The Super Bowl is just a week away, and you know what that means: Super Bowl Parties. Some go for the sports – I go for the commercials and the snacks. When feeding the football fans, you don’t need to spend a ton of time and money on fancy appetizers. For this occasion, queso dip is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. It’s also easy to double or triple depending on your crowd. Queso dip (a.k.a. chili con queso) originated in Mexico as a mixture of melted cheese and chilies – simple and delicious. When someone had the bright idea to combine a can of Ro*Tel Tomatoes & Chilies with a package of Velveeta cheese, the famous queso dip as we know it was born. But why stop there? Here is the basic recipe, along with some easy ways to gussy it up for game day.
Basic Recipe:
- Combine 1 10-oz can of Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies with 1 16-oz package of Velveeta®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Microwave on High for 5 minutes, stirring halfway.
- Serve with tortilla chips, bread cubes or veggies.
Now, the fun part. Add a twist on the original recipe with these ideas for making your own Super Bowl-worthy snack.
Queso Dip Variations
1. Add more veggies. Sneak in some greens and they’ll never notice. Add a 10-oz package of frozen spinach (thawed & drained) to the recipe before cooking. Chopped bell peppers also work great.
2. Booze it up. Mix 1 cup of the beer of your choice (Budweiser® or whatever’s in your fridge will do) before cooking. The alcohol will cook off, but the depth of flavor remains. Serve with pretzels. For an autumn tailgate feel, add 1 cup of hot cider before cooking and serve with apple slices.
3. Serve in a bread bowl. Hollow out a whole round loaf, then serve the bread pieces alongside for dipping.
4. Up the protein content. To make this dip more of a meal, add one 10-oz can of chunk chicken breast and two tablespoons of hot sauce for a buffalo-style dip. Serve with celery sticks. Canned black beans and cooked chorizo also work great in this dish.
5. Go Hawaiian. Add pineapple and chopped ham. Serve with Hawaiian sweet bread.
6. Spice it up. Like it hot? Use the Ro*Tel Hot tomatoes instead of the Original version. Add chopped jalapenos or cayenne pepper sauce.
7. Say Cheese. Why stop with one kind of cheese? Add blue cheese, parmesan, cheddar, sour cream, cream cheese or any other favorites. This is a good way to use up the dregs if, like me, you have several opened bags of shredded cheese crowding your fridge.
8. Add a garnish. Cilantro, diced tomatoes (reserve some from the can before cooking), chopped bacon, sliced green onions, and diced red peppers all make a festive garnish sprinkled on top just before serving.
Famous Queso Dip Recipe
The easiest way is to make it in a microwave, but it can also be made on the stovetop or in a slow-cooker.
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes
MAKES: 2-1/2 cups or 20 servings (2 tablespoons each)
INGREDIENTS
- 1 can (10 oz) Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies, un-drained
- 1 pkg (16 oz) Velveeta®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
DIRECTIONS
- Combine un-drained tomatoes and Velveeta in 1-1/2-quart microwave-safe dish; cover.
- Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes or just until Velveeta melts, stirring after 3 minutes.
- Remove from microwave; stir until mixture is blended.
- Serve warm as a dip with tortilla chips, crackers or cut-up fresh vegetables.
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Photos courtesy of QuesoForAll.com
