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This Cowboy Queso recipe is the ultimate cheesy queso dip loaded with smooth velveeta cheese, beef, beans, Rotel, corn, and lots of cheese. It’s the perfect appetizer or the best game day treat for football season. 

For more cowboy favorites try this Cowboy Caviar – a chopped salsa dip made with all the good stuff!

A cast iron skillet pan with velveeta cheese dip in it.

Cowboy Queso Dip Recipe – Loaded Velveeta Queso Dip

You’ll be hooked at your first bite of this gooey cheese dip that’s loaded with big flavor! It’s one of my favorite recipes to serve on game day or it makes for the ultimate super bowl appetizer. 

One cast iron skillet is all you need and you can even serve the dip straight from the same skillet pan. Serve with tortilla chips and/or Fritos corn dip for a loaded cheesy dip that’s full of hearty ingredients that all cowboys love like beef and beans, spicy rotel, 3 types of cheese, and corn. 

A chip being dipped in the queso, a hand holding the chip.

Simple Ingredients Needed For Loaded Queso Dip

  1. Ground Sausage OR Ground Beef – For a milder dip use ground beef. Ground sausage can be slightly spicy but it’s also super flavorful, so use your preferred ground meat. 
  2. Velveeta Cheese – A huge block of velveeta is a must-have ingredient! Don’t try to substitute this for anything else. The dip just won’t be the same. 
  3. Shredded Taco Blend Cheese – This is the bag of shredded cheese and it’s specifically labeled as ‘taco blend’ and has a medley of cheeses inside. 
  4. Cream Cheese
  5. Rotel – Canned diced tomatoes with green chilies and it comes in mild, original, or spicy. Pick your preferred heat level for this queso cheese dip. 
  6. Canned Corn
  7. Black Beans
  8. Red Onion – Finely dice one small red onion or use half of a larger onion. 
  9. Lime – One fresh lime that has been juiced adds so much fresh and bright flavor to the otherwise heavy and cheesy loaded cheese dip. 
  10. Chopped Fresh Cilantro – This is for the garnish and it adds some bright herby flavor and makes this dip look pretty for serving. 
Labeled ingredients

How To Make This Ultimate Dip Recipe (Printable Recipe Card Below)

Cook and crumble the ground sausage (or ground beef) inside a large skillet pan, like a cast iron skillet, over medium high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the excess grease from the pan. 

Process photos for how to make this dip

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the velveeta cheese, taco cheese, and cream cheese to the skillet pan. Cook until the cheese is melted and smooth. 

Process photos for how to make this dip

Stir in the corn, Rotel, black beans, red onion, and lime juice. Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes until everything is combined and warmed through. 

Process photos for how to make this dip

Garnish the cowboy queso with the chopped cilantro and serve with tortilla chips. Serve the dip right from the skillet pan or you can remove it to a serving platter or dish if wanted.

Process photos for how to make this dip
Process photos for how to make this dip

Can I Make This Cowboy Queso Recipe Inside The Slow Cooker?

Yes! This cowboy queso is a great dip recipe for the slow cooker. It’s also an easy way to keep the dip warm while serving at a party, game day, or gathering. Cook and crumble the ground meat in a skillet pan, drain the grease, and then transfer the meat to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on LOW heat for 3-4 hours, making sure to stir the dip a few times during the cook time. Garnish with the cilantro before serving. 

Skillet pan of cheese dip

Serving Suggestions

Serve the dip inside the skillet pan, or remove the dip to a slow cooker and keep it on the warm setting for up to 2-3 hours. Serve alongside tortilla chips or corn chips.

Chip being dipped in the cheese dip

Changes & Substitution Ideas For Cheesy Creamy Queso

  • Beans : Use any 15 ounce canned bean that you prefer. Some great options are chili beans, pinto beans, or white navy beans. 
  • Shredded Cheese : Instead of the shredded taco blend cheese try using shredded Monterey Jack cheese, shredded Pepper Jack cheese, yellow or white American cheese. 
  • Spices & Seasonings : For more spice and flavor try adding some garlic powder, chili powder, or a pinch of ground cayenne pepper in with the ground meat while it’s browning. You can also add any dried seasonings you want into the skillet pan along with the beans and corn. 
  • Make It Spicy! : For a spicy kick there are lots of options. Here are some ideas to get you started – add hot sauce, additional cilantro, add a can of chopped jalapeños or diced green chiles, add cayenne pepper or chili powder, use Pepper Jack cheese instead of taco blend cheese, add red pepper flakes, and use spicy pork sausage. 
  • Ground Meat : Use any ground meat you want. Ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground sausage. 
  • Garnish : Garnish the dip with green onions, chopped tomatoes, and/or sliced jalapeños. 
Overhead shot if the skillet pan with cheese dip inside and topped with tomato and cilantro.

More Cheesy Dip Recipes

Side view of the dip inside the pan

More Delicious Appetizer Recipes

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Cowboy Queso


Author Jessica – Together as Family
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American, Mexican
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 24
This Cowboy Queso recipe is the ultimate cheesy queso dip loaded with smooth velveeta cheese, beef, beans, Rotel, corn, and lots of cheese. It's the perfect appetizer or the best game day treat for football season. 

Equipment

Ground Meat Chopper
Cast Iron Skillet Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground pork sausage
  • 32 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
  • 1 bag (8 oz) shredded taco cheese blend
  • 1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese cubed
  • 2 cans (10 oz each) Rotel
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained & rinsed
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • tortilla chips or corn chips for serving

Instructions

  • Cook and crumble the ground sausage inside a large skillet pan, like a cast iron skillet, over medium high heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the excess grease from the pan. 
    1 pound ground pork sausage
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the velveeta cheese, shredded taco cheese blend, and cream cheese to the skillet pan. Cook until the cheese is melted and smooth. 
    32 ounces Velveeta cheese, 1 bag (8 oz) shredded taco cheese blend, 1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese
  • Stir in the corn, Rotel, black beans, red onion, and lime juice. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes until everything is combined and warmed through. 
    2 cans (10 oz each) Rotel, 1 can (15 oz) corn, 1 can (15 oz) black beans, 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion, 1 lime
  • Garnish the cowboy queso with the chopped cilantro and serve with tortilla chips or Fritos scoops.
    * Serve the dip right from the skillet pan or you can remove it to a serving platter or dish if wanted.
    * To keep the dip warm for a party or event, transfer the queso dip to a slow cooker and turn it on WARM.
    * Other optional garnishes are chopped tomatoes, green onion, sliced jalapeños .
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, tortilla chips or corn chips for serving

Notes

Serving Size : This serves 24 people with each serving size being approximately 1/4 cup of queso dip. 
Ground Meat : The ground pork sausage has the most flavor (but it can be slightly spicy) so feel free to use any other ground meat ground beef or ground turkey. You may want to season the ground beef or turkey with some taco seasonings like chili powder, garlic powder, cumin to add some flavor to the meat, while it browning in the pan. 
Shredded Taco Blend Cheese : This is a bag of pre-shredded cheese that is labeled as ‘taco blend’ or ‘Mexican blend’. If you want to shred your own (any variety of cheese is fine) then you will need 2 cups. 
Make It In The Slow Cooker : This cowboy queso is a great dip recipe for the slow cooker. It’s also an easy way to keep the dip warm while serving at a party, game day, or gathering. Cook and crumble the ground meat in a skillet pan, drain the grease, and then transfer the meat to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on LOW heat for 3-4 hours, making sure to stir the dip a few times during the cook time. Garnish with the cilantro before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 809mg | Potassium: 351mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 651IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 304mg | Iron: 1mg
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