This Smoked Queso Dip appetizer is a cheesier, meatier, spiced-up version of your favorite cheese dip filled with a delicious Tex-Mex taste and infused with a smoky flavor. This easy-to-make Tik-Tok inspired party food is loaded with taco seasoned ground beef, creamy Velveeta, and spicy jalapeños; it’s the simplest heat and eat recipe that bakes into the best bite of a melted mixture!
This Smoked Queso is simply the best
This Smoked Queso recipe is my favorite social media masterpiece, not only because it is so easy to make and can be prepared in only 5 minutes, but also because of the combination of meat, cheese, pico de gallo, jalapenos, and liquid smoke tastes dangerously delicious.
I love how low maintenance this recipe is–after browning the ground beef, it’s mixed with 6 basic ingredients in a disposable pan and baked in the oven. The meat mixture is stirred a few times during cooking, but it all melts together into a true cook and consume appetizer filled with an addictive Mexican flavor that is worth the double-dip!
While this popular Tik Tok food trend often cooks on the grill or in a smoker, I prefer to bake it in the oven, especially because it doesn’t require wood chips or expensive equipment; it’s just mess-free melting in a disposable pan! It’s a warm and cheesy, scoopable appetizer that makes the perfect party-pleasing starter to feed your crowd. Sip a cocktail while it cooks and have fun dipping with your desired chips, crackers, veggies, and dunkers!
No matter how you heat it, this delicious dip cures any Smoked Queso craving! For more dip ideas, check out my Rotel Dip, Million Dollar Dip, Dill Pickle Dip, and Crack Dip.
Why We Love This Smoked Queso Recipe
- Quick and easy to prepare in 5 minutes.
- Only uses 7 simple ingredients plus optional garnish.
- Bakes in a disposable pan for simple clean-up.
- Filled with a cheesy meat mixture that’s loaded with delicious Mexican flavors.
- Versatile recipe can be adapted according to your preferences: swap out the meat, use different cheeses, vary the cooking method, or add your favorite flavors.
- Perfect for parties, game day snacks, tailgating, backyard BBQs, anytime get-togethers, and potlucks.
Smoked Queso Dip Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Velveeta cheese
- Colby Jack cheese: Any melty yellow cheese will work for this recipe. You can use cheddar or Mexican style. However, I recommend shredding or slicing your own cheese rather than using pre-shredded cheese for better consistency.
- Pico de Gallo: You can also use your favorite salsa or Rotel.
- Jalapeños: If you don’t want as much heat in your queso, remove the seeds when slicing. You can also use pickled jalapeños for a different flavor and no crunch.
- Taco seasoning
- Liquid smoke: If you are cooking this in a smoker, you don’t need to use this. If you don’t have liquid smoke available, you can make this without it. You will still be left with a delicious dip!
- Optional garnishes: Minced cilantro, additional jalapeños
Smoked Queso Dip Recipe Substitutions
- Meat: While this recipe uses ground beef you can replace it with breakfast sausage, bacon, or chorizo. Or feel free to try ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground sausage for a slightly different taste.
- Change The Cheese: While I believe Velveeta is the best melting cheese, you can replace it with Gouda cheese because it is also a good melting cheese. Or try a mix of Velveeta and Gouda cheese.
- Tasty Toppings: Diced avocados, sliced black olives, and sour cream make tasty toppings in addition to the cilantro and jalapeños.
- Vegetarian Version: For a vegetarian queso, simply omit the meat or feel free to substitute it with a plant-based alternative. Leaving out the ground beef will also impact the cooking time.
Recommend Tools for making Smoked Ques0
- 9×13 inch disposable aluminum foil pan
- Large skillet
- Mixing tools
- Measuring tools
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How to make Smoked Queso
Smoked Queso is a simple combination of ground beef, cheese, jalapeños, and taco seasoning, all mixed together with some liquid smoke, and baked into a delicious dip everyone will love! This easy, cheesy appetizer is the perfect party food or game day dip to feed your favorite fans.
- Brown the ground beef over medium high heat for 6-7 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain grease.
- Add the cooked meat, Velveeta cheese, Colby Jack cheese, Pico de Gallo, jalapeños, and taco seasoning into a disposable pan.
- Bake uncovered at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes to 1 hour, then remove from oven but leave heat on.
- Add the liquid smoke and stir until all ingredients are completely combined.
- Bake uncovered for another 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove queso from the oven, stir, and top with cilantro and jalapeños (optional).
- Serve warm with your favorite dipping chips. Enjoy!
Smoked Queso Dip Recipe Tips
- Queso, especially this Velveeta cheese based dip, begin to harden and solidify as it cools over time. You can warm it back up if not eaten within an hour or so.
- Feel free to use a homemade taco seasoning.
How to serve the Best Smoked Queso
Here are some of my favorite ways to eat this Smoked Queso:
- spoon it over steamed broccoli in lieu of a plain cheese sauce
- serve over a baked potato for a light meal or a zesty side dish
- stir in 1-2 cans of drained & rinsed kidney or black beans to turn it into a cheesy Tex Mex side dish
- add some rotisserie chicken + some cooked pasta for an extra meaty simple supper
- You can even try to use it as your base for mac and cheese or a broccoli and cheese soup! You will need to add some extra milk to thin it out.
Have fun creating your own combinations!
How to store the Best Smoked Queso
- To Store: Place your leftover Smoked Queso in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze your Smoked Queso in a freezer-safe container for a few months.
- To Reheat: To reheat, place your queso into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the queso has melted completely again. If it is too thick, add some milk to thin it out.
Smoked Queso Dip Recipe FAQs
I love to use tortilla chips, pork rinds, fresh veggies (like celery or bell pepper), freshly sliced baguettes, toasted bread, breadsticks to scoop my Smoked Queso. Other delicious ways to dip include thick fries, pretzel bites, or anything you can think of!
Yes, you can make Smoked Queso on the grill. You will just need wood chips. Soak them in water for 30 minutes before starting the grill (one cup of wood chips will last for about 20 minutes). Keep adding chips to the grill throughout the process. If you use a charcoal grill, light the coals, when the coals are ready, place them on one side of the grill. Place some of the wood chips on top of the coals. Make the recipe according to the directions, but omit the liquid smoke and place your food grill (on the side without the coals to cook it with indirect heat) instead of baking in the oven.
Yes, you can make this recipe in a smoker–to some people, it is a must! To cook in a smoker, preheat the smoker to 230 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the ingredients as normal. Cook for 2 hours, stirring 1-2 times during the cooking time. You don’t need to include the liquid smoke, but make sure to use mesquite wood chips for the best smokey flavor.
Other Easy Dip Recipes
- French Onion Dip
- Jalapeño Popper Dip
- Chip Dip
- Spinach Artichoke Dip {Baked or Crockpot}
- White Queso Dip
Smoked Queso Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ pound ground beef
- 32 ounce box Velveeta cheese cubed
- 1½ cups Colby Jack cheese shredded or cubed
- 1½ cups Pico de Gallo
- 3-4 tbsp jalapeños sliced (about 2 jalapenos)
- 1½ tbsp taco seasoning
- ¾ tsp liquid smoke
- Optional garnishes: Minced cilantro, additional jalapenos
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare the ground beef by browning it over medium high heat in a large skillet. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from heat and drain grease.
- Add the cooked ground beef, Velveeta cheese cubes, Colby Jack cheese, Pico de Gallo, jalapeño slices, and taco seasoning into a 9×13 inch aluminum foil disposable pan.
- Cook in the oven, uncovered, for 50 minutes to 1 hour, then remove but leave the oven on.
- Add the liquid smoke to the ingredients. Stir everything together until completely combined.
- Place back into the oven to cook, uncovered, for another 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- Take out the oven, stir everything together one last time, and top with minced cilantro and additional jalapenos, optional.
- Serve warm with your favorite dipping chips.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Place your leftover Smoked Queso in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze your Smoked Queso in a freezer-safe container for a few months.
- To Reheat: To reheat, place your queso into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the queso has melted completely again. If it is too thick, add some milk to thin it out.
- Queso, especially this Velveeta cheese based dip, begin to harden and solidify as it cools over time. You can warm it back up if not eaten within an hour or so.
- Feel free to use a homemade taco seasoning.
I tried this recipe and it’s really good. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to try the recipe.
Looks delicious 😋
Easy and simple instructions!
Yum, 😋