Delicious, spicy, fresh Mexican food is a cuisine that is popular across the world.
There’s a lot to enjoy with Mexican dishes, but for many, the rich, indulgent flavors of chile con queso paired with crispy tortilla chips sits at the top of their list of favorites.
This article will review the best store queso brands and other factors to consider when buying queso.
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Top Store-Bought Queso Brand Comparison
[wptb id=5079]Best Store-Bought Questo Brand Reviews
Tostitos Dips Medium Con Queso Dip
Queso So Good You’ll Want To Finish Off The Jar Once You Open It
Mexican snack food giant Tostitos have made a rich, tasty queso so good you might struggle not to polish off the whole 15 ounces once you’ve opened the jar.
It’s totally moreish and perfect combined with salsa as a dip, or used as a base for dishes like Mexican chowder.
Lovers of the delicious melty cheese you get in the cinema will find that the Tostitos queso comes as a close match. It’s just as gloopy and indulgent, and can be gently warmed in a separate container for that true hot Mexican dip taste sensation.
If you appreciate an authentic flavor & texture to your queso, you’ll love that the third ingredient of this dip is Monterey Jack Cheese which is known for being superbly melty and tasty.
Add to that juicy chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, chile and jalapeño peppers and you’ve got a finished dip complete with subtle warmth and oh-so-mouth watering Mexican spice.
What we like:
- Very similar to cinema melted cheese dip
- Subtle but tasty spice and heat
- Versatile use
- Great warm or cold
What we don’t like:
- Some customers may find the flavor quite processed
- May not be spicy enough for some tastes
Herdez Queso Dip 15 Oz Blanco Jalapeños
Traditional Mexican Spices & Juicy Jalapeños Give This Queso A Delicious Kick
Herdez is known for providing authentic, yummy Mexican dips, and this queso does not disappoint. It’s creamy, spicy and flavorful. Add it to chips, as a topper for Mexican dishes, or even with omelettes and loaded fries.
If you find some queso dips a little bit too processed and orange, you might prefer this blanco dip as an alternative. It’s much more like a cheesy sour cream, with a moreish tang, and thick sauce consistency. It also has Monterey Jack cheese as a third ingredient, which guarantees that melty cinema cheese quality.
Customers who love a bit of spice in their queso will really appreciate the addition of mouthwatering jalapeños, which add a fiery kick. These hot peppers really are the perfect pairing to creamy cheese dips like this Herdez queso.
What we like:
- Incredibly creamy
- Jalapenos add the perfect amount of heat
- Tangy and delicious
- Thick sauce consistency
What we don’t like:
- Might be a bit too spicy for some customers
- Lacks the seasonings other Mexican queso dips have
Wind & Willow Hot Dip Mix Variety Pack – Bacon Ranch, Southwest Queso and Loaded Cheddar
The Perfect Tasty Trio Of Dip Mixes For Parties & Mexican Meals
Do you get bored of just the one Mexican dip with your chips? Would you love to enjoy a variety of traditional and exciting Mexican flavors for your meals, snacks and parties?
If this sounds like you, Wind & Willow might just have you covered. They have not one, but three varieties of hot dip ready mix in this pack, so you’ve multiple mouthwatering flavors to enjoy.
The pack is made up of three dip mixes which you simply mix with cream cheese and sour cream. The mixes are; bacon ranch, loaded cheddar and Southwest queso. Bacon ranch is your sour, tangy hit with the flavor of sour cream and smoky bacon mixed together.
Loaded cheddar is sour cream and cheddar combined for more of a rich, decadent dip. Southwest queso is hot and spicy, for that warm, yummy Mexican taste.
All three when prepared are the perfect pairing for chips, baked potatoes, quesadillas, loaded fries and pretty much anything else you want to boost with the perfect pop of flavor.
What we like:
- A combination of three delicious flavors
- Pair with many meals and snacks
- Perfect for parties
- Great warm or cold when prepared
What we don’t like:
- Not as convenient as ready made dips
- Not ideal if you don’t love sour cream
Fritos Cheese Dip – Jalapeño Cheddar Flavour
Tasty Mexican Spiced Cheese Dip With Succulent Jalapeños
Fritos cheese dip offers queso loving customers the chance to enjoy the perfect mix of heat and indulgent rich cheese sauce flavor. It’s just like that orange, gloopy sauce we all love to enjoy at the cinema, with the added distinct hot spiciness of jalapeños.
Whilst some dips are thinner in their consistency and suit crudettes and lighter chips, Fritos cheese dip is heavy and thick enough to work really well with nachos and toasted tortillas.
The jalapeños added are also not in excess, so if you prefer warmth over eye watering heat with your queso you’ll be able to happily enjoy this dip.
Customers will love that the sauce works well with tortilla chips, loaded fries, eggs, and even as a creamy pasta sauce base. The versatility means it is not only a tasty snack, but a helpful store cupboard addition for when you don’t have time to cook from scratch.
Why we like it:
- Versatile
- Mildly spiced
- Thick consistency perfect for nachos
- Tasty hot or cold
What we don’t like:
- May not be spicy enough for some customers tastes
- May not be as cheesy as some customers prefer
Mrs Wages Pepper Jack Queso Mix
Tasty Queso Mix That’s Also MSG & Gluten Free
Mrs Wages pepper jack queso mix is the perfect powder to bring your dip to life. It’s rich and cheesy in flavor, with lots of added veggies and spices for the perfect Mexican accompaniment to many snacks and meals.
Although no queso is likely to be labelled healthy, this product does have a little going for it when it comes to it’s ingredients health kudos.
For example; it doesn’t contain any MSG, which some people prefer to avoid. It also contains no artificial colors and it is gluten free.
Customers who love a queso rich with spices will love that Mrs Wages mix is packed full of dried green and red bell pepper, jalapeños, tomatoes, onion and garlic.
This mix of flavors creates the perfect combination of heat, authentic Mexican flavor and cheesy taste – everything you want in queso.
Why we like it:
- No Gluten, MSG or artificial colorings
- Rich with spices and hot peppers
- Deliciously cheesy
- Easy to make up
What we don’t like:
- Might be too rich in Mexican flavorings for those who like to add their own spices
- Not as convenient as ready-made dip
How To Choose The Best Queso
If you would still love some pointers on picking the perfect queso for your culinary needs, consider the following:
Heat
Queso is a Mexican dip which means it usually has some chilli or hot pepper in it. How hot you like it though, depends on your taste. Of the most part, cheesy dips like queso are mild in spice.
However, for a little more heat, consider choosing a dip with jalapeños, which tend to be a little hotter overall.
Cheesiness
Queso is a cheesy dip so of course you expect it to be cheesy.
However, the cheesy taste between dips varies quite a bit. Sometimes, the more orange cheese dips can be milder in their cheesy flavor, and if a dip has lots of spices, they might override the cheese flavor.
To get the cheesiest flavor in your dip look for at least a couple of cheese additions, such as Monterey Jack which gives the dip its gloopy, melty texture, and cheddar, which gives a rich cheesy taste.
If you want the dip to be less cheesy, and more tangy, look for sour cream as a primary flavoring,
Texture
Texture is really important when it comes to queso and how you’re serving it. Thinner queso is ideal for sauces and crudettes, whereas thicker queso is perfect for nachos, loaded fries and tortilla chips.
Ready made dips vary in consistency so if you want full control over the thickness of your dip, consider a ready mix. With a queso mix you can then make your dip as thick or as thin as you like.
Convenience
If you want the most convenient option when it comes to queso then a ready-made dip is a great idea. You just open the jar when you want queso, and you don’t need any extra ingredients at all.
However, the great thing about a mix instead of a ready-made dip is that you have more control over the consistency, as we mentioned above, and, you can add the mix to all kinds of dishes like soup or even mac and cheese.
Summary
Using our tips above you can enjoy the perfect chilli con queso for your next snack or meal.
Whether you choose a tangy, spicy jalapeño filled mix, or a gloopy orange cinema cheese style jar of heaven, you’re guaranteed quite the taste sensation with this epic Mexican culinary treat.