6ouncesmild Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups) (see note)
6ouncesMonterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)(see note)
1/2cupchopped cilantro
2plum tomatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 cup, can use canned if tomatoes aren’t in season)
1/2cupsour cream
1/4teaspoonground cumin
Salt
Instructions
Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium-low heat, and then cook the onions and peppers for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Whisk the flour into the butter and vegetable mix then cook for about 30 seconds.
Add the milk to the pot, and then cook on medium, whisking constantly until sauce is thick, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and tomatoes.
Turn the heat down to low, and a 1/4-cup at a time, slowly add the shredded cheese stirring into the white sauce until completely melted. Repeat until all the cheese has been added. Note it’s important that you shred the cheese yourself as pre-shredded has fillers that will prevent the sauce from being smooth.
Stir in the sour cream and cumin, then add salt to taste.
Notes
You can vary which chiles you use to control how hot you want the queso to be. Also, if the sauce is too thick, feel free to add a bit more milk a tablespoon at a time. The key, however, to a smooth sauce is adding the cheese very slowly and not adding any more cheese until the previous addition is completely integrated into the sauce. Lastly, it’s very important to shred your own cheese as pre-shredded has fillers to prevent it from clumping that will also interfere with the queso dip becoming smooth.