How to Make Queso Dip (Better Than Jarred)

Start by grating about half a pound of sharp white cheddar on a box grater. Chef John uses white cheddar here, but any good melting cheese works. He often does half Monterey Jack and half cheddar, which is how a lot of Mexican restaurants run it.

Skip the pre-shredded bag. Those shreds are coated in anti-caking powder that can make your sauce gritty, and freshly grated cheese melts cleaner. It only takes a minute by hand, and your dip is better for it.

Sprinkle one tablespoon of cornstarch over the grated cheese and toss it with a spoon until every shred is dusted. This is the small move that keeps the whole dip smooth.

When the cheese later hits the hot milk, that cornstarch swells and grabs the liquid, so the sauce thickens evenly and stays creamy. Without it, melted cheese tends to seize up and turn oily or grainy. Set the bowl aside while you build the base.

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic, the sliced white parts of your green onions, a good pinch of salt, some ground chipotle, and a little cumin. Save the dark green onion tops for garnish later.

Stir and cook this for about two minutes. You're not browning anything, just taking the raw edge off the garlic and onion and waking up the spices. The chipotle is smoked jalapeno, so it brings warmth and a little smoke without much fuss.

Stir in about half a cup of canned fire-roasted green chiles along with a seeded, diced tomato. Chef John uses hatch chiles, but any fire-roasted canned pepper works, and freshly roasted ones are even better if you have them.

Cook this for a couple of minutes to let the flavors come together. This is one of those rare recipes where a so-so off-season tomato still works fine, so don't stress about peak ripeness here.

Add one can of evaporated milk and stir it into the vegetables. Don't be thrown if it looks pale yellow or light brown instead of white. That color comes from how the milk is condensed and it's completely normal.

One warning worth repeating: this is evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk. They sit right next to each other on the shelf and the sweet one will ruin the dip. Bring the mixture up to a gentle boil.

Once the milk is at a boil, add the cornstarch-tossed cheese and stir steadily. The cheese melts into the hot liquid while the cornstarch thickens everything, and within a minute or so you'll have a smooth, glossy cheese sauce.

Here's the part you can't skip: the moment the cheese is fully melted, turn off the heat. Cheese sauce should never boil once the cheese is in, or it goes grainy and breaks. Melt, then kill the heat.

Stir a handful of chopped fresh cilantro into the warm queso. If cilantro isn't your thing, leave it out, the dip is great either way. This is also the moment to taste, and Chef John has a smart trick for it.

Don't taste off a spoon. Grab a salted tortilla chip and dip it, because that's how you'll actually eat it. The salt on the chip gives you a true read. He adds a few shakes of cayenne for extra heat and a final stir.

Pour the queso into a serving bowl and top it with a little diced tomato, a scatter of those reserved green onion tops, and one last shake of cayenne if you like. Surround it with a big pile of corn tortilla chips and you're ready to go.

This is a perfect July 4th cookout or game-day dip. It stays creamy and smooth even as it cools, and you can make it your own with add-ins like roasted corn, crispy bacon, or pickled jalapenos. Serve it warm and watch the bowl empty.