Chile Con Queso With Totopos Recipe

Preheat broiler to high (or preheat a grill or cast-iron skillet over high heat). Line a baking sheet with foil if using the broiler.

Prepare the peppers: leave Anaheim whole. For jalapeños, split and remove seeds for less heat if desired, or leave whole for more heat. Lightly toss Anaheim and jalapeños with 1 tsp vegetable oil so they blister evenly.

Place Anaheim peppers, jalapeños, quartered onion, quartered Roma tomato, and unpeeled garlic cloves on the baking sheet. Broil or roast 6–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until skins are blackened and blistered (peppers should soften and onions and tomato show char marks). If using a skillet/grill, char on all sides until blistered.

Transfer blistered vegetables to a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid for 8–10 minutes to steam — this loosens skins and mellows flavors.

Peel the blistered skins from the Anaheim and jalapeños (leave a little char for flavor), discard stems and seeds if you want milder dip. Peel the garlic and remove cores from tomato. Roughly chop the onion.

Add the peeled/chopped Anaheim, jalapeños, peeled garlic, chopped onion, and tomato to a blender or food processor. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and pulse until you have a coarse to medium puree (don’t overblend to preserve texture). Taste and adjust salt if needed. Stir in chopped cilantro if using.

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon flour into the butter and whisk constantly for about 30 seconds to make a light roux (this helps stabilize the cheese sauce).

Slowly whisk in 1 cup whole milk, smoothing out any lumps. Continue whisking and bring mixture to a gentle simmer (do not boil) until slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Add the 12 oz cubed Velveeta and 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack a handful at a time, stirring or whisking until melted and smooth after each addition. Maintain low heat to prevent graininess.

Once cheese is fully incorporated and smooth, season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Stir the prepared chile-vegetable puree into the warm cheese sauce, starting with half and then adding more to reach your desired heat and texture. Simmer gently on very low for 3–5 minutes to meld flavors, stirring frequently so the sauce remains smooth.

If the dip is too thick, thin with up to 2 tablespoons additional milk, stirring in gradually until desired consistency is reached.

Transfer chile con queso to a warmed serving bowl. Sprinkle extra chopped cilantro, diced fresh tomato, and cracked black pepper on top if desired.

Serve immediately with 6 oz totopos (corn tortilla chips). Keep dip warm over a small fondue-style burner or in a low 200°F (95°C) oven if serving for an extended period; stir occasionally.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of milk, stirring until smooth.