What Makes a Great Salsa con Queso?
A nice changeup from everyday chips and dip, salsa con queso blends the heat of salsa with the richness of cheese for a unique twist on a standard dip. The best salsa con queso has a vibrant orange or yellow color and offers visual complexity, meaning you should be able to spot each of these different ingredients: chilis, tomatoes, and seasonings. The aroma of great salsa con queso should be as complex as the appearance and you’ll be able to smell a nice smokiness, cheese, chilis, and tomato. Salsa con queso will offer a primarily salty flavor, but you may taste slight hints of sweetness and sourness too. Like any good salsa, you’ll feel a little heat—but because it’s blended with dairy, the heat will be tempered and will fall somewhere between mild and hot salsa. The flavors should be well rounded, which means that no single ingredient overpowers another. We sometimes refer to this effect as a flavor spike. We tested our salsa con queso with chips, since you’ll likely eat it that way
