I am so excited to share this Qdoba queso dip recipe with you. It’s cheesy and delicious – a perfect snack for game day or any day. This recipe was first shared in 2014 and updated with newer photos and more information to help you make the best queso dip recipe. Qdoba has slightly changed their queso in recent years, but this copycat recipe remains a favorite for a homemade version!
If you’ve been to Qdoba, you must know about their queso dip. The first time I had queso dip, I searched and searched for existing copycat recipes, but none were quite right and some were made in massive quantities. So, when I set out to make my own version, I was amazed at how great it came out! Since I originally created this recipe (in 2014) there have been so many replicas of my recipe below!
I don’t know if you’ll love me or hate me for posting this recipe, because you will want to devour it, it’s so so good. Cheesy, has just the right amount of spices and roasted peppers, just queso perfection with every bite.
What ingredients do you need to re-create and make Qdoba queso?
- American cheese
- White cheddar
- White Monterrey jack cheese
- Poblano peppers
- Roma tomatoes
- Salt and pepper
- Heavy cream
- Olive oil
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Dried minced garlic
There is nothing better than a slow cooker filled with cheese! Once all of the ingredients are in the slow cooker, close that lid, stir occasionally and you can even dip directly in the cooker to save a dish.
What are some tips for making this queso dip?
- Do not make this recipe on the stovetop. Yes, it is done quicker, but the recipe will be grainy, extremely thick and the cheese/oil will likely separate.
- Only cook on the low setting of the slow cooker.
- Again, it will cook on high just fine, but you’re likely to run into a texture/separation issue.
- Be sure to roast the tomatoes and peppers ahead of time. This really helps add a layer of flavor to the cheese.
- Make sure you remove the skin from the veggies after roasting.
- If you want the dip to stay liquid a little longer, try adding 2 oz of cream cheese.
Doesn’t the dip look DELICIOUS!? I highly recommend your hand at trying this copycat recipe. It’s a great option if you’re having friends over because you’ll have a slow cooker full.
Enjoy this dip right out of the slow cooker with some tortilla chips. One last note, you can make this queso recipe with Kraft singles (for the American cheese portion), the color of this Qdoba queso dip will be more yellow-orange in color. If you use white American cheese, the dip will be lighter in color (more similar to Qdoba). Either way, it will taste amazing!
Qdoba Queso Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz American Cheese cubed
- 8 oz White Cheddar cubed
- 8 oz White Monterey Jack Cheese cubed
- 2 Poblano Peppers
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Tbs Olive Oil
- 1/2 tsp each Paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried minced garlic or one fresh garlic clove, pressed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450. Start by pitting and cutting peppers and tomatoes into pieces (I cut my tomatoes into 4's and my peppers in 6's) discard the centers and seeds and place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle Olive Oil over veggies and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. Bake for 15 minutes until the skins are blackened. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 min. Once cool enough to touch, remove the skins and throw out.
- Put unpeeled veggies in a food processor with 1/2 cup of the heavy cream and blend.(If you don't have a food processor just chop up the veggies). Cube the cheese and put cheese and remaining ingredients and veggies in a crock pot.
- Heat on LOW for 2 - 4 hours (this recipe does not turn out well on high). Time will vary based on the size of your crock pot. If you use a mini crock pot, it might take 4 hours. In the larger the crock pot, it should cook in close to 2 hours. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!!!
JustMe says
I made this and it’s delicious!!!!! I followed the recipe and then added and adjusted. Here’s what I did. 16 ounces of cream instead of a cup. Added in a fresh jalapeño and large fresh tomato. Added cumin, more black pepper and cayenne. Onion powder, garlic powder as well.
Lastly I slow cooked it on my stovetop and simmered it on low for about 3 hours, using a wisk until melted. It was thin at first but then thickens up the longer it’s on the low heat setting and stirred. Restaurant quality success!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for this awesome feedback!! I love this queso recipe so much too, so I’m happy you enjoyed it too!
Deedee says
We were on a good path. About an hour in, the cheese was melting and getting creamy. two hours, Looking good. just a bit more to go. Then I went to the store. An hour later…GRAINY! Based on my experience, as others posted, its the heat/temp of the queso. You must remove it from the heat before it gets so hot it curds the cheese.
Deedee says
I accidentally gave it 5 stars. It should be 3 stars, because the flavor was pretty good..
Sweetphi says
Thank you for your feedback, the flavor is super good on this.
Sweetphi says
Thank you for the feedback. I completely agree, when the cheese is melted you should remove it from heat. I’ve added an even clearer note in the recipe to help. It’s so tough because all slow cookers are a little different. So if this is made in a 6qt slow cooker vs. smaller 3 qt one, it probably needs less time.
Brady Hoffman says
Had a decent taste. Followed the recipe to a T and it was really grainy and thick. Even after the low heat. Right amount of each ingredient. Small crock pot and all. Had pretty high expectations. Sadly didn’t meet them.
Sweetphi says
So sorry to hear this! Did you make any modifications?
Val says
Mine was going so well, but the crock pot goofed it. I have a small crockpot, but even the low setting is too hot. One of the cheeses started separating, giving the grainy texture. The flavor is spot on though. The heat is everything in this cheese fusion.
Sweetphi says
Thank you for sharing, so glad you liked the flavor (it’s so good isn’t it?) Sorry your crock pot goofed, I’ve had that happen too!
Maria says
Is it possible to use a pan but in simmer setting and constantly moving? Or will the cheese separate?
Sweetphi says
What a great idea, I’ve never tried this, but I think a double boiler type set up would work great!
bob j says
Hello i am attempting this recipe and about half way done in large crock pot on low. It seems pretty thick when i mix it. Am i supposed to not mix occasionally or will it begin to thin out before it is done?
Rachel Strubhar says
I just made this today, as close as I could to the given recipe, and it was fantastic!! I only have a large crock pot – don’t have a small. Maybe that is why it only took an hour and a half on low instead of 4? But the texture and consistency was creamy delicious perfect!! That is, it was perfect for dipping chips. However, for a queso to add to something like a burrito bowl, this is a bit too cheesy thick, in my opinion. To fix this, I added 1 extra cup of heavy cream, and it was perfect! About exactly like the Qdoba version. And it still works great for chips.
Also, I couldn’t find poblano peppers in the store, so I used 2 Anaheim peppers instead. I roasted the peppers and tomatoes as directed, and it turned out SO delicious!!
Thank you for the recipe!! I can’t stop eating it!
Sweetphi says
So happy to hear how you made this work and the modifications, I love this recipe too!!
Phuong says
I made this tonight, followed the recipe with a small crockpot. Veggies were chopped, cheese were blocks that I cubed. It’s been 5 hrs on low and the dip is too watery and some of the cheese is still not melted. I suspect it’s the American cheese? Any suggestions for American cheese substitutes?
Sweetphi says
Thanks for your comment….5 hours on low and the cheese didn’t melt? Have you ever had that happen before (things not melting/cooking?) It might be that your slow cooker is on the fritz. I’ve never had cheese not melt…I don’t think it’s the American, but if you’d like you could always substitute with a different cheese, I’ve heard Muenster is a good substitute.
Phuong says
Can’t recall if I did block cheese before. I’ve never had an issue with this crockpot before, perhaps it is on the fritz or was too full. I tried again with my 6 quart crockpot and it turned out better! Thanks!
Kathleen Mahoney says
I made this today, and the flavor was outstanding. Absolutely loved it! Those roasted veggies added the most amazing flavor.
The only problem is that I still had unmelted chunks of cheese after heating on low for 4 hours. (My chunks were 1” or smaller.) Any idea what I can do differently?
Warren says
Mine turned out grainy and tasteless. No flavor that comes close to Qdoba. I did exactly what the direction of the recipe and it was unsuccessful. I tossed it. Delete this recipe, please. It didn’t turn creamy as what I expected. It was awful. I wish I could show you the pictures, but I couldn’t with this website.
Sweetphi says
So sorry this was unsuccessful for you! Did you use a small slow cooker on low? I recently made this and it was really good, but I’m so sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you!
Seana Mach says
Thank you for NOT deleting this recipe. I made it today and it turned out exactly like my favorite Qdoba queso. I added a lot more heavy cream to make it less thick. Thank YOU SO MUCH!!!!
Sweetphi says
I’m so happy to hear this amazing feedback, thank you so much for sharing!!! So glad you loved this super tasty queso 🙂
Kathleen says
Warren, I’m not sure why you had such a different experience. I thought the flavor was *amazing*.
Kerri says
I have made this twice and it’s very good. How do you reheat the next day? I have tried both times and It’s very oily.
Sweetphi says
I’ve not found a good way to reheat it the next day except slowly heating it up via stovetop, but it has to be low and slow.
Felicity LaRue says
I am going to make this today, but I couldn’t find white american cheese. So can i just double the amount of white cheddar or Monterey jack instead? Also, if i don’t have a food processor, how do I mix the cream and peppers? Also, the recipe calls for 1 cup of heavy cream, but then in the directions it says to use a food processor to blend the peppers and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Where does the other 1/2 cup get used? Thank you!
Sweetphi says
Hi Felicity, you could use double the amount of other cheeses. If you don’t have a good processor you could use a blender, or you could chop up the veggies very finely and then hand mix the ingredients in a bowl.
The remaining 1/2 cup of heavy cream gets added to the crockpot where it says “add remaining ingredients”
Hope you enjoy this queso as much as we do 🙂
Suri says
CAN I make the queso sauce a day before and heat it up when I need it?
Sweetphi says
You could prep all the ingredients ahead of time, but I wouldn’t suggest actually making it until the day of.
john alexander says
I did this exactly how it says to and in a crock pot. Mine turned out very gritty tasting. And the title says qdoba queso but we found no similarities at all to their queso.
Sweetphi says
I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t turn out for you! This recipe has been made by many others and worked, so I’m not quite sure why it didn’t for you – did you cook it on low?
This recipe was based on their old queso recipe, I know they’ve changed it quite significantly since I posted this, so I’ll go and make a note on the recipe. Again, sorry it didn’t work for you.
Julie says
My grocery did not have poblano peppers but the produce manager said pasilla peppers are very close so I used those. Separating the skins was one of the most tedious and frustrating things I’ve ever done in my kitchen haha, they did not come off easily or in large pieces, it was a mess and took forever. I’d like to make it again but would prefer a canned pepper option to save me some time, have you tried with an already-prepared pepper? Or are poblanos 100 times easier to peel after baking than the pasillas were? I was counting on 20 min prep time and it was actually about an hour, which isn’t quite worth it to me for just queso when I have other prep to do for the whole meal.
Sweetphi says
Oh my goodness, I am so sorry that you had those issues with the peeling of the peppers, I totally had never heard of pasilla peppers so I looked them up, and yes, I can see why they were so difficult to peel. They are MUCH skinnier and smaller than a poblano, so I can only imagine how much longer they must have taken. Canned peppers are such a great alternative, you could definitely use those next time to save that whole step 🙂
Brittany says
Do you think this recipe would turn out just as well using the stove top method with a roux base??
Sweetphi says
Good question – I’ve never tried it via the stove top method, but I’d love to know how it turns out for you if you try it!
Tira says
I am wondering how well leftovers reheat and how you recommend doing so. Thanks!
Sweetphi says
Hi Tira, If you have leftovers, I would recommend heating them up low and slow – just like the dip. If you do it too fast, it will get a little grainy 🙂
Brittany says
Where does one find white american cheese? I’ve only heard of it in slices or as velveeda. thanks! Gotta make this stat! 🙂
Sweetphi says
I always get white american cheese from the deli counter 🙂
Brittany says
Ooohhh, I never thought of that. Thanks!
Sweetphi says
You’re so welcome 🙂
Katherine says
My crockpot is way too big for this – do you think it would turn out okay to do a double-boiler type setup with a pot of boiling or hot water below a glass bowl with the cheese dip in it?
Sweetphi says
I have done a double batch before and it has turned out great 🙂
Danielle says
I was wondering if this recipe is for Qdoba’s regular queso or their diablo queso? I have been scouring for their hot diablo recipe but can’t find one. Maybe I should just use hotter peppers. I am just not sure.
Sweetphi says
This recipe is for the regular queso, not the diablo queso. I would add both more peppers and more spices, best of luck 🙂
Chris says
Is there a better type of cheese to use? Brand wise? I’ve tried making different types of queso dips in the past and found some brands melt better than others.
Sweetphi says
Hi Chris, thank you for your comment. I have found that a ‘Cracker Barrel’ brand block is the best for the white cheddar and then I’ve had good luck with Kraft brand for the monterey jack, and then for the white american cheese I just get it from the deli 🙂 Hope that helps!
Chris says
Awesome. Thank you 🙂 I tried using cheese I had in the fridge and it didn’t turn out so well. I will try these cheese and see how it works. 🙂
Sweetphi says
Try using those cheeses and let me know how you like it, I think it will become a favorite 🙂
Judi says
What can you do with left overs? Can you reheat this dish?
Sweetphi says
You could spread leftovers on a sandwich (like instead of a mayo) or you could spread it on a quesadilla and add a little fresh cheese and some tomatoes. You could reheat it and use it just with chips, or you could put it on something like nachos, but I have never reheated it because it’s always gone 🙂
Kim says
If You use pre-shredded cheese, it may turn out gritty/grainy. The cheese is coated with something so it doesn’t stick together.
Sweetphi says
You’re absolutely right! I always shred my own cheese, thank you for the very helpful comment!
AngelA says
Mine turned out grainy- what did I do wrong?
Sweetphi says
Oh no! So sorry yours didn’t turn out smooth and creamy. I don’t know why it would be grainy…did you add any flour or thickener? Were your veggies ground up too fine? if the veggies were too finely chopped they might have caused a grainy texture, but I’m totally stumped as to why it would be grainy though! Thanks for commenting with the feedback!
Michelle - Flowerwriter says
Mine turned out gritty as well. I did some internet research and I think the problem comes from heating the cheese too quickly or at too high of a temperature. The recipe says to cook on high for two hours but I think that it should be on low for two hours, or maybe not made in a crockpot. The grit comes from a breakdown of the fat and liquid that have separated and it’s not easy to fix or it all. I found this article (http://www.thekitchn.com/quick-tiphow-to-fix-a-broken-s-46403) they suggest a few ways to try and save the cheese like using an egg yolk and another site recommended flour and butter. Since I’m gluten free I tried a little cream and cornstarch as well. I think these may have worked but my queso was to far separated and I wasn’t able to save it. I had to throw it out. 🙁 .
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for the feedback, I am so disappointed that it turned out gritty for you as well. That is the absolute worst! I am heading to the grocery store after work today to remake this again and see what the problem could be. I used a little crock pot for this recipe, but it still shouldn’t have turned out gritty! I’ll make it via crock pot, small crock pot and via stovetop just to compare and do some trouble shooting. Thank you again though for commenting, I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Sweetphi says
I feel like such a detective! I was really bothered by the feedback that the queso dip came out grainy. I made several batches trying to trouble shoot, and think I figured out exactly what the problem is. When I made it, and as stated in the recipe, I used a small crock pot. Using that method, it came out smooth and silky and exactly like it has every other time I’ve made it. However, when I made it on the stovetop, it came out grainy and not good at all! It tasted totally different, and frankly, it was not appetizing at all lol. So, if making this recipe, I would only suggest doing it either in a small crock pot (and you can either do it on high or low for heating) or in a regular size crock pot at low temperatures, that allows the cheese to melt together beautifully. I’ve updated the post with some pictures and notes to describe my trouble shooting. Again, thank you for the comments 🙂