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Looking for the ultimate party dip? You found it! This easy queso fundido recipe only has 4 ingredients but is packed full of flavor. With its combination of melted cheese and spicy chorizo, queso fundido is sure to be a hit with your family and friends. So let’s get cooking!
What is queso fundido?
It’s a Mexican-style dish featuring melted cheese, spicy chorizo, and fresh vegetables. Normally served as an appetizer, queso fundido is a flavorful and hearty way to start off any meal. And the best part? It’s easy to make from scratch!
This recipe uses Oaxaca cheese, which melts beautifully and adds a distinctive flavor. The addition of chorizo gives it a kick that packs in plenty of flavor. Topped with fresh vegetables like poblano pepper and cilantro, this queso fundido is the perfect combination of deliciousness!
Ingredients needed
Here’s everything you need to make this classic Mexican queso fundido…
- Oaxaca cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Poblano pepper
- Mexican chorizo
- White onion
- Avocado oil
Tip:
To keep this warm queso dip vegetarian, swap out the Mexican chorizo for meatless or soy chorizo. Trader Joe’s has a great vegan soy chorizo option that is super popular!
How to queso fundido with chorizo
Now that you have a list of everything you need, let’s get started with making this recipe for melted queso fundido dip!
Char the poblano peppers
Before cooking the chorizo and cheese, you must char the poblano peppers. This helps give the peppers a smoky flavor and removes the skin. Plus, adding roasted poblano peppers to the fundido helps to amp up the flavors.
Removing the skin is important because it allows the peppers to cook faster.
Here is how to char peppers:
- Set the oven to high broil and place the pepper on a small sheet pan.
- Broil until each side is charred (approximately 10 minutes total).
- After removing it from the oven, cover the pepper with foil and let it steam for 5 minutes. This will make it easier to peel off the skin.
- Once steamed, remove the foil and peel off the skin.
- Then, dice the poblano, discarding the seeds, and set it to the side.
Are poblano peppers spicy?
Poblano peppers are mild to medium in heat. They contain less than 1,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), making them milder than jalapenos.
Can I use another type of pepper?
Yes, you can use any type of pepper you prefer. Some other popular options are bell peppers, Anaheim chiles, or jalapeños.
Do I have to char the poblano peppers? Or can I add them raw to the queso fundido?
I recommend charring the poblano peppers because it adds a smokey flavor and intensifies the heat of the pepper. Also, charring helps to remove the skin from the peppers, which will help them cook faster when added to the queso fundido dip.
Cook the Mexican chorizo
To start the base of this cheese dip, you will need to cook the Mexican chorizo first.
Types of chorizo
So, there are a few different types of sausage.
There is Spanish/Portuguese chorizo, which is partially cooked and is usually eaten as a delicacy. Then there is American sausage which is usually used for breakfast meals. Finally, there is Mexican chorizo, which is ground pork mixed with a variety of spices and needs to be cooked before being eaten.
Mexican chorizo, which is what you will need for this queso fundido recipe!
To make the chorizo:
- Cook the chorizo in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until fully cooked, breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks.
- Once done, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the skillet and set it aside.
Tip:
Leave the oil from the chorizo in the cast iron skillet so that you can use it later to cook the vegetables.
Is Mexican chorizo spicy?
Yes, Mexican chorizo typically has a kick of spice and heat to it. To control the level of spiciness in this queso fundido recipe, you can adjust the amount of chorizo used.
Do I have to use chorizo in the queso fundido recipe?
No, you don’t have to use chorizo in the queso fundido recipe. If you would like, you can omit the chorizo and opt for a vegetarian cheese dip.
There are two types of chorizo, Spanish/Portuguese which is par-cooked and Mexican which is raw and cooked to a crumbly consistency. For queso fundido, you want to use Mexican chorizo.
Add in veggies
Once you have cooked the Mexican chorizo, the next step is to add in the vegetables.
- While the chorizo is cooking, take this time to dice up the white onions.
- After removing the chorizo from the cast iron skillet, use the leftover chorizo grease (with a drizzle of avocado oil) to sauté the onions.
- Once the onions are cooked, add in the diced poblano pepper and cook until they are soft (about 3-4 minutes).
- Remove the veggies from the skillet and mix with the chorizo.
Tip:
To save time, buy pre-chopped onions at the grocery store!
What other veggies can I add?
You can add any type of vegetable you prefer, including bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, jalapenos, or even spinach!
Grate a medley of cheese
Okay, now the fun part- the cheese!
To make this queso fundido, you will need to use a combination of Oaxaca and Monterey Jack cheese. These two cheeses work great together because they are both semi-soft and melt very well.
To make the cheesy layer of the queso fundido:
- Turn off the heat and grate the Oaxaca cheese first.
- Once done, grate the Monterey Jack cheese and mix it with the Oaxaca.
Tip:
To make grating the cheese easier, you can use a food processor or a hand grater.
What is Oaxaca?
Oaxaca cheese is actually a very popular type of Mexican cheese that resembles string cheese or mozzarella. It is a semi-soft white cheese that melts very easily!
Can I use another type of cheese?
Yes, you can use any type of cheese that melts well. Some great options are cheddar, gruyere, gouda, or pepper jack.
Assemble the queso fundido
After the cheese has been grated into the cast iron skillet:
- Add the chorizo on top of the cheese and spread evenly.
- Then, layer on the onions and poblano peppers.
- Lastly, top off with the other half of the grated cheese mix.
Bake and enjoy!
Time to get baking! You’re just one step closer to enjoying this ooey-gooey melted queso fundido recipe.
- Once you are done assembling the rest of the ingredients, place the cast iron skillet in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until you see the cheese turn a golden brown and bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately!
How to serve queso fundido
As soon as the queso dip is out of the oven, I like to garnish it with diced roma tomatoes and some cilantro. You can also add a few slices of fresh jalapeños or serrano peppers over the top for a kick of spiciness!
How to eat queso fundido
My favorite way to eat this melted cheese dip is with some fresh and warm flour tortillas. Just rip a piece of the tortilla and use it as a scoop to get some of that melted cheese and pop it right into my mouth – no spoon necessary! Kind of like a mini taco or quesadilla.
You can also serve it as an appetizer with a side of tortilla chips and a medley of dips like this Oven Roasted Salsa and Homemade Guacamole for that classic nacho dip.
For a low-carb option, serve the queso fundido with your favorite raw veggies as your dippers. I bet it would taste great with some mini bell peppers or broccoli.
Love appetizers? Try out these other recipes:
- Grilled Avocado Shrimp Ceviche
- Spicy Chicken Taquitos
- Air Fryer Avocado Fries
- Prosciutto Wrapped Goat Cheese
- Baked Coconut Shrimp
Looking for more dip recipes?
Click here to see the video web story version of this recipe!
Cast Iron 101 E-Book
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Queso Fundido
Ingredients
Queso Fundido
- 8 ounces Oaxaca Cheese (freshly grated)
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese (freshly grated)
- 1 large poblano pepper
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 8 ounces Mexican Chorizo
Garnish/Serve with:
- Fresh cilantro
- 2 Roma tomatoes (diced)
- Tortilla chips and/or warmed tortillas
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Instructions
- Put oven on high broil, and place a whole poblano pepper on a small sheet pan. Broil until it’s charred on each side (about 10 minutes total). Remove from oven and cover with foil, allow the pepper to steam for 5 minutes, this helps the skin easily peel off. Peel the skin off the poblano pepper, then dice, discarding the seeds.
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees
- In a cast iron skillet, over medium/high heat, add in the chorizo. Cook the chorizo fully through, breaking it up into smaller pieces as it cooks. Use a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium, add in avocado oil, diced onion and roasted poblano peppers. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 4 minutes. Add onion and poblanos to the chorizo bowl and mix together.
- Turn the heat off and add half the grated cheese to the bottom of the skillet evenly. On top of the cheese, add in the chorizo, onion, poblano mix, and evenly spread. Add the rest of the cheese on top.
- Place in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbling.
- Remove from the oven, garnish with cilantro and roma tomatoes, and serve immediately in the cast iron skillet.
- Use tortilla chips or scoop the queso fundido into warmed tortillas. Enjoy!
Notes
Chorizo
- There are two types of chorizo, Spanish/Portuguese which is par-cooked and Mexican which is raw and cooked to a crumbly consistency. For queso fundido, you want to use Mexican chorizo.
What kind of cheese to use?
- The most common cheese in Mexican dishes is queso Asadero. It can be hard to find, so Oaxaca cheese is a great melting alternative. For an extra layer of flavor, I like to use Oaxaca and Monterey Jack cheese for this queso fundido.
- Use freshly grated cheese for the best melt. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents, that can make it not melt as well, become stringy, and have a grainy texture once melted.
What size cast iron?
- For this recipe, I recommend a 8 inch cast iron skillet.
