Queso fundido with chorizo – Get your chips ready for this perfect game day spicy cheese dip. It’s the perfect game day spicy cheese dip that only requires 15 minutes to make and a bag of tortilla chips to devour.

Before seeing queso fundido posted here and there around the interwebs in the past few months, I don’t ever remember previously coming across it. Not on a restaurant menu or in a cookbook, in magazines, or on blogs.

And even though the recipe was completely new to me, I knew I’d love it.  I mean, it starts with queso.

And dang it, I know that means cheese!

I have no idea what fundido means but doesn’t it sound like a happy word??  (Actually, according to my Google search – go figure – it means molten or melted.)

And omgosh, this is a HAPPY cheese dip!

How to Make Queso Fundido

You’ll cook up some smoky chorizo (thanks for the suggestion, Annie!) in a small cast iron pan and then mix in handfuls of cheese and more of the usual Tex-Mex suspects: onion, tomato, jalapeño, and cilantro.  The chorizo actually cuts through all the cheese and adds a bit of needed “heft” to the dip.

It’s a glorious combination of ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to pull together! And it was gone almost as quickly.

Along with nearly an entire bag of chips. Ooops!

Salads really do pay off when dinner looks like this one.

Our dip did turn out just a little runny and I’m pretty sure it’s because of the excess liquid from chorizo so make sure you drain it off before adding the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño.  But honestly, this didn’t detract from the cheesy goodness at all.

queso fundido with chorizo

Ingredients for Queso Fundido

The recipe calls for “Mexican melting cheese” of which I could not find during my change-of-dinner-plans-on-whim grocery store trip, though I’m sure stores like Whole Foods or ethnic food marts definitely carry one of them. So in its place, I used a combination of sharp yellow cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses.

In addition to the cheese, you’ll need chorizo. I go for dried chorizo links that simply need to be cut up for this recipe and reheated. I don’t love the flavor of fresh chorizo links so I wouldn’t recommend fresh chorizo for this recipe unless you know you love fresh chorizo.

Other than the cheese and chorizo, you’ll also need some chopped onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, and cilantro. And if you’re feeling snazzy, go ahead and add some tequila – you won’t be sorry!

If you’re still planning out a menu for Cinco de Mayo this year, add this dip to it!! I beg you!

Otherwise, this queso fundido with chorizo works just as perfectly with a beer for dinner in front of the baseball game on a random weeknight. Your choice!

Looking for More Cheese Dips?

If hot cheese dip, is your thang, I’ve got a bunch of others that will pique your interest:

Queso Fundido with Chorizo

Queso Fundido with Chorizo

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Are you ready for this perfect game day spicy cheese dip that only requires 15 minutes to make and a bag of tortilla chips to devour?

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive or canola oil
  • 2 chorizo links (about 6 oz total), ½-inch diced
  • 1 tomato, seeded and diced
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 large jalapeño or 2 large serranos, seeded and diced
  • 3 tbsp tequila (optional – we forgot to add it)
  • 8 oz Mexican melting cheese like Chihuahua, quesadilla, or asadero, or a combination of Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar (see note below)
  • ½ cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in an 8- or 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes; drain off most of the liquid.
  2. Add the tomato, onion, and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften and brown, about 7 minutes. Add the tequila (if using) and cook, stirring, until reduced to a glaze.
  3. Sprinkle in the cheese. Stir slowly and constantly until just melted then stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately in a warm dish with chips for dipping.

Notes

If you can't find Mexican melting cheese (like Chihuahua, quesadilla or asadero) go for a combination of Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar cheeses.

adapted from Rick Bayless in Fine Cooking and Fiesta at Rick's via Everyday Annie

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Leave a Comment

  • May 3, 2012 at 6:17 AM

    Mmm, this looks so tasty! I just made a queso fundido and froze it as one of my freezer meals for after I have this baby! 😀 Yours looks great!

  • May 3, 2012 at 9:53 AM

    Oh my goodness I love this dip. At my favorite Mexican delu in town they serve it with mini soft corn tortillas

  • May 3, 2012 at 10:56 AM

    I’m pretty sure this just got added to the menu for the weekend. This looks incredible!! I want to dive in and eat it right now.

  • May 3, 2012 at 12:26 PM

    LOVING everything about this. Especially that added-in chorizo. I’d break my diet for this one 🙂

  • May 3, 2012 at 12:39 PM

    They serve this at a local restaurant. So good! Can’t wait to try it at home.

  • May 3, 2012 at 4:26 PM

    Chorizo in queso is genius! I bet this tasted amazing – thanks for sharing! 🙂

  • May 3, 2012 at 7:17 PM

    This is one of my favorites when I go out with my buddies for Mexican! Can’t wait to make it myself.

  • May 3, 2012 at 10:06 PM

    OMG. This looks amazing!

  • May 4, 2012 at 9:04 AM

    Oh. My. Goodness.

    I NEED this. NOW.

  • May 4, 2012 at 9:46 AM

    Tara, this looks incredible! As a new-ish Texas girl, I’m having no problem learning to love melted queso dishes like this. So yummy! Saving this to make soon.

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  • May 8, 2012 at 12:25 AM

    Oozy melty cheese? Yes please!

  • May 8, 2012 at 12:40 AM

    A ooey gooey melted cheese dip with jalapenos AND chorizo? Yeah I’ll need to get a new set of skinny jeans after I make this.

  • demi
    May 16, 2012 at 2:32 AM

    Most Walmarts (at least in my area) carry mexican melting cheese. It’s usually be the cream cheese, cheese sticks, and other mexican cheeses. If that makes sense ha. I LOVE it. It really just melts ha, sounds weird but if you ever use it you’ll know what I mean. I put it in my chicken tortilla soup… mmm!

  • karen
    July 19, 2012 at 12:18 PM

    This does sound yummy but sounds more like a dip than the queso fundidos we have had at several of our local restaurants for over 20 years. They bake it so it gets all crispy on top and serve it with tortillas . It is amazingly yummy!

  • August 21, 2012 at 9:05 PM

    I just made this for dinner with the addition of diced chicken and I served it on toasted sourdough instead of chips. I also put some sliced avocados on. WOW. Delicious! Thank you!

    • August 22, 2012 at 6:28 AM

      Daniela: Chicken is a great idea instead of the chorizo!

  • Lacey
    September 16, 2012 at 3:54 PM

    Where did the word/name ‘fundido’ come from? To the best of my understanding, it means ‘smelly asshole’ in Spanish. The dish deserves a better name. I copied it but will rename it Queso with Chorizo dip.

    • September 17, 2012 at 9:19 AM

      Really???

      • gmoney
        September 17, 2012 at 10:52 AM

        Lacey, what your thinking of is fundio. Fundido means melt, fundio is a slang term that means smelly A$$hole. I know where your coming from though, drop that second “d” and your eating something totally different 😉

    • Lacey's smelly fundio
      July 8, 2013 at 6:38 PM

      Lacey what a DORK !

  • dee
    March 6, 2013 at 10:37 AM

    I get this at Pablanos resturant and it is with chicken. Delish!

  • mhermis2011
    January 14, 2014 at 12:48 PM

    How many does this serve?

    • taraliptak
      January 14, 2014 at 6:12 PM

      The two of us ate this for dinner one night but as an appetizer, it would probably serve 6-8.

      • mhermis2011
        January 15, 2014 at 10:16 AM

        Thanks I’m planning on using it at a baby shower I’m planning

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  • Rebecca
    April 24, 2018 at 10:01 AM

    Amazing combination! 🙂

    • Tara
      April 24, 2018 at 10:21 AM

      Thanks!! 🙂

  • Sharon Scott
    April 30, 2018 at 8:23 PM

    Does this recipe call for dried chorizo?

    • Tara
      May 3, 2018 at 1:46 PM

      Hi Sharon! For this recipe, you want the pre-cooked chorizo links, not fresh chorizo links or pre-sliced chorizo. I guess you could consider them “dried” but they are near the packaged chicken sausage, andouille sausage, etc. in the grocery store vs. in the deli section where you can find pepperoni sticks and packages of pre-sliced dried meat like prosciutto, capicoli, soppressata, etc. Does that make sense? If I’ve just totally confused you, let me know! 🙂