What Is Chile Con Queso?
Chile con queso, which translates from Spanish to “chile with cheese,” is a spicy, cheese-based dish popular on Tex-Mex restaurant menus and in Tex-Mex-inspired home cooking. It is usually served as an appetizer or a party snack. High-quality chile con queso recipes generally call for fresh chiles and Mexican or Mexican-style cheeses, while other recipes utilize canned peppers and processed cheese products or even cheese-flavored soups. In general, chile con queso consists of melted cheese which has been combined with spicy, finely chopped chiles. After combining these basic components, many cooks adapt the dip to suit their own tastes or to make use of available ingredients. They may, for instance, add cream to improve the texture of the mixture, or they may stir in other vegetables, such as minced tomatoes or onions, or meats, such as crumbled chorizo sausage or bacon pieces.
