This Queso Blanco is the ultimate smoked white queso dip that's made on the pellet grill to give you a delicious smoky flavor. It's a great appetizer that's a crowd-pleaser!
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Smoked Queso Blanco Recipe
Whenever we go out to dinner at our favorite Tex-Mex spot, I have to order the queso blanco. It is just so cheesy and good!
Making it at home for game days, taco nights, and parties has become a regular thing.
I love making it on the smoker to get that extra level of flavor. It is so quick and easy to make — even on the smoker. It levels up a regular Smoked Turkey Pepper Jack Quesadilla with that smoky, cheesy goodness.
Why you'll love this smoked queso recipe
This recipe is delicious, and I just know you’re going to love it. Here’s why:
- This smoked queso dip recipe is a quick and easy appetizer to make, even in the smoker.
- It makes the ultimate party dip. Everyone loves pouring it over tacos and nachos and dipping their chips in it. You can bring it to your next party!
- If you’ve been looking for a queso recipe without Velveeta cheese, this is it. It uses all real cheese.
- It’s filled with so much flavor and tastes great the next day. Which means you can make it a day in advance!
What is Queso Blanco?
Queso blanco translates to “white cheese” in Spanish, and that’s exactly what this dip is. It’s a smooth, creamy, spicy cheese dip made from melted cheese and spices.
This Smoked Queso Blanco dip is similar to my Smoked Queso Dip, with the biggest difference being the type of cheese used. That one uses American cheese (or cheddar cheese), whereas this one uses pepper jack cheese.
It’s based on my green chile queso blanco dip, but made in the smoker.
Queso ingredients to make a delicious dip
The printable recipe card at the bottom of this post has the full, detailed measurements and instructions.
Here are the simple ingredients will need to make this easy spicy queso recipe:
- sour cream - I recommend using full-fat or light sour cream, but do not use fat-free. I also don’t recommend replacing it with nonfat plain Greek yogurt. While the taste is the same, it does not end up with the same texture.
- cream cheese - You can use full-fat cream cheese or reduced-fat (also called Neufchatel), but don’t use fat-free.
- roasted green chile - This comes in a can at the store, or you can roast your own green chiles which is my favorite. You can omit it if you don’t want the spice. You can also replace this with roasted poblano.
- ground cumin
- garlic powder
- kosher salt - You can also use sea salt. Table salt does not measure the same so use coarse kosher or sea salt.
- ground black pepper
- shredded pepper jack cheese - To lower the spice level, you can replace this with Monterey jack cheese. Some pepper jack cheeses use spicier chili pepper.
Overall this recipe isn’t super spicy, but if you are sensitive to spice then be careful with the roasted green chiles and the type of cheese you use.
If you’d like to add some mix-ins, this dip is really great with both chicken and corn added in. Grilled corn is my favorite. Chorizo, breakfast sausage, and ground beef are good additions as well.
How to Make this creamy smoked cheese dip recipe
The cooking process for this cheesy dip is really easy:
- First, make sure your cream cheese is softened. Set it out on the counter for about an hour before you start making this recipe.
- Then, before you get started, preheat the smoker to 200ºF.
- While it heats up, add the sour cream, cream cheese, roasted green chile, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and half of the pepper jack to a smoker-safe dish (I use a disposable foil pan). Mix until fully combined.
- Place the dish in the smoker and let it smoke for 15 minutes. Open the smoker and give the queso a good stir.
- Top the dip with the remaining shredded pepper jack. Close the lid and smoke it for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese melts.
- Remove from the smoker and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before serving with your favorite dippers.
Tips & Tricks for the best smoked queso dip
It is best to use a disposable aluminum pan. These work great because you can take them easily from the hot smoker to the table, and later you can cover them with foil to store in the fridge (or to keep bugs out).
You can also make this in a cast-iron skillet and transfer that straight to the smoker.
You can control the level of spice by how much green chile you put in. Some brands of pepper jack also tend to be spicier, so having a taste of that before adding it in will help gauge if you want to lower the amount of green chile.
This recipe can be made a day in advance, and in fact, it will taste even better the next day!
You'll get the best results using freshly grated cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-caking agent on it and prevents it from melting as well.
As written, this recipe doesn't contain tomatoes, but diced tomatoes make a great, flavorful addition!
Do I need an electric smoker to make smoked queso dip?
You actually don't have to have an electric smoker for this recipe. Whether you are using a big green egg, Traeger grill, charcoal grill, gas grill, or a smoker that uses traditional wood chips rather than wood pellets, you can make this dip! While you have the smoker heated up, make some Smoked Chicken Thighs. You can't go wrong!
The key is that you want to have it over indirect heat. If you still want to infuse that smoke flavor but plan to use a dutch oven or a grill that doesn't have a smoke, you can add just a small dash of liquid smoke to the cheese mixture.
products used to make smoked queso blanco dip
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How to store queso dip
You can store your queso blanco in an airtight container. Make sure it has cooled completely. You can also cover it with foil if you plan to reheat it in the oven or on the grill.
How long does queso last in the fridge?
Homemade queso will last around 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight, food-safe container.
How to reheat queso
For smaller portions, you can reheat a few spoonfuls of the refrigerated queso in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave. Cook it in 30-second intervals at 50% power, stirring in between.
To heat all of the queso, cook it in an oven-safe container in a warm oven (around 300°F) for about 15 minutes. If you used a disposable cake pan, you can stick that in the oven.
You can also place the leftover queso in a crock pot or slow cooker and reheat it over low, stirring occasionally. Be sure to switch it to warm once it's heated through to avoid burning it to the bottom.
Is queso gluten-free?
Yes! But your chips might not be. Make sure to check all labels for cross-contamination if that is a concern.
What to serve with smoked queso blanco
You will need delicious dippers for your queso dip. Using something that will allow you to get a good helping of cheesy goodness is key. Some good options are:
- Tortilla chips
- Blue tortilla chips
- Toasted tortillas
- Potato chips
- Sliced bell peppers
- Cucumber slices
- Cauliflower
- Carrots
- Broccoli florets
You can also spoon it over nachos, taco pie, chile relleno casserole, or a taco bowl.
It is also perfect when drizzled on your favorite tacos. We love these BBQ Chicken Tacos and Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos.
Other Queso Recipes
More Mexican appetizers
If you want to serve this queso as part of the ultimate dip trio, serve it with guacamole and some kind of salsa. Here are a few salsa ideas to serve with it:
- Salsa with Jalapeños
- Avocado Corn Salsa
- Pineapple Pico de Gallo
- Summer Corn Salad
- Avocado Mango Salsa
- Pineapple Mango Salsa
This yogurt fruit dip is also a good one to add to an appetizer spread. Serve it with Mexican fruits like jicama and mango.
This jalapeño artichoke dip and is another cheesy favorite of mine.
Smoked Queso Blanco Dip
Ingredients
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup roasted green chile
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups pepper jack divided, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 200°F.
- Add the sour cream, cream cheese, roasted green chile, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and half of the pepper jack to a smoker-safe dish. Mix until fully combined.
- Place the dish in the smoker and let it smoke for 15 minutes.
- Open the smoker and stir the queso.
- Top the dip with the remaining shredded pepper jack. Close the lid and smoke it for an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from the smoker and allow it to cool about 10 minutes before serving with your favorite dippers.
Video
Notes
- it's best to use a disposable cake pan you can control the level of spice by how much green chile you put in.
- Some brands of pepper jack also tend to be spicier, so having a taste of that before adding it in will help gauge if you want to lower the amount of green chile
- It's really great with both chicken and corn added in.
- Chorizo is a good addition as well.
- Can be made a day in advance
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy. It should only be used for estimation purposes and is not a guarantee of any kind. Nutritional information varies widely between brands and types of ingredients used. It is recommended that you calculate the nutritional information based on your own ingredients and brands used. Sweetly Splendid, LLC makes no guarantees as to the exact nutrition information.
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