Step up your appetizer game with this Skinny Queso Dip. At just 70 calories a serving, you can indulge in some cheesy goodness without the guilt!
Cooler weather. MLB and NBA postseason. College football Saturday. NFL Sunday. This is the kind of atmosphere that screams for cozy blankets and fireside nibbles. I’m a sucker for warm dips, but most are packed with calories and fat.
Not this Skinny Queso Dip! This version has so much cheddar flavor and is half of the calories/fat of store-bought brands. Jeff is obsessed with the Tostitos canned queso, and even he likes this version better.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a can of cheese now and then. But since you’re using real, whole ingredients in this recipe, the flavor is so much more satisfying than the jarred stuff. Make it on the weekend and eat through it all week!
What ingredients do I need to make skinny queso dip?
It might seem like a lot of ingredients go into making this recipe, but most of them are shelf-stable or keep in the refrigerator for a long time.
Here’s what you need:
Onion
Garlic
Jalapeno (optional)
Tomato
Reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
Reduced-fat cream cheese
Almond milk
Cornstarch
Canned green chilis
Cumin
Chili powder
Salt and pepper
For garnish: chives or green onions (optional)
The one ingredient that might seems a bit strange is the cream cheese, and only 2 tablespoons at that. I though the sauce needed a little boost of creaminess. That’s why I included it in the recipe.
I always have cream cheese on hand, so it’s not a big deal for me. If you don’t usually buy cream cheese, you could leave it out and just let the sauce cook more to thicken. Or you could use the leftover cream cheese to make my Penne alla Vodka later in the week and thank yourself later!
Stock up your pantry and fridge so you can make this dip whenever the craving hits!
What can i do with the leftovers?
The leftovers heat up really well! Some cheese sauces can get super clumpy or separate, but this one does fine in the microwave for about a minute.
If you’re making this for just yourself, cut the recipe in half and use the leftovers during the week for some delicious, low-point meals!
Our favorite is baked potatoes topped with steamed broccoli and queso. So freaking delicious, and a super easy weeknight meal. You could also use the dip for nachos, or as the cheese in a bean and cheese burrito. Serve any of those up with a side salad and you’re good to go!
I’d love to hear from you if you make this recipe! It makes my day when you share your pics on Instagram and tag me (@litecravings). Don’t forget to use #litecravingsrecipes to make sure I see it. If I don’t get a chance to scroll through my tags quickly enough, I won’t see your post. I always make a point to look through the hashtags, though, so I’ll see it there.
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5 from 5 votes
Skinny Queso Dip
Step up your appetizer game with this Skinny Queso Dip. At just 70 calories a serving, you can indulge in some cheesy goodness without the guilt!
In a medium-sized saucepan, over medium heat, sauté onion, garlic, and jalapenos until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
In a separate bowl, whisk together almond milk and cornstarch. When veggies are soft, slowly add milk/cornstarch mixture to saucepan. Increase heat to medium high until the mixture begins to boil.
Reduce heat to medium low. Whisk in cumin and chili powder. Add in canned chilis and tomato with all of their juices. Simmer until sauce is slightly thick, about 4-5 minutes.
Whisk in cream cheese until it completely melts through the sauce. Remove sauce from heat.
Slowly fold in cheddar cheese, about 1/4 cup at a time, until all cheese has completely melted into the sauce. If you try to add all the cheese in at once, it might clump together.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
If the queso is too thin, return to medium-low heat and simmer until thicker. If too thick, thin out out a few splashes of almond milk.
Notes
Click hereto determine your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe (if you are logged in to your WW app, it should calculate for you automatically). Serving size is 1/4 cup.
If you find it's getting too thick, whisk in a couple of tablespoons of whole milk to thin it. Serve it straight from the pan kept over low heat on your stove or transfer the queso to a slow cooker set on warm. Stir the queso frequently to prevent a skin from forming on the surface of the dip.
The best side dishes to serve with queso dip are soft pretzels, nachos, Korean corn dogs, birria quesadillas, mushroom tacos, carne asada burrito, tostilocos, beef enchiladas, tostadas, BBQ chicken wings, chips and salsa, stuffed jalapeños, cauliflower bites, queso stuffed burgers, and fried pickles.
Queso blanco is usually made from asadero cheese (or white American cheese) shredded and melted in a pot with skim milk or half and half and pico de Gallo.
After making queso blanco on the stovetop, pour it into a slow cooker, and set it to WARM. This will keep it hot, smooth, and creamy through the whole party. Otherwise, just warm it up in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir generously once it starts to get cold. If need be, add some milk to thin as you heat.
Velveeta can be made thinner by adding milk to it. Here's how: Warm up some milk in a saucepan and then add cubed Velveeta. The ratio of milk to Velveeta will depend on your desired level of thickness.
While it can be high in calories and sodium, it can provide protein, essential vitamins, and minerals, and contribute to a well-rounded diet when consumed in moderation. By being mindful of portion sizes and considering ingredient choices, you can enjoy queso as part of a healthy lifestyle.
2 tbsp of queso dip (Wegmans) contains 60 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 14% carbs, 64% fat, and 21% protein. This has a moderate calorie density, with 200 Calories per 100g.
Scanning the internet and the supermarket shelf, we realized that the cheese sauces are divided into two basic categories: Queso Dips, which include some amount of heat, spices, and other flavorings, and Cheese Dips, which are cheese and little else.
Other soft, fresh Mexican cheeses labeled "queso de frier" or "queso de parilla" (cheese for frying or grilling, respectively) can be used as a substitute if you can't find queso blanco or queso fresco. Other frying cheeses, such as paneer and halloumi, may also be used for this purpose.
Despite their similar names, flavors, and appearances, queso fresco and queso blanco are slightly different cheeses. To make queso fresco, producers use rennet and cultures to form the curds. Queso blanco requires just milk and an acidifying agent such as lemon juice or vinegar, making it an easy cheese to DIY at home.
Literally Spanish for “cheese,” as in, a quesadilla—queso typically refers to a hot cheese dip that is frequently eaten with tortilla chips. Mexican and Tex Mex restaurants often feature it on their appetizer menu, having figured out that many people enjoy eating straight cheese before, during, and after a meal.
It's one of those ever-present, widely distributed, and wildly popular "cheeses" perched on grocery shelves across the nation. But is calling it a cheese even accurate? The answer to that is a bit nuanced, but Velveeta in its current form is inherently (and unfortunately) not a real cheese.
For a runnier dip, add up to ½ cup water with the cheese and milk. For a thicker and creamier dip, use 1 cup half and half instead of the milk and water. If after 5 minutes in the microwave your cheese is not all melted, give it an additional 30 seconds and stir again. Repeat until melted, up to 1 additional minute.
If you're into a thinner dip, add the 1 1/2 cups to start out with, and after all the cheese is incorporated, if it's still too thick for you, slowly stir in another 1/4 cup (or more) of cream until it's thin enough for you.
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