hatch chile queso dip
I’m taking some time off the next few weeks to spend with my family and our new bundle of joy. In the meantime, I’ve set up a few posts ahead of time to share. In case you share in my weakness for queso dip of any and all kinds, you will be pleased to know this recipe is a) delicious, b) easy to make and c) totally unnecessary to share.
There are few foods in life I cannot handle myself around:
1) Frosted animal crackers (there’s a reason they’re called “crack”ers).
2) Giordano’s deep dish spinach pizza. I am always in danger of faceplanting right into the restaurant doors as I gallop to them any time I’m in Chicago.
3) Queso dip. Anywhere. Any kind. Amen.
Suffice it to say, this hatch chile queso dip stood no chance of surviving longer than one meal. As in, it was my lunch the day I made it. I regret nothing.
But let’s back up a bit. Have you ever tried a hatch chile before? I hadn’t but I’d heard great things about the New Mexico pepper — and I love me some fresh peppers — so when The Hatch Chile Store offered to send me a sample, I was all, “UmmmmmYES.” And then they sent me 10 pounds of chiles. (I repeat: UmmmmmYES).
These hatch chiles are the perfect amount of heat, nice and hearty and a perfect addition to this dip. I love that they were pre-roasted and peeled, too, which made them extra easy to use. They’ve made appearances in a couple other meals of ours and I’m already having recurring dreams of making tortilla soups, salsas and cheesy chile rellenos with what’s left (because cheese).
And of course, they were stellar in this creamy queso dip. Just imagine: Warm, cheesy dip, with a perfect kick of heat from the peppers and texture from the fresh tomato-shallot mixture and a generous handful of salty, crispy tortilla chips on the side. You understand now how I easily justified eating just this for lunch, right? I’ll assume you’re nodding your head.
Hatch Chile Queso Dip
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 small vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
- 1 shallot, minced (or 3 tablespoons minced white onion)
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 medium-heat hatch green chiles, thawed, stemmed, seeded and chopped (or 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped)
- 1 green or red jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (4 oz) shredded pepper jack cheese
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, lightly toss tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the minced shallot and half of the cilantro.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add remaining minced shallot, chopped hatch chiles, chopped jalapeno pepper and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes until shallot is softened.
- Add flour; stir and cook 1 minute until fully mixed in and absorbed. Stir in milk. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to thicken.
- Stir in shredded cheeses until smooth; remove from heat. Stir in remaining chopped cilantro.
- Pour dip into a serving bowl; spoon tomato mixture on top. Serve with tortilla chips.
Disclosure: I received a sample of hatch chiles from The Hatch Chile Store for review purposes only. All opinions are my own.
Some girls eat their feelings with ice cream. I eat my feelings with queso. It’s a thing.
Whoever CAN say no to cheese dip, must be off their rocker! Love hatch chilies and love this dip!
Love this kicked up and amp’d up version of queso dip!! I could eat it all day!
I love Hatch chiles and I really love melty cheese, this dip looks delicious! And yes frosted animals crackers really do live up to the “crack”er name!
YES! I want to dip it!!! Dip it reeeeal good 🙂
Well gosh, if it’s wrong to eat queso for lunch, I don’t ever want to be right!! Yes, Steph, it’s perfectly acceptable to eat this for any meal! 🙂
(Seriously … 10 pounds of chiles???)
Amen to the queso dip! Just pass me the entire bowl. I hope you are enjoying time with your sweet little one!
I don’t think I’ll be needing anything to dip in this dip! I can eat this by the spoonful! OMG! droooling!
Oh em geez this looks amazing *drools onto screen*
http://youtube.com/addalittlefood
Would it be weird if I drank this? I so hope not.
I can’t be trusted around those frosted animal crackers either…those sprinkles and uber artificial frosting gets me every time! I’m thinking I would hoard the entire bowl of this queso too….nothing better than chips and cheese!
I’m trying to grow chiles in my garden this year and this looks like the BEST Way to use them! Hope you are enjoying your time with your beautiful girl and adjusting to being a new mom!
Good recipe, Stefanie! I love Hatch chilies and nothing signals fall like Hatch chilies. That is the first smell I am always looking for! I buy them and never have enough! So go ahead, eat them all. Someone may as well have some fun!
Queso all day every single day!
Sounds like a perfectly appropriate lunch (or dinner) to me! Looks deeelicious!!
Kisses from Buenos Aires xx
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