Chorizo Queso Fundido
Chorizo Queso Fundido has all the best south-of-the-border flavors in one magnificent, ooey, gooey, meaty Tex-Mex appetizer you’ll crave!
The BEST one-pan party appetizer recipe – Chorizo Queso Fundido combines sausage, onions, peppers, seasonings and cheeses into a skillet full of spicy, spectacular flavor in just fifteen minutes! Break out the tortillas and watch your guests dig in!
Queso Fundido is So Much More than Just a Cheese Dip!
Queso is everybody’s favorite! We love to dip our tortilla chips into these bowls of creamy, cheesy lava-like goodness while we wait for our tacos. It’s delicious!
But Chorizo Fundido is different than simple queso. It’s thick. It’s meaty. It’s loaded with flavorful ingredients. It’s baked in a skillet rather than a sauce pan and served with warm tortillas for a rich, hearty, Mexican appetizer that’s easy to make and irresistibly awesome!
Other Recipes to Serve with Queso Fundido
- Buffalo Chicken Dip in a Crock Pot – the flavor of chicken wings without the work! You’ll flip for this dip!
- Jazz up Taco Tuesdays with this fresh, flavorful Southwest Corn Salsa!
Ingredients
Sausage: Mexican chorizo, with its unique flavor profile, adds mouthfuls of seasoned meaty goodness to this hearty queso. If you can only find Mexican chorizo in links, that’s fine. Just cut them open and cook the filling. You don’t want Spanish chorizo as it’s more of a charcuterie board sausage.
Veggies: Yes, veggies are amazing in fundido! We’re using diced red and green bell peppers, white onion, fresh cilantro, jalapeno (with the seeds removed), and a plum tomato (also without the seeds) for tons of traditional flavor!
Cheese: You have a plethora of options for making queso fundido (like oaxaca, manchego, mozzarella, and others), but we’re going for easily available and full-of-flavor sharp cheddar and pepper jack!
Seasoning: The ingredients of this chorizo queso are already so full of flavor, the only extra we’re adding is a little chili powder for some zip!
How to Make Queso Fundido with Chorizo
STEP ONE: Heat a medium-sized cast iron skillet over high heat on the stove. Once hot, add a little vegetable oil. Toss in the chorizo, diced veggies (onion, green and red bell peppers, jalapeno, and cilantro. Add in the chili powder. Cook for 3 minutes or so until the veggies are soft. Remove from heat.
STEP TWO: Turn on the oven broiler to high heat. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the chorizo and veggie mix. Don’t stir. (Stirring will make it clumpy.) Place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
STEP THREE: Remove and top with lime juice, diced tomatoes, and more cilantro (if you’re a cilantro fan). Serve immediately with tortilla chips or warm tortillas!
Tips for Success
- Shred block cheese yourself. Pre-shredded may be easier, but it’s coated to keep it from sticking together…this coating also keeps it from melting smoothly. Trust me, this little step makes all the difference in the quality!
- Not all chorizo is gluten-free, so read ingredients if this is a factor for you.
- We’re using pepper jack and sharp cheddar for this fundido queso, but you can substitute mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Muenster, or Oaxaca.
- Queso fundido is best eaten immediately while it’s hot and creamy!
- Rewarm leftovers in a skillet in a 350-degree F oven.
What Does Fundido Mean?
Fundido is the Spanish word for “molten” or “melted”. Chorizo Queso Fundido could be literally translated as “Melted Sausage & Cheese”. In traditional Mexican cuisine, queso fundido is baked in a skillet and served hot with warm tortillas that you scoop into little soft taco appetizers. YUM!
What’s the Best Cheese to Use for Queso Fundido?
Many different types of cheese make great queso! Classic queso fundido is typically made with Manchego, Chihuahua, Asadero, or Oaxaca cheese (or a blend of these). Since these cheeses are not as readily available in the states, Mozzarella, cheddar, Muenster, Monterey, or Pepper Jack all make a fine fundido!
Other Chorizo Recipes to Enjoy!
- Cheddar Chorizo Pinwheel Bites
- Chorizo and Potato Breakfast Tacos
- Warm Chorizo Beer Cheese Dip
- Turkey and Chorizo Enchilada Casserole
- Barley Soup with Chorizo
- Slow Cooker Black Bean and Chorizo Soup
*This post originally posted on 04/22/2017.
Chorizo Queso Fundido
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup ground Mexican chorizo cooked and crumbled
- 2 tablespoons white onion peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons green bell pepper cored and diced
- 2 tablespoons red bell pepper cored and diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 jalapeno seeds removed & finely diced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ½ cup pepper jack cheese shredded
- 1 ½ cup sharp cheddar shredded
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1 plum tomato seeds and pulp removed, diced
- Tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Heat a cast-iron skillet (or oven-safe skillet) over high heat. Once hot, add the vegetable oil. Add the cooked chorizo, onion, bell peppers, cilantro, jalapeno, and chili powder. Sauté until soft, about 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat.
- Turn on the oven broiler to high heat.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheeses evenly over the chorizo and vegetable mixture. Do not attempt to stir the ingredients, as they will get clumpy.
- Place the skillet under the broiler for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, browned, and bubbling.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Top the queso fundido with the juice of 1 lime, some diced tomatoes, and more cilantro, if desired. Serve warm with tortilla chips.
Notes
- To cook ground Mexican chorizo: Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and crumbly, about 5-10 minutes.
- You can cook the chorizo ahead of time since it’ll warm through with the vegetables. You can also start this recipe by cooking the chorizo in the skillet, then add the vegetables (using the chorizo grease as the fat instead of vegetable oil), and proceed as directed.
