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Bob Armstrong Dip: queso with taco meat, guacamole, and sour cream

About 43 years ago or so, Robert “Bob” Armstrong walked into Matt’s El Rancho in Austin and asked the owner’s son, Matt Martinez, Jr., to surprise him with something new. Bob Armstrong was the Texas Land Commissioner at the time, and was not only a powerful guy but also a regular customer. Matt wanted to make him happy.

The story goes that Matt went into the kitchen, grabbed a large bowl and ladled into it some taco meat. Next, he hid the taco meat under a generous helping of creamy chile con queso and finished with dollops of guacamole and sour cream on top. He then took the bowl out to Bob and presented him with his kitchen creation.

At first Bob looked at the bowl, wrinkled his nose and said, “That’s just queso. I wanted something different!” But Matt insisted he try it and when Bob dipped his chip into the queso and discovered the layer of taco meat, he grinned and proceeded to eat the whole bowl without further comment.

Bob Armstrong Dip | Homesick Texan

The next day, people came into Matt’s El Rancho asking for a bowl of Bob Armstrong’s dip. None of the wait staff knew what the heck they were talking about until Matt Martinez, Jr. figured out they were asking for the off-the-menu queso he’d made for Bob the day before.

Apparently, Bob Armstrong had returned to the Texas state capitol and told everyone they had to try Matt’s queso with taco meat, guacamole, and sour cream. And at that moment, a chile con queso legend was born.

In later years, other queso compuestos, as that genre of chile con queso is called, also rose to prominence—quesos such as Kerbey Lane’s Kerbey Queso topped with guacamole and pico de gallo, and Magnolia Café’s Mag Mud with its black beans layered into the silky cheese. But Bob Armstrong Dip, as Matt’s queso creation is now officially known, may just be my favorite.

You can now find Bob dip in both Austin and Dallas, where Matt Martinez, Jr. later moved to open a few restaurants of his own. And it was there that I actually first encountered it, as in college we’d eat at Matt’s Rancho Martinez in Lakewood and spend lazy afternoons on the patio enjoying hot queso and cold beverages.

A few years ago my college friends and I had a reunion in Dallas, so it seemed fitting that the first order of business was lunch at Matt’s. I headed straight there from the airport, and it was a welcome sight to see not only my friends but bowls of Bob dip at the table. It felt like no time had passed at all.

Now, you may have heard that there’s a Velveeta shortage, and for many folks this is something akin to a tragedy, as everyone knows that a block of Velveeta along with a can of Ro-Tel is the quick path to queso happiness.

That said, living in New York I’ve long suffered a Velveeta shortage as it’s never been easy to find here, so many years ago I learned to make do without. A more natural chile con queso was the result of my kitchen experiments, and it’s pretty good, if I do say so myself.

That said, Bob dip also doesn’t use Velveeta. Nope, in Matt Martinez’s books “Matt’s Culinary Frontier” and “Mex Tex” he provides recipes for his famous dip and he calls for just plain American cheese. While anytime is queso time, in my opinion, I do know that many especially enjoy it this time of year, so I decided now would be a fine time to try his recipes.

First, however, I made a couple of changes. For one thing, I decided to forgo the diced celery he called for, which just sounded strange. Also, his taco meat was lightly spiced with only cumin, salt, and pepper, but I found it a bit bland so I added a couple of shakes of chili powder to make it a bit more robust.

Bob Armstrong Dip | Homesick Texan

In the end, however, when I assembled the queso (keeping the taco layer hidden as it was in the original bowl presented to Bob Armstrong), and then dipped my first chip, I was back in Texas enjoying a sunny afternoon with old, dear friends. And it doesn’t get much better than that.

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Print
4.75 from 16 votes

Bob Armstrong dip

Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 8
Author Adapted by Lisa Fain from Matt’s Culinary Frontier by Matt Martinez

Ingredients

Ingredients for the taco meat:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/2 bell pepper. seeded and diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch of cayenne

Ingredients for the guacamole:

  • 2 Hass avocados, peeled and pitted
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime
  • 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
  • Salt

Ingredients for the chile con queso:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 pound American cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes, diced
  • Salt
  • Sour cream, for garnishing
  • Tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions

  • To make the taco meat, in a large skillet heat the oil on medium-low heat and add the bell pepper, jalapeño, and onion. While stirring occasionally, cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
  • Add the ground beef to the skillet, along with the cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Stir until everything is well combined and then cook the ground beef for 15 more minutes, or until browned. Taste and adjust seasonings. Turn off the heat and drain any excess grease.
  • Meanwhile, to make the guacamole, mash together the avocado, lime juice, and cilantro. Add salt to taste.
  • To make the queso, in a saucepot heat the oil on medium-low heat and add the jalapeño and onion. While stirring occasionally, cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
  • Leaving on the heat, stir in the cumin, black pepper, and cornstarch until the dry ingredients are well combined with the vegetables. Pour in the chicken broth and while stirring cook until the sauce has thickened, which should happen in a couple of minutes.
  • Turn the heat down to low and working in batches, slowly stir in a handful of the cheese. After it’s melted into the sauce, repeat the process until all the cheese is added. Stir in the tomatoes, adjust seasonings, and add salt to taste.
  • This makes a lot of queso, so you can either serve it in individual bowls or in a larger dish, such as a 9-inch square dish. To assemble, layer along the bottom of the dish the taco meat, then pour in the queso and then top with the guacamole and sour cream. Serve warm with chips.

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66 Comments

  1. I lived in Austin for years, but never went to Matt’s, which was actually close to my Westlake home. My only encounter with this iconic recipe was in Dallas, at my son’s wedding rehearsal dinner–as a proper host, I let all of the guests go first, busying myself with social obligations. That meant by the time I went to the appetizer table, it was empty. When I took my place at the dinner table, there was no food at my place and when I politely inquired about getting some, was told by the staff that everything was gone and being the one who paid the bill still wouldn’t get me a meal–gone was gone. They were actually pretty rude and I’ve never returned to that particular restaurant. Thanks for finally giving me an opportunity to experience this iconic queso!

  2. Kelly Anderson says:

    I now live in San Antonio but grew up going to Matt’s El Rancho in Austin at least monthly, and now that my son is a student at UT my family finds ourselves huddled around a “bowl of Bob” pretty often. I have to say that I have never had Bob with a dollop of sour cream in it. I just Googled images of Bob in order to make sure that my mind and memory were not deceiving me–sure enough, the Austin Bob has a dollop of taco meat and a dollop of guacamole. Maybe a little hot sauce, too. Not sure where the sour cream addition came from, but it’s not served that way today and I’m not sure if it ever was.

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Kelly–In his book, Matt Martinez Jr. included sour cream so perhaps that was his preferred way of serving it.

  3. Shonda Morgan says:

    I lived in South Austin for five years and loved going to Matt’s for this queso! I’m back
    home in Louisiana now but I am constantly telling everyone that they don’t know about good queso until they visit Austin. Thanks for the sweet memory.

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Shonda–You’re welcome! And that is so true about Austin queso. Thank you for spreading the good Tex-Mex word!

  4. Well I think I’ll try to make this version. I tried the one that Bon Appetit published and wasn’t impressed. There wasn’t any flavor, even with all those peppers! Also it called for Mont Jack and med to sharp cheddar instead of American and the bechamel with grainy.

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Karen–This recipe comes from the chef who invented the dish, so I think you’ll enjoy it.

  5. Pamela G Wood says:

    I made the dip with the meatless crumbles from Trader Joe’s. It made the dish vegetarian and delicious to boot. Thanks for sharing this recipe again.

    1. Lisa Fain says:

      Pamela–Good to know it’s tasty with the TJ meatless crumbles. Thank you for sharing your vegetarian tip and glad you enjoyed it!