Smoky Chorizo Queso Dip

This Smoky Chorizo Queso Dip is made with chipotle paste and smoked cheddar for a delicious take on cheese dip. Serve it hot and gooey with your favorite tortilla chips for an irresistible snacking experience.

As lazy and sedentary as I often am, I also love a weekend activity that leaves you totally exhausted. I don't play sports, but I do love exploring, whether that's on foot on in the occasional kayak, I like to keep moving. It's the Sagittarius in me, I think. I will walk many miles to see something I've never seen before, even if other people think it's no big deal.

I love getting out there and wearing myself out in the name of adventure. If there's some sort of quest involved, even better. If I had it my way, all my exhausting adventerous quests would end in Mexican food. I can't think of a better way to refuel then chips and salsa, rice and beans, and a burrito the size of my face covered in red sauce and cheese.

What makes Chorizo Queso Dip so awesome?

These day, if I want decent Tex Mex food, I have to make it myself. That's exactly what I've done with this Smoky Chorizo Queso Dip. I've changed things up from your typical nachos cheese sauce situation. The whole thing starts by rendering chunks of chorizo until crispy, then creating a melty, gooey, thick cheese dip with smoky cheddar. It also gets seasoned with smoky fajita seasoning and a big dollop of chipotle paste to deepen the flavor.

Honestly, I'm just making this for dinner after a hard day's urban hiking. I'm guessing normal people will want to serve it at a party or for a game day snack. I really think you should come up with any excuse to make margaritas and gather a group of friends around a hot skillet. It will make everyone very happy indeed.

Magical Properties of Paprika

Paprika is made from dried, ground peppers, usually red bell peppers, and it's one of the main ingredients in chorizo sausage. Like many of its spicier cousins, it can be used to add a boost of energy to any spell. It can also be used in spells for hex breaking and fidelity. With its fiery Mars energy, it can also be added to spells for lust and passion. (Source: Brianadragon.com)

For more on the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.

Ingredients

Here's everything you'll need to make this recipe. All the details are in the recipe card below.

• Chorizo - I can buy pre-chopped chorizo chunks in my grocery store, and it saves me tons of time.
• Smoked cheddar - shredded
• Cornstarch - also called cornflour
• Garlic - fresh or garlic paste
• Green onion
• Evaporated milk - NOT condensed milk
• Seasoning packet - I like to find a smoky fajita seasoning for this or create your own seasoning blend
• Smoked paprika
• Chipotle paste - or canned chipotle in adobo

Tips for making Chorizo Queso Dip

This is going to give you a smooth and creamy queso that's absolutely packed with flavor. You'll want to grate your cheese, then toss it with the cornstarch which will help thicken the dip as it dissolves into the evaporated milk. It's a little bit of food science magic.

Start by cooking your chopped chorizo in a hot skillet until it starts to get crispy around the edges and releases its beautiful orange oil, then turn the heat down to low. Then add your garlic. You can finely mince it with a knife or use a zester to grate the garlic into the pan. You could also use a spoonful of garlic paste if you have some. You'll also add the white parts of your green onions, thinly sliced, to the hot oil. We'll save the green bits for later. Cook this for a minute or two until fragrant.

Next you'll add in your evaporated milk and your cornstarch coated cheese. Stir this frequently until the cheese melts and the mixture thickens. Then we add some flavor with our spices. Add your favorite smoky Tex Mex seasoning packet, along with some extra smoked paprika and some chipotle paste. If you can't get chipotle paste, chop a few chipotle peppers and add them in along with a spoonful of the sauce they come canned in.

There's nothing quite as delicious as Smoky Chorizo Queso Dip at the end of a long day. It's gonna be awesome.

Looking for more awesome cheesy dip recipes? Try this simple Whipped Ricotta or some White Cheddar Fondue.

Print