Cheese dip (queso)

Cheese dip, or queso, is a warm, creamy, and often spicy melted cheese sauce that is a staple of Tex-Mex cuisine. Its base typically includes melted processed cheese (like American or Velveeta), milk or cream, and green chiles, with common additions like tomatoes, onions, and jalapeños. It is fundamentally a party food, designed for communal dipping with tortilla chips.

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🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

Queso is very high in fat and calories, with a single serving (about 1/4 cup) often containing over 150 calories and 12 grams of fat. It provides a significant amount of calcium and protein from the cheese, but is generally low in carbohydrates unless thickened with starches.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	80 kcal
Protein	3 g
Carbs	2 g
Fat	7 g
Fiber	0 g
Sugar	1 g
Sodium	350 mg
Calcium	150 mg
Phosphorus	120 mg
Vitamin A	70 mcg RAE
Vitamin B12	0.3 mcg
Riboflavin (B2)	0.05 mg
Sodium	350 mg
Potassium	50 mg
Zinc	0.5 mg

Per 1/4 cup (60 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Culturally, queso is the quintessential social appetizer in the American South and Southwest, where it's a mandatory presence at gatherings from Super Bowl parties to casual family dinners. Nutritionally, its use of processed cheese is key—it contains emulsifying salts that prevent the cheese proteins from clumping, creating the signature smooth, dippable texture that natural cheeses cannot achieve on their own when melted.