Queso Fundido
This quick and easy Queso Fundido recipe features three kinds of cheese and spicy chorizo. The cheeses are melted together until creamy and stretchy, then blistered under the broiler – it’s a flavorful appetizer with crazy-fun cheese pull!
Easy Queso Fundido Recipe
Gooey, melted cheese is one of life’s most fun and delicious pleasures. And this Queso Fundido recipe is our family’s latest, greatest, cheese-centric appetizer. With Mexican Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, and goat cheeses all melted together with spicy chorizo, then blistered under the broiler, this dish with its incredible flavor and crazy-fun cheese pull has been a regular request around here!
Why You’ll Love This Queso Fundido with Chorizo
Our first queso fundido with chorizo experience happened nearly fifteen years ago, at Rick Bayless’ restaurant Frontera Grill in Chicago. Blake and I were celebrating our 10th anniversary, and we stood in line for nearly 2 hours to get in. The margaritas, shaken high over bartenders’ heads, were perfectly strong and smooth. And everything we ate, from the ceviche and queso fundido appetizers, to our final bite of dessert, was fantastically delicious.
Ever since then, we just have to order queso fundido whenever we see it on a menu – locally, our family recommends both Pajarito and Barrio. Barrio’s version includes goat cheese, which we LOVE, so when I created this recipe that ingredient was a MUST!
Here’s why you’re gonna love this queso fundido recipe:
- Quick & easy. You only need about 10 minutes to throw together this cheese dip.
- Flavorful. From the blend of cheeses, to the spicy chorizo, to the fresh diced tomato and jalapeno, these flavors just plain work together.
- That cheese pull! There’s no denying it. Gooey, stretchy cheese is FUN!!
What Is Queso Fundido?
Queso fundido with chorizo, known as queso fundido con chorizo in Mexico, is a dish of hot melted cheeses and spicy chorizo. It’s served in a shallow dish, for greater surface area to broil the cheese until it blisters. The ingredients list is usually pretty simple and there are variations in what those ingredients are. Queso fundido is most often served with small soft tortillas, where individuals can spoon the hot cheese mixture into their own tortilla, much like eating a cheese taco. You can also simply dip into it with tortilla chips.
What’s The Difference Between Queso And Queso Fundido?
Queso fundido is made with cheeses that become creamy and stretchy when melted. It can include a variety of ingredients like chorizo, mushrooms, onions, and peppers, and is served with a stack of fresh tortillas.
Queso is much looser, more dippable – see my queso blanco recipe, for example. It’s often made with a block of processed cheese, like Velveeta, but can also be made with cheeses melted into a roux base. It’s served with tortilla chips.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this queso fundido recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.
- Chorizo – I use chorizo that’s labeled Mexican chorizo, but if you can’t find that specifically, you can use another type of chorizo.
- Garlic – This adds beautiful flavor to this simple dish.
- Oaxaca cheese – This cheese has a mellow, buttery, earthy flavor and is similar to an American string cheese or mozzarella. I use the Cacique brand.
- Monterey Jack cheese – This mild cheese melts very easily. You can also try pepper Jack for more flavor.
- Goat cheese – My family loves goat cheese, and it’s fabulous in this recipe. If you’re not a fan simply omit it.
- Tomato – I sprinkle diced Roma tomatoes over the top right before serving, for a beautiful fresh flavor.
- Jalapeno – This is optional, for a bit of fresh heat over the top.
How to Make Queso Fundido with Chorizo
I’ve outlined my method for making queso fundido below. The full instructions will be in the recipe card lower down.
- Cook the chorizo. Break up the chorizo and cook it in a small cast iron pan, then add the garlic.
- Add cheese. Reserve some of the cooked chorizo for serving time, then spread the remaining chorizo in an even layer. Top it with half of the shredded Oaxaca cheese.
- Layer remaining cheeses. Add half of the Monterey Jack and top it with half of the goat cheese, then repeat until the cheese is used up.
- Broil. Bake until the cheese is melty and bubbling, then broil for a few minutes more.
- Serve. Remove the pan from the oven and top with the reserved chorizo, plus some diced tomato and minced jalapeno. Serve hot, with chips and small, warm tortillas.
Tips & Variations
This is a simple recipe that you can adapt a bit if you wish. Check out my tips and variation suggestions:
- Serve it hot. You absolutely need to serve queso fundido hot, while the cheese is melty and stretchy! Plan to serve it soon after you pull it out of the oven.
- Try different cheeses. As mentioned, you can swap in Pepper Jack for the Monterey Jack for a bit more bite. Or you can use mozzarella cheese instead of the Oaxaca cheese if you can’t find it in your grocery store.
- Add more toppings. Make this recipe as written, or adapt it to your tastes. How about diced avocado and red onion, along with the tomatoes on top?
- Make it vegetarian. If you want to make this into a vegetarian version of queso fundido con chorizo, just omit the chorizo.
Serving Suggestions
Queso fundido is traditionally served with small, warm tortillas, made of either flour or corn. Here are some other options:
- With other dips. My homemade guacamole, roasted chili corn salsa, and restaurant style salsa would all be great alongside queso fundido
- Add nachos. Serve with flavorful pulled pork nachos.
- Keep it simple. As mentioned, tortillas are the best for dipping into queso fundido! And a bowl of fresh, crunchy tortilla chips is practically mandatory.
- With margaritas! Of course I’d say that, right?! I offer many to choose from. :)
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Here’s what to do with any leftover queso fundido con chorizo:
- Fridge – Place cooled queso fundido in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer – You can place leftover queso fundido in a freezer-safe airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the queso fundido in the fridge before reheating it. Note that the texture may change slightly after it’s defrosted, but it will still taste good.
- To Reheat – Place the cheese and chorizo mixture in a skillet and reheat it over medium-low heat, unit the cheese is melty. Or simply microwave gently.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
Queso Fundido
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Mexican chorizo divided
- 2 large cloves garlic minced
- 6 ounces Oaxaca cheese grated
- 6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese grated
- 3 ounces goat cheese log crumbled into ¼” to ½” pieces
- ⅓ cup diced tomato
- 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Then place an 8" cast iron pan (see Notes below) over medium heat. You could also just use a nonstick skillet. Add the chorizo, breaking it up into small bites, and stirring frequently to cook evenly and keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Most chorizo has a good amount of fat, but if yours is on the dry side you can heat a teaspooon of vegetable oil in the pan before adding the chorizo. After cooking for 5 minutes, stir in the garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes more, until chorizo is fully cooked.
- Remove pan from heat and discard any excess fat. Remove ¼ cup of chorizo; set aside. Then spread out the remaining chorizo in an even layer in the bottom of the 8" cast iron pan. If not using this particular pan, transfer the cooked chorizo to an 8" oven-safe baking dish with 2" sides.
- Layer half of the Oaxaca, then half of the Monterey Jack, and then half of the goat cheese in an even layer over the cooked chorizo in the 8" pan. Repeat by layering in the remaining cheeses. Place pan in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until melty and bubbling. Then place the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to blister the cheese a bit.
- Remove pan from oven, sprinkle with reserved chorizo and diced tomato, plus optional jalapeno pepper. Serve hot, with small flour tortillas (I like the "street taco" size) and tortilla chips.
