Queso Fundido

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Riddle me this? What on earth is better than ooey, gooey, melted cheese served with tortillas chips? Not much in my book. Hence why we should all dig into this crazy amazing Queso Fundido for the upcoming big game.

Queso Fundido from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

If I see a fancy queso on a menu, it’s almost guaranteed that it’s coming to our table. It’s one of my weaknesses and I can’t say no. It all ends up working out perfectly because my other weakness, guacamole, goes perfectly with this decadent dip!

During our last Palm Springs adventure we had the most sinfully delicious queso and I knew that it 100% had to be recreated at home. Loaded with poblano peppers and a handful of different cheeses, it made for the most epic appetizer and it would be perfection on top of a plate of nachos. The poblanos give the queso a subtle smokey finish and the variety of cheeses that I used melt perfectly! Loaded with Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack and Oaxaca cheeses, this queso fundido comes together perfectly!

Queso Fundido from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

Fair warning, you’ll want to eat this entire thing!! I love serving this with a side of my favorite guacamole and some homemade salsa.

Queso Fundido from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

Queso Fundido

5 from 3 votes
Ooey gooey melted cheese with smoky poblanos make the most perfect game day food known to man
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican, Tex Mex, Southwestern
Servings 8 people

Ingredients
  

  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Oaxaca cheese
  • 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese
  • Freshly fried tortilla chips for serving
  • Cilantro for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Turn oven to broil.
  • Place the poblano peppers on a sheet pan and cook directly under the broiler, turning occasionally, until blackened on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes total. Remove from the oven. Once cool enough to handle, chop and set aside, skin on. Alternatively, you can char the Poblano peppers over an open flame on the stove.
  • Adjust oven to 425°F.
  • Heat the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and roasted peppers to the skillet and cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Shred the various cheeses and top the onion and pepper mixture with the cheese. Add the milk and stir everything to combine.
  • Fill a roasting pan or baking dish halfway up with hot water. Place the skillet inside of the water bath and transfer to the oven. Bake until the cheese is melted and gooey, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the skillet from the water bath and serve immediately with salsa, guacamole and fresh chips.

Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking

46 Comments

  1. The recipe looks great but I have a question about the instructions. I understand that we are dealing with a cast iron skillet through step 6, but in step 7 it directs placing the baking dish in hot water. Is there a step omitted between steps 6 & 7? Was the cheese mixture transferred over to a baking dish. I only ask because I would not place my cast iron skillet in a hot water bath considering how easily they rust.

  2. This looks so good but I have two questions: (1) You write, “Once cool enough to handle, chop and set aside.” Does that mean you leave the charred skin on the peppers? (2) You write, “Place the baking dish inside of the water bath” but I assume you meant cast-iron pan since the baking dish may be acting as the water bath. I ask for clarification only because usually you would never submerge cast-iron in water for an extended period of time. Thanks!

    1. Hi, Ellen. Watch the video for answers to your questions. She appears to chop the peppers with the skin on. She places the cast iron skillet in a dish with water. The video is very helpful.

    2. Hi! Was just wondering where I can find the video? I too am confused on the water bath part. Thanks 🙂

  3. I have never made this before, and don’t know why because I love cheese!!!
    Another great new thing to try! Thanks.

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  6. Thank you for posting before the big game as you promised in your instagram comment to me! Will be making this on Sunday. I am a Seattlite so… Go Hawks:)

  7. Um, we are shameless cheese eaters in my house–a habit I was working to reverse this week–until I saw this. yum. Insane. Love the smokiness. That did it for me.

  8. Delicious! While living in CA and using fresh chiles all the time, I have always removed the skins/seeds. (UGH, with gloves on as it makes a mess and gets under my nails.) Loved leaving the skins on! Next time I’ll roast and add a couple of Serrano chiles (or four jalapenos) to up the spice level. The water bath is genius: often cheese dips baked in the oven get stringy around the edges before the center is adequately melted. We even had leftover (horrors!) which DH destroyed by putting in the microwave. Will use water bath and reheat gently next time….soon. DH wants chorizo in the next one….not going to happen, lol.

    HINT: please try to get real California Oxaca. While similar to many “white, melty” cheeses, it has a texture that is superb. 5 stars in our book.

  9. We use to add chorizo to This meted cheese in México, for vegetarían people. Our family bussines in Saltillo produces soy chorizo as good on taste and texture than the real one and it is low Salt and fatless.

  10. Hi there,
    Decided to try this fundido as I love everything you make! I made it a week early to test the recipe before Super Bowl. Thank goodness I did. Not sure where I went wrong but the cheese is like one big blob and not able to dip onto the chips. It’s like you need a fork and knife to cut the cheese and place on a chip. Any suggestions on where I may have gone wrong and how to recitify? Thank you so much!

    1. Hey Laurie! Did you do the water bath? Did you let it sit out after making? It needs to be eaten right after it comes out of the oven basically! LMK. happy to help troubleshoot!

  11. 5 stars
    Finally someone who understands what fundido is and that it’s different from queso (which is also delicious, but not the same!) If I could eat this for all meals I would, it is delicious.

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