Copycat Chipotle Queso Blanco
My Copycat Chipotle Queso Blanco is smooth, irresistibly creamy, and packed with bold cheesy flavor and just the right amount of spice. Seriously, it’s as close to the real recipe as it gets. Now you can whip up restaurant-quality queso at home and instantly become the most popular person in the room. Don’t just take my word for it, the glowing reviews and five-star ratings say it all.
Table of contents
The Original Culinary Ginger Recipe
I developed this recipe from scratch in 2020 after countless rounds of testing (and a lot of taste-testing!). While I’ve seen my exact measurements and secret ratios pop up on other sites since then, this is the original Culinary Ginger version. Thank you for supporting the original creator – it’s readers like you who keep this kitchen running!
How I Cracked Chipotle Restaurant Queso Blanco Recipe
When they released their 13 – component ingredient list in 2020, it made recreating their ‘new and improved’ version a breeze. This version is a far cry from the original, which was thicker, off-white, and had a distinct beer-cheese flavor.
Now let’s get into the details of how to make this popular Chipotle Queso Blanco at home.
Cheeses
Since this is a blanco (white) Chipotle queso recipe, white cheese is a must. Both Chipotle and I use aged Monterey Jack and sharp white cheddar. Fun fact: this cheese is made in Monterey, California, and the spelling is sometimes confused with the Mexican city “Monterrey.” Just sayin’.
Please use freshly grated cheese. Pre-shredded cheese often contains anti-caking additives to prevent clumping, but those same powders can make your queso gritty or grainy instead of silky smooth.
Cultured cream
One of Chipotle’s ingredients is cultured cream (aka fermented cream), which gives the queso its signature tang. Fermented creams you can find in most grocery stores include crème fraîche and sour cream – I went with sour cream.
Queso spice
Chipotles in adobo (jalapeños dried, smoked, and packed in adobo sauce) give the queso a subtle smokiness. I chose to use only the peppers—not the sauce—this would turn this white queso a shade of orange. For spicier queso, add extra serrano peppers or a pinch of cayenne.
Cornstarch in Queso
Using a cornstarch slurry to thicken queso may seem unusual—flour is more commonly used—but this method comes straight from the original ingredient list. The cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with a little water) thickens the queso smoothly without affecting the flavor. Because cornstarch is used instead of flour, the queso is naturally gluten-free while staying creamy and cohesive.
Tips for Success
To prevent curdling or grainy queso or grainy cheese sauce
- Slow and steady heat – If you heat over high heat, this heats the liquid too quickly. You want to slowly bring up to a simmer over medium heat or medium-low heat is best. And never boil.
- Always grate the cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese has anti-clumping added and this will affect the texture of the sauce.
- If you’re using white flour, always mix into the fat before adding liquid, this makes a roux. This serves 2 purposes. To cook out the raw flour flavor and prevent lumps.
- When using cornstarch, make a slurry. This means mixing in a little of your liquid (water, milk, cream) into the cornstarch to make it smooth before adding to the sauce.
- To reheat your queso or cheese sauce, add to a pan and heat low and slow, stirring often.
- To keep warm for a party or entertaining, serve in a slow cooker set to warm.
Nachos are perfect for any fun occasion! They shine on game day for the big match, make movie nights even better, add a festive touch to Cinco de Mayo, and are a hit at pool parties.
Queso nachos
Wondering what to do with leftover queso? Last night I made nachos from things I had in the fridge, Pulled Pork, cherry tomatoes, fresh cilantro. (pic below). This was an easy dinner.
More Serving Suggestions
There are a million and one ways to enjoy queso. Delicious on its own with tortilla chips—you’ll want plenty on hand, because restraint is nearly impossible with this cheesy dip! In restaurants, it’s often poured over burritos, tacos, or burrito bowls. Here are some fun and creative ways to serve it:
Classic Dippers
- Tortilla chips (obviously)
- Warm flour tortillas or tortilla wedges
- Pretzel bites
- Pita chips
With Mains & Proteins
- Drizzled over tacos, burritos, or quesadillas
- Spoon it onto nachos
- Poured over grilled chicken or steak
- Over burgers or sliders
- As a sauce for enchiladas
Creative & Fun
- Queso fries or loaded tots
- Queso mac and cheese
- Over roasted potatoes or baked potatoes
- Mixed into scrambled eggs or poured over breakfast burritos
- As a dip for soft pretzels or churros (sweet-salty moment!)
Party & Appetizer Ideas
- Serve in a mini slow cooker to keep it warm
- Add chorizo, ground beef, or roasted peppers for a queso bar
- Top with pico de gallo, jalapeños, or cilantro
- Pair with veggies like bell peppers, broccoli, or cauliflower
Unexpected (but amazing)
- Queso pizza drizzle
- Over rice bowls
- With grilled corn (elote-style)
Storing Leftover Queso
Let the queso cool completely, then transfer the leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. As it chills, the queso will thicken—this is normal.
Reheating Queso
To reheat, warm it gently over low heat on the stovetop in a saucepan or in the microwave in short intervals, stirring often. If needed, stir in a splash of milk or cream to bring it back to a smooth, creamy texture.
Copycat Chipotle Queso Blanco
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups (472 ml) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons serrano pepper seeds removed, finely chopped * see note
- 1 ½ tablespoons poblano pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper, seeds removed and chopped from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and grated
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Water
- 1 cup (240 grams) sour cream
- 2 (172 grams) Monterey jack cheese, freshly grated
- 1 cup( 86 grams) sharp white cheddar, freshly grated , * * see note
- 1 tablespoon fresh tomato, seeds and juice removed, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
Yields: 4 cups/1 quart/2 pints/850 ml
- To a saucepan add the milk over medium heat. Stir in the onion, serrano peppers, poblano pepper, chipotle pepper and garlic. Mix cornstarch with just enough water so it dissolves, stir into the milk and bring to a light bubble, cook, stirring often until thickened. Remove from heat as soon as it is thickened (you will need to keep an eye on it). If it doesn't thicken to your liking, add a little more cornstarch mixed with milk.
- Turn down to the heat to very low and whisk in the sour cream. Once the sour cream is incorporated, add a handful of cheese and stir until melted. Continue to add and handfuls of cheese and stir until all the cheese is used, making sure it is completely melted before adding another handful and ensure the queso is smooth. If too hot, the queso may turn gritty and separate. (see tips below to prevent this).
- Stir in the tomato. Remove from the heat and allow the queso to cool, it will get even thicker as it cools.
Tips to prevent the sauce turning gritting or grainy and separating:
- Slow and steady heat – If you heat over high heat, this heats the liquid too quickly. You want to slowly bring up to a simmer over medium heat or medium-low heat is best. And never, ever boil. Always grate the cheese yourself. Pre-grated cheese has anti-clumping added and this will affect the texture of the sauce.
- Cornstarch is highly recommended. If you use flour instead of cornstarch, double the amount (cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour). I also can't guarantee that any raw flour taste will cook out.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust to your taste.
- To reheat your queso or cheese sauce, add to a pan and heat low and slow, stirring often.
Oh come on! You made it so easy to recreate this. I make it extra spicy and it is AWESOME!
Haha, great, thanks for sharing
How can you mess this up? It’s so easy and turns out great for me every time. My buddies requested it for superbowl.
Thanks
I made this yesterday to try it for a Super Bowl party and this is a keeper!! Thanks
Delicious. I couldn’t get poblano peppers, but it still tasted great, thanks
Delicious. I couldn’t get poblano peppers, but it still tasted great, thanks
Thank you so much for sharing.
I was craving my Chipotle order of a chicken bowl with queso so I made this and I’m so happy! Just enough pepper flavor and creamy. I can’t stop eating it 😂
Perfect!!! I’ve made this a few times, great for nachos and tacos.
Awesome, thanks
Can u freeze this recipe?
I have not tried to, but I think it would affect the texture.
This tastes just like it! I used half and half instead of evaporated milk and turned out great. Oh, and it’s perfect for nachos!
This copycat recipe was spot on! Brought it to a party and it was a hit! Followed the recipe exactly but doubled all ingredients to make more. I wouldn’t change a thing, so good.
Thank you so much 😊
This copycat recipe was spot on! Brought it to a party and it was a hit! Followed the recipe exactly but doubled all ingredients to make more. I wouldn’t change a thing, so good.
Really good! The recipe is so easy to follow and make (I’m not the best cook) and my friends loved it too. I made a double batch
Thank you! I’m glad you all enjoyed it.
Can I substitute the ingredients to make a vegan version? I don’t know if it will turn out the same. I use to love Chipotle Queso Blaco
I can’t say for certain that you could make the recipe vegan. The milk part would be fine, but I’m not sure how vegan sour cream and cheese would react.
Taste is spot on! But texture a little grainy and I feel I cooked it correctly. Amy suggestions? Thanks
Katie
I’m glad it tasted good, but I’m sorry about it turning grainy. I mention this could happen step 2 of the recipe. This due to the proteins in the cheese separating (it’s called breaking) and is because of the heat, but no faulty of yours. Cheese sauce is very finicky and regulating the temperature is challenging. When you make it next time (and I hope you do) watch the temperature and if you see it turning grainy, remove immediately from the heat.
Use a bit of sodium citrate powder. You can buy it on amazon. It helps bind cheese proteins and prevent separation when melting. Chipotle uses it in the actual recipe they make. Also gives it a silky smooth consistency.
This is so helpful, thank you Eric
Can you make the entire thing in a slow cooker from the start? All my pots are non stick and I am afraid to ruin this lovely recipe.
Non-stick pans are the best pan to make queso in because of the non-stick coating, which is what I use. I haven’t made it in the slow cooker, but I’m sure it would work. Enjoy.
My son wants me turn up the heat a bit. Which pepper would I use to do that? First time I made the recipe I used canned jalapenos as a substitute for both the poblano and serrano as that was all that was available, (and they were pickled). Wasn’t as spicey as the original but was a close concoction. Found fresh peppers, can’t wait to try it again. Or would the fresh peppers turn up the heat automatically? Thanks so much for sharing, really appreciated.
You have a few options to turn up the heat. You can add more serrano peppers and include the seeds as they are spicier than jalapeños. You can add more chipotles in adobo (this will darken the queso). You can also add cayenne pepper to taste. I hope this helps, enjoy 😄
Pretty sure that someone paid Google for this recipe to end up in my search, I tried it, it was ok but not what I was looking for and won’t be using it again.
I can certainly clarify that for you! There actually isn’t a way to ‘pay’ Google for a top organic spot—rankings are based on a recipe’s popularity and positive reader feedback, which is why this 2014 favorite shows up so high.
I think you may be confusing paid Google ads with paying for higher Google search results which I believe is not a thing.
Girl, my hubby is a (classic Le Cordon Bleu trained)-GM at Chipotle and hates his job and wants to start at the bottom at a “real” restaurant. I couldn’t take the paycut AND lose the free queso.
I told him to go ahead. This nailed it. So yum, thank you!
Thank you so much for the compliment (especially from someone in the know). I hope your husband landed or lands, the job he deserves and enjoys.
I don’t see anywhere in the ingredients that list Chipotle pepper powder. I only seen it in a can with Adobe sauce. Why do The comments talk about Chipotle spice instead? I’m confused as to the ingredients.
I’m sorry for the confusion. I just updated the recipe 2 weeks ago and changed out the chipotle pepper powder for the peppers so that’s why the comments say that, but the recipe is correct. I’ve deleted those old comments that are not relevant anymore. Let me know if you have any more questions. Enjoy.
Any suggestions on how to thin it? I made mine too think. But very delicious!
Hi, I would put it over very low heat and whisk in more milk (room temperature), just enough to thin it out to your liking. Once it is thin enough, you can add a little cheese to help keep the flavor. I hope this helps.
Omg!!! Delicious! I like chipotle’s queso but it’s a bit too spicy for me, so I used red bell peppers as opposed to Serrano and poblano peppers. I loved how it tasted…just like chipotle but without the heat.
I’m glad you enjoyed the queso and were able to customize to your comfortable spice level. Thank you for the feedback 😀
Made it tonight. Even my picky 9 year old loved it. How do you store it? Can it be frozen?
I love picky eater approval, thank you. You can store it in the fridge in a sealed container, but it will not be good if you freeze. You can refrigerate for 5 days then reheat. To reheat, add to a pan over low heat and heat slowly and stir.
Made this over the weekend, amazing flavor and your tips are perfect. turned out great.
Thank you so much!
This recipe is spot on! The taste and texture are perfect! Thank you for putting in all the work of testing this and getting it right!
Thank you so much. Your feedback is very important to me.
Tasted delicious. I added more pepper because I like things a little spicy. it taste even more like chipotles dip but overall this is a winner.
Thank you for the feedback, I’m glad you were able to customize to your liking.
This tastes just like the chipotle queso. Was very happy with how it came out.
Great, thanks
What kind of tomato 🍅 Do I need to go to a specific place to get the serrano and poblano peppers? Thanks from a very inexperienced cook.
You can use a Roma or tomato on the vine. The peppers you will be able to find in the produce area of any major supermarket. I hope all of this helps and let me know if you have any more questions.
making it into mac n cheese! 🙂
I’m loving this idea, enjoy
Was so creamy… great texture, the taste was excellent.
I’m so sorry this happened to you. This is an easy fix and I’ve added the instructions to the directions.
Okay I had the right thing. I guess my peppers weren’t hot enough! I’ll try that again! Thanks!
Did you use sweet peppers? This will effect the flavor.
Ooohhhh, this is dangerously delicious. I’ve been hunting for a good copycat because Chipotle charges so much for so little! This tastes exactly the same. Thank you for putting in the work so I can enjoy this queso 😋
I’m so happy you enjoyed the queso. I had to eat 4 different batches while testing the recipe and had fun doing it. Thank you for the feedback 🙂
Can it be reheated
Yes, this can be reheated. You can do it in a pan on medium to medium low heat (to prevent burning the bottom) and stir frequently until it is back to it’s thinner consistency. You can also do it in the microwave stirring about every 2-3 minutes.
I just made this recipe and it is fantastic! Love it!
I’m so happy you love it, thank you for the feedback.
I love the flavor of this and the perfect amount of spice
I loved the flavor and there was just the right amount of spice. I’m making it again tomorrow.
I love a repeat customer, thank you for sharing 🙂
Can this be made the day before? Also. Once made can this be reheated in a crockpot?
Yes, the queso can be made the day before. When it cools, the texture will change, but don’t worry. It reheats really well and the crockpot is perfect for this because you can keep it warm and it will stay creamy and smooth. Enjoy!
I went to Chipotles a few days ago and tried the new Queso. The old queso was gritty. The new was fabulous. I found a copycat recipe on Pinterest and made it tonight. Very disappointing! I just made yours and it’s perfect!! I hope I can get it so good again
I was very happy when they came out with the new one as well. It took me about 5 times to test the recipe and mine is a good one. Enjoy.
Do you keep the seeds & flesh of the serrano & poblanos? I left them out and it tasty really milky without any heat.
Seeds removed
Just about to make it. Looks tasty 😋
I hope you enjoyed it.
great flavor and just the right amount of spice
Yes! I have been missing my favorite queso because I have not been eating out. I made this over the weekend and it is a winner! I used jalapeno (couldn’t find serano) so i added more powder. a keeper for sure
Yay, thank you so much. I ate a lot of test recipes to get to this 🙂