food is one of my favorite food categories to make and eat. This Tequila Queso Fundido is high on the list of things that I love to eat and now you can make this restaurant-style cheese dip at home too! This recipe is small-batch meant for 3-4 people but it can easily be doubled for a larger party.

What is Tequila Queso Fundido?

Queso fundido translates to molten or melted cheese and is one of the best appetizers you can order or make! Queso fundido is similar to fondue and is often served with chorizo. My version of queso fundido was inspired by a recipe I found in Real Simple magazine years ago.

How to Make Tequila Queso Fundido

• Cut the garlic in half and rub it along the inside of the saucepan and serving dish. Discard any leftover garlic.
• Grate the cheese and add it to a medium mixing bowl. Add the cornstarch, chile powder, and cumin and stir to coat the cheese. Set aside.
• Pour the tequila into the saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.
• Add the cheese mixture, a little at a time, and stir continuously while the cheese melts. Continue adding more cheese and stirring while the mixture comes together and becomes nice and smooth. Stir in the salt and pepper.
• Quickly transfer the queso to the serving bowl, garnish and enjoy immediately. If the cheese becomes too thick and cool, you can reheat it in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring in between.

How to Make Homemade Fried Tortilla Chips

I firmly believe homemade tortilla chips are one of the best things on earth. Fresh corn tortillas hot out of the oil sprinkled with salt and a little chile powder are hard to resist.

Cut round tortillas into quarters and fill a deep pan or cast iron pan with oil (vegetable or canola) about 1″ high over medium-high heat. Heat the oil for a few minutes.

You can test the oil with a small piece of corn tortilla. When the piece bubbles, the oil is ready to go. Add about 8-10 sliced tortillas to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Flip and cook on the other side.

Once the tortillas are a light brown they are ready to be pulled out of the oil. Place them on a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle with salt and chile powder if desired.

How To Make Baked Tortilla Chips In The Oven

Cut round tortillas into quarters and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Place the corn tortilla slices on the rack of your oven (you can also place a cooling rack down first so the chips don’t fall through).

Bake for 4 minutes, flip the chips and bake for another 3-4 minutes. Salt the chips if desired as soon as they come out. You can also spray with a little oil or water before sprinkling on the salt so that it sticks.

Tips for Keeping your Queso Dip Warm

Since Queso Fundido is similar to fondue, it’s best when served in a warm dish or even a fondue pot. I served mine in a cast iron dish that had been preheated in the oven. You can also make and serve the cheese right in a cast iron pan.

If you don’t have either option available and your cheese starts to harden, place it in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until it’s nice and smooth again. Please do not put cast iron in the microwave 😬, use a microwave-safe bowl.

Tools Needed to Make Homemade Queso Dip

Tequila Queso Fundido

You can make this restaurant-style Tequila Queso Fundido at home for a decadent and indulgent cheese dip with a hint of tequila.

5 from 15 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 285kcal

Author: EmilyFabulous

Equipment

• 1 medium saucepan
• 1 medium mixing bowl
• 1 serving dish or fondue pot

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic
• 2 cups Monterey jack cheese, grated (½ pound)
• ½ tablespoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon chile powder (homemade or store-bought, see notes)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ cup tequila, I used a silver tequila
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
• tortilla chips for dipping (homemade or store-bought, see notes)

Instructions

• Cut the garlic in half and rub it along the inside of the saucepan and serving dish. Discard any leftover garlic.
• Grate the cheese and add it to a medium mixing bowl. Add the cornstarch, chile powder, and cumin and stir to coat the cheese. Set aside.
• Pour the tequila into the saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.
• Add the cheese mixture, a little at a time, and stir continuously while the cheese melts. Continue adding more cheese and stirring while the mixture comes together and becomes nice and smooth. Stir in the salt and pepper.
• Quickly transfer the queso to the serving bowl, garnish and enjoy immediately. If the cheese becomes too thick and cool, you can reheat it in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring in between.

Notes

How to Make Homemade Fried Tortilla Chips

Cut round tortillas into quarters and fill a deep pan or cast iron pan with oil (vegetable or canola) about 1″ high over medium-high heat. Heat the oil for a few minutes. You can test the oil with a small piece of corn tortilla. When the piece bubbles, the oil is ready to go. Add about 8-10 sliced tortillas to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Flip and cook on the other side. Once the tortillas are a light brown they are ready to be pulled out of the oil. Place them on a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle with salt and chile powder if desired.

Make Baked Tortilla Chips in the Oven

Cut round tortillas into quarters and preheat the oven to 375ºF. Place the corn tortilla slices on the rack of your oven (you can also place a cooling rack down first so the chips don’t fall through). Bake for 4 minutes, flip the chips and bake for another 3-4 minutes. Salt the chips if desired as soon as they come out. You can also spray with a little oil or water before sprinkling on the salt so that it sticks.

Tips for Keeping your Queso Warm

Since Queso Fundido is similar to fondue, it’s best when served in a warm dish or been in a fondue pot. I served mine in a cast iron dish that had been preheated or a regular fondue pot would work as well!

If you don’t have either option available and your cheese starts to harden, place it in the microwave at 30-second intervals until it’s nice and smooth again. Please do not put cast iron in the microwave 😬, use a microwave-safe bowl.

This recipe is small-batch meant for 3-4 people but it can easily be doubled for a larger party.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.5g | Protein: 13.9g | Fat: 17.2g | Saturated Fat: 10.8g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 53mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Calcium: 423mg

Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

Did You Make This Queso Fundido with Tequila?

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