Stovetop Queso with Pickled Jalapeños
Melted cheese, canned tomatoes, and pickled heat — ready before the chips run out.
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Written
Method
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Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion until it softens and turns translucent, about 4 minutes.
-
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
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Stir in the tomatoes and cream and bring to a bare simmer.
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Reduce the heat to low and add the American cheese a handful at a time, stirring until each addition melts before adding more.
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Stir in the cheddar in the same way, until the whole pot is glossy and pulls together into one sauce.
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Fold in the chopped jalapeños and season with salt.
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Transfer to a serving bowl, top with more jalapeños and cilantro, and serve warm with tortilla chips.
Notes
The American cheese is doing structural work, not just flavor — it melts smooth and stays that way as it cools, where an all-cheddar queso breaks into a greasy puddle within ten minutes of leaving the stove. Keep the cheddar for the sharpness and let the American carry the texture.
Reheats fine on the stove with a splash more cream if it’s gone stiff, but it’s built to be eaten fast, straight out of the pot it was made in.