April 8, 2020 — last updated March 10, 2024
My Copycat Chipotle Queso Blanco is smooth, creamy and cheesy with the right amount of spice and it’s as close as you can get to the real recipe! You can now make your own easy queso at home and be the envy of just about everyone.
With Chipotle restaurant releasing their ingredient list of 13 components, it has made my job easier to recreate their new and improved version (not their old original version). After many (and I mean many!) recipe tests and eating countless bowls, this is recipe is a keeper.
You’ll need a lot of tortilla chips because it’s impossible to find any measure of restraint when eating this cheesy dip!
One of Chipotle’s ingredients calls for cultured cream (aka fermented cream) and this is what brings the tang to the queso. Fermented creams that you can purchase in your favorite grocery store are creme fraiche and sour cream – I went with sour cream.
Queso Spice
Chipotles in adobo (which are jalapeños that have been dried, smoked and packed in adobo sauce) is what gives the queso its very slight smokiness. I opted to use only the peppers, not the sauce, as this would turn this white queso a shade of orange. It is queso blanco (white) after all and I wanted to keep it that way.
The spice comes from Serrano peppers. Again, the spice matches the spice from the restaurants, but you can add as much spice as you like if you like a little more zip.
Queso FAQ’s
How long can you store queso?
Refrigerated in a sealed container, up to 4 days. It will be quite thick when cold.
How do you reheat queso?
It reheats easily in the microwave (stirring often) or in a pan on the stove over low heat, stirring so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. If it is cold, it will be thick, but will thin out when it starts to get some heat into it.
Queso serving tip:
To keep warm for a party or entertaining, serve in a slow cooker set to warm.
Queso Nachos
Wondering what to do with leftover queso? Last night I made nachos from things I had in the fridge, Pulled Pork, cherry tomatoes, fresh cilantro. (pic below). This was an easy dinner.
Gluten-free queso
Because this recipe is thickened with corn starch, it is naturally gluten-free.
Pre-grated cheese vs. grating yourself
Please buy blocks of cheese and grate them yourself. If you use pre-grated cheese, you may find the queso turns gritty or grainy. This is because the cheese has powdered additives to prevent clumping.
Tips
Tips to prevent curdling or grainy queso or grainy cheese sauce:
- Slow and steady heat – If you heat over high heat, this heats the liquid too quickly. You want to slowly bring up to a simmer over medium heat or medium-low heat is best. And never boil.
- Always grate the cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese has anti-clumping added and this will affect the texture of the sauce.
- If you’re using white flour, always mix into the fat before adding liquid, this makes a roux. This serves 2 purposes. To cook out the raw flour flavor and prevent lumps.
- When using cornstarch, make a slurry. This means mixing in a little of your liquid (water, milk, cream) into the cornstarch to make it smooth before adding to the sauce.
- To reheat your queso or cheese sauce, add to a pan and heat low and slow, stirring often.
Queso Serving Suggestions:
This queso is delicious on it’s own with tortilla chips, but I also love it served with my favorite Mexican dishes:
- Grilled Steak Fajita Bowls
- Pulled Pork Tamales
- Chicken Tostada Salad Bowls
- Mexican Style Hot Dogs
Yield: 6
Copycat Chipotle Queso Blanco
A copycat recipe of Chipotle restaurant queso blanco.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups (472 ml) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons serrano pepper seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 ½ tablespoons poblano pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper, seeds removed and chopped from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and grated
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Water
- 1 cup (240 grams) sour cream
- 2 cups/ 6 ounces (172 grams) Monterey jack cheese, grated
- 1 cup/3 ounces (86 grams) sharp white cheddar, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh tomato, seeds and juice removed, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- To saucepan add the milk over medium heat. Stir in the onion, serrano peppers, poblano pepper, chipotle pepper and garlic. Mix cornstarch with just enough water so it dissolves, stir into the milk and bring to a light bubble, cook, stirring often until thickened. Remove from heat as soon as it is thickened (you will need to keep an eye on it).
- Turn down to the heat to very low and whisk in the sour cream. Once the sour cream is incorporated, add a handful of cheese and stir until melted. Continue to add and handfuls of cheese and stir until all the cheese is used, making sure it is completely melted before adding another handful and ensure the queso is smooth. If too hot, the queso may turn gritty and separate. (see tips below to prevent this).
- Stir in the tomato. Remove from the heat and allow the queso to cool, it will get even thicker as it cools.
- Tips to prevent the sauce turning gritting and separating:
- Slow and steady heat - If you heat over high heat, this heats the liquid too quickly. You want to slowly bring up to a simmer over medium heat or medium-low heat is best. And never, ever boil. Always grate the cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese has anti-clumping added and this will affect the texture of the sauce.
- Cornstarch is highly recommended. If you use flour instead of cornstarch, double the amount (cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour). I also can't guarantee that any raw flour taste will cook out.
- To reheat your queso or cheese sauce, add to a pan and heat low and slow, stirring often.
Notes
Yields: 4cups/1 quart (850 ml)
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1
Amount Per ServingCalories 397Total Fat 29gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 86mgSodium 530mgCarbohydrates 17gFiber 1gSugar 11gProtein 18g
This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.
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posted by Janette on April 8, 2020
61 Comments / Leave a Comment »
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Theresa B — @ Reply
This copycat recipe was spot on! Brought it to a party and it was a hit! Followed the recipe exactly but doubled all ingredients to make more. I wouldn’t change a thing, so good.
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Janette — @ Reply
Thank you so much 😊
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Brandon — @ Reply
Really good! The recipe is so easy to follow and make (I’m not the best cook) and my friends loved it too. I made a double batch
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Janette — @ Reply
Thank you! I’m glad you all enjoyed it.
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Cat — @ Reply
Can I substitute the ingredients to make a vegan version? I don’t know if it will turn out the same. I use to love Chipotle Queso Blaco
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Janette — @ Reply
I can’t say for certain that you could make the recipe vegan. The milk part would be fine, but I’m not sure how vegan sour cream and cheese would react.
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Katie — @ Reply
Taste is spot on! But texture a little grainy and I feel I cooked it correctly. Amy suggestions? Thanks
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Janette — @ Reply
I’m glad it tasted good, but I’m sorry about it turning grainy. I mention this could happen step 2 of the recipe. This due to the proteins in the cheese separating (it’s called breaking) and is because of the heat, but no faulty of yours. Cheese sauce is very finicky and regulating the temperature is challenging. When you make it next time (and I hope you do) watch the temperature and if you see it turning grainy, remove immediately from the heat.
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Larissa — @ Reply
Can you make the entire thing in a slow cooker from the start? All my pots are non stick and I amafraid to ruin this lovely recipe.
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Janette — @ Reply
Non-stick pans are the best pan to make queso in becauseof the non-stick coating, which is what I use. I haven’t made it in the slow cooker, but I’m sure it would work. Enjoy.
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Amy — @ Reply
My son wants me turn up the heat a bit. Which pepper would I use to do that? First time I made the recipe I used canned jalapenos as a substitute for both the poblano and serrano as that was all that was available, (and they were pickled). Wasn’t as spicey as the original but was a close concoction. Found fresh peppers, can’t wait to try it again. Or would the fresh peppers turn up the heat automatically? Thanks so much for sharing, really appreciated.
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Janette — @ Reply
You have a few options to turn up the heat. You can add more serrano peppers and include the seeds as they are spicier than jalapeños. You can add more chipotles in adobo (this will darken the queso). You can also add cayenne pepper to taste. I hope this helps, enjoy 😄
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LeAnne — @ Reply
Pretty sure that someone paid Google for this recipe to end up in my search, I tried it, it was ok but not what I was looking for and won’t be using it again.
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Janette — @ Reply
I don’t know of any way to pay Google other than a paid ad. I can tell you it did show up because it is one of my most popular recipes with many positive reviews. This is why Google deemed itworthyto be at the top of your searches. For it to taste ‘ok’ to you, is it possible you missed some steps or ingredients?
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Laura Lee — @
Actually that is exactly how google works. Companies pay a lot of money to show up higher in search results.
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Janette — @
I think you may be confusing paid Google ads with paying for higher Google search results which I believe is not a thing.
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Jennifer — @ Reply
Girl, my hubby is a (classic Le Cordon Bleu trained)-GM at Chipotle and hates his job and wants to start at the bottom at a “real” restaurant. I couldn’t take the paycut AND lose the free queso.
I told him to go ahead. This nailed it. So yum, thank you!
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Janette — @ Reply
Thank you so much for the compliment (especially from someone in the know). I hope your husband landed or lands, the job he deserves and enjoys.
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Monica — @ Reply
I don’t see anywhere in the ingredients that list Chipotle pepper powder. I only seen it in a can with Adobe sauce. Why do The comments talk about Chipotle spice instead? I’m confused as to the ingredients.
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Janette — @ Reply
I’m sorry for the confusion. I just updated the recipe 2 weeks ago and changed out the chipotle pepper powder for the peppers so that’s why the comments say that, but the recipe is correct. I’ve deleted those old comments that are not relevantanymore. Let me know if you have any more questions. Enjoy.
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Te — @ Reply
Any suggestions on how to thin it? I made mine too think. But very delicious!
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Janette — @ Reply
Hi, I would put it over very low heat and whisk in more milk (room temperature), just enough to thin it out to your liking. Once it is thin enough, you can add a little cheese to help keep the flavor. I hope this helps.
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Maya — @ Reply
Omg!!! Delicious! I like chipotle’s queso but it’s a bit too spicy for me, so I used red bell peppers as opposed to Serrano and poblano peppers. I loved how it tasted…just like chipotle but without the heat.
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Janette — @ Reply
I’m glad you enjoyed the queso and were able to customize to your comfortable spice level. Thank you for the feedback 😀
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Janette — @ Reply
I’m British and I have a lot of British recipes on my website so I include metric measurements as canned goods are in grams in the U.K.
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Gisela — @ Reply
Made it tonight. Even my picky 9 year old loved it. How do you store it? Can it be frozen?
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Janette — @ Reply
I love picky eater approval, thank you. You can store it in the fridgein a sealed container, but it will not be good if you freeze. You can refrigerate for 5 days then reheat. To reheat, add to a pan over low heat and heat slowly and stir.
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Carol — @ Reply
Made this over the weekend, amazing flavor and your tips are perfect. turned out great.
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Janette — @ Reply
Thank you so much!
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Deidra — @ Reply
This recipe is spot on! The taste and texture are perfect! Thank you for putting in all the work of testing this and getting it right!
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Janette — @ Reply
Thank you so much. Your feedback is very important to me.
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Jess — @ Reply
Tasted delicious. I added more pepper because I like things a little spicy. it taste even more like chipotles dip but overall this is a winner.
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Janette — @ Reply
Thank you for the feedback, I’m glad you were able to customize to your liking.
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Jim — @ Reply
This did not taste at all like the chipotle queso. Was very disappointed with how it came out.
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Janette — @ Reply
I’m sorry your queso did not turn out how it should. I tested the recipe 6 times (with the restaurant queso) in a side by side comparison. I cannot know that the ingredients you used, the amounts etc. were the same as I specify in the recipe. Given this and the positive reviews, I stand by my recipe 100%.
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Betsy Daly — @ Reply
What kind of tomato 🍅 Do I need to go to a specific place to get the serrano and poblano peppers? Thanks from a very inexperienced cook.
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Janette — @ Reply
You can use a Roma or tomato on the vine. The peppers you will be able to find in the produce area of any major supermarket. I hope all of this helps and let me know if you have any more questions.
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sofia — @ Reply
making it into mac n cheese! 🙂
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Janette — @ Reply
I’m loving this idea, enjoy
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Angela — @ Reply
I must have done something wrong also.. Mine was not creamy… it was like curdled milk. The texture was awful, but the actual taste was excellent.
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Janette — @ Reply
I’m so sorry this happened to you. This is an easy fix and I’ve added the instructions to the directions.
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Sandy — @ Reply
Okay I had the right thing. I guess my peppers weren’t hot enough! I’ll try that again! Thanks!
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Janette — @ Reply
Did you use sweet peppers? This will effect the flavor.
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Sydni — @ Reply
Ooohhhh, this is dangerously delicious. I’ve been hunting for a good copycat because Chipotle charges so much for so little! This tastes exactly the same. Thank you for putting in the work so I can enjoy this queso 😋
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Janette — @ Reply
I’m so happy you enjoyed the queso. I had to eat 4 different batches while testing the recipe and had fun doing it. Thank you for the feedback 🙂
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Julie Ann Richardson — @
Can it be reheated
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Janette — @
Yes, this can be reheated. You can do it in a pan on medium to medium low heat (to prevent burning the bottom) and stir frequently until it is back to it’s thinner consistency. You can also do it in the microwave stirring about every 2-3 minutes.
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Cheri Durbin — @ Reply
I just made this recipe and it is fantastic! Love it!
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Janette — @ Reply
I’m so happy you love it, thank you for the feedback.
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Samir — @ Reply
I loved the flavor and there was just the right amount of spice. I’m making it again tomorrow.
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Janette — @ Reply
I love a repeat customer, thank you for sharing 🙂
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Kelly — @ Reply
Can this be made the day before? Also. Once made can this be reheated in a crockpot?
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Janette — @ Reply
Yes, the queso can be made the day before. When it cools, the texture will change, but don’t worry. It reheats really well and the crockpot is perfect for this because you can keep it warm and it will stay creamy and smooth. Enjoy!
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Jerri Fabina — @ Reply
I went to Chipotles a few days ago and tried the new Queso. The old queso was gritty. The new was fabulous. I found a copycat recipe on Pinterest and made it tonight. Very disappointing! I will be trying your recipe when I restock the ingredients I need.
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Janette — @ Reply
I was very happy when they came out with the new one as well. It took me about 5 times to test the recipe and mine is a good one. Enjoy.
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Van — @ Reply
Do you keep the seeds & flesh of the serrano & poblanos? I left them out and it tasty really milky without any heat.
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Janette — @ Reply
Seeds removed
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Josh — @ Reply
Just about to make it. Looks tasty 😋
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Janette — @ Reply
I hope you enjoyed it.
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Jake — @ Reply
Yes! I have been missing my favorite queso because I have not been eating out. I made this over the weekend and it is a winner! I used jalapeno (couldn’t find serano) so i added more powder. a keeper for sure
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Janette — @ Reply
Yay, thank you so much. I ate a lot of test recipes to get to this 🙂
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61 Comments on “Copycat Chipotle Queso Blanco”
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