Queso is ubiquitous in Texas; the dish is served in local diners, taco joints, food trucks and – of course – Mexican restaurants. Because the basic recipe is inexpensive and easy to make, it is a staple for parties, tailgates, brunches, and more. The most basic queso recipe uses Velveeta, Rotel and evaporated milk, heated through and kept warm in a crockpot. Not exactly low-carb friendly, but with some simple swaps and enhancements I can have my keto queso and eat it too!
The following recipe is for a base Keto queso. Easily create variations by adding ground beef, bacon crumbles, tomatoes, onions, pico de gallo, etc. For parties, I like to serve these “mixins” on the side so guests can customize to their hearts’ content.
Keto-Friendly Cheese Sauce Base:
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- Swapping Velveeta for Boars Head or similar American Cheese from the deli provides a win-win in terms of less carbs (3g per ounce reduction) and better flavor.
- Switching the evaporated milk (3.2 grams carbs per ounce) with heavy cream (0.8g carbs) and save an additional 2.4g of carbohydrates.
For Authentic Tex-Mex Flavor:
Although Rotel is one of my pantry staples, especially for casseroles and crock pot dishes, I replace higher carb peppers and tomatoes with low-carb fresh jalapenos. I prefer to thinly slice, rather than dice, the jalapeno so that guests can easily see them and decide to avoid or embrace. Fresh lime juice delivers a slight “tang” and brightens up the rich cheese sauce.
Cocktail Pairings:
If you are hosting a fiesta, I highly recommend serving with Keto Mexican Martinis. The slightly sweet, tangy flavor is a perfect complement with this savory dish. If you’re in the mood for something a bit sweeter, consider my Keto Asterberry Cocktail. It’s refreshing, easy to put together, and will look great alongside the Keto Queso!
| Prep Time | 8 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20 minutes |
| Servings |
people
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- 1 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1/2 Jalapeno
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tbsp Lime juice
- 1/2 tsp Tumeric
- 16 oz Boar's Head American cheese or deli American cheese
- 1/4 cup Heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Chicken stock
Ingredients
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- Core, seed and thinly slice ½ small jalapeno
- In a covered pot or small enameled cast iron dutch oven, saute jalapeno slices in 1 tbsp butter for 1-2 minutes on low-medium heat, just enough to release flavor. Note: you may want to start with less jalapeno and add to taste.
- Cube American cheese into 1” pieces and add to jalapenos
- Add 1 tsp ground cumin
- Add ½ tsp of Tumeric
- Stir slowly while cheese melts. If sauce begins to bubble, reduce temperature
- Add ½ cup chicken stock and stir until combined
- Stir in ¼ cup heavy cream
- Add 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- Serve immediately with low-carb tortilla chips and/or low-carb tortillas.
Note: if queso cools, just return to stove, warm through on low and stir. The “skin” will dissolve into the mixture. Optional: add crumbled bacon, fresh cilantro, and/or or fried pickled jalapenos on top. I like to serve with sliced avocado, pico de gallo and chopped tomato on the side so that guests can customize their queso and carbs.