queso bean dip

Maybe it’s because I grew up in the Southwest, but I usually have bean dip or queso on hand. It makes an easy lunch, and no party is complete without it. I have eaten a lot of Tostitos dip in my life, but homemade is always at least a little bit better for you. This one was done in 20 minutes, including all the dicing. (Granted, I use a vegetable slicer. If you don’t have one, they are inexpensive and save so much time.) The hardest part was stopping my sister from eating it out of the pan while I was taking pictures!

I accidentally made enough of this to feed an army, so I scaled it down for you. A few notes:

• I grated the cheese myself because I think it melts better, but you can definitely use pre-shredded to save time.
• If you want the flavor of jalapeños but can’t handle the heat, you can roast them to mellow them out. If you want more heat, leave the seeds in.
• You can absolutely use a packet of taco seasoning, but since I didn’t have one on hand, I used 1 tbsp chili powder, ½ tsp oregano, ¼ tsp cumin, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, ½ tsp paprika, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp onion powder.
• Cotija is salty and crumbly and similar to feta. It can be a little hard to find, so you can leave it out if necessary, but I definitely recommend it.

 It’s good for a party. It’s good for yourself. Now put down your phone. You shouldn’t read on the way to the grocery store.

directions

1. Heat 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, 7-8 minutes. Add garlic, tomato, jalapeños, and cilantro and cook until tomatoes are softened, 3-4 minutes.
2. Add 3 tbsp butter and flour and whisk. Cook for 2 minutes, until flour is browned.
3. Add milk and cheeses. Stir until the cheese has melted, then bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add sour cream, beans, and taco seasoning.
4. Serve, garnished with cotija and more cilantro, if desired.