The best supermarket queso dips
As anyone who has ever stirred salsa into a bowl of melted cheese knows, cheese and salsa are junk food at its best: Salty, fatty, cheesy, rich and spicy. What’s not to love?
Serious fans of queso make their own by melting a hunk of cheese and adding their choice of salsa, but getting the balance right without ending up with a bowl of oily, separated mush takes practice. For those not interested in honing the skill, there’s jarred cheese sauce — and lots of it.
Queso, as it’s called in Spanish, comes in various styles, including white and yellow, with salsa and without. While most jars and cans call it “dip,” the creamy mix inside can also be poured over chips or a casserole, stirred into soup, dolloped on a taco or drizzled on enchiladas.
The good news is that because these pre-made cheesy dips are made with dehydrated cheese powders, whey and flavorings instead of hunks of actual cheese, they typically have no more than 20 calories and 1-2 grams of fat per tablespoon — a fraction of the fat and calories in a similar amount of melted cheese. The bad news is that many of them taste bad — really bad.
The best queso dip is velvety rich, and has tender bits of roasted peppers, onions and tomato stirred into a sauce that tastes like real cheese. Bad queso is gloppy, salty and tastes like cheese gone bad. Here are details on queso dips worth bringing to the party — and those that are best used as glue. Nutrition info refers to 2 tablespoons.
On the Border Monterey Jack Queso
This white, cheesy dip is dangerously delicious. It’s lusciously thick, tastes like Monterey Jack cheese and has generous chunks of pepper and tomato. 45 calories, 3 g fat, 280 mg sodium, 1 g protein. $2.96 for 15.5 ounces at Walmart. ★★★★
Great Value Queso Blanco Cheese Dip
Less really can be more. This creamy dip tastes like cheese, has a dash of heat and is silky rich. It’s a total win. 40 calories, 2.5 g fat, 210 mg sodium, 1 g protein. $2.22 for 15 ounces at Walmart. ★★★
Fritos Jalapeño Cheddar Cheese Dip
It looks like bright orange wall paste, but this dip is surprisingly flavorful. It is cheese-forward with a big hit of invisible but tasty jalapeño. 40 calories, 2.5 g fat, 220 mg sodium, 1 g protein.
$3.49 for 9 ounces at Safeway. \*\*\*
Sprouts Blanco Queso
Those who prefer a dip with sharp cheese flavor may like this bold, chunky dip. It delivers a good balance of heat and cheese. 40 calories, 2.5 g fat, 210 mg sodium, 1 g protein. $3.99 for 16 ounces at Sprouts. \*\*\*
Tostitos Salsa Con Queso
Fans of Velveeta cheese will love this silky smooth blend. It’s salty but it tastes exactly as it should — like melty processed American cheese. 40 calories, 2.5 g fat, 280 mg sodium, 1 g protein. $3.99 for 15 ounces at Safeway. \*\*/*
Mrs. Renfro’s Nacho Cheese Dip
Unpleasantly sharp cheese flavorings coupled with a massive dose of tomato make this a sad effort. It could work in cooking, but not on a chip. 30 calories, 2.5 g fat, 240 mg sodium, no protein. $4.99 for 16 ounces at Safeway. \*/*
Frontera Jalapeño Salsa Con Queso
This thin, blue cheese-forward dip has a powerful heat kick, but it’s too acidic and lacks the unctuousness of melted cheese. 20 calories, no fat, 150 mg sodium, no protein. $4.99 for 16 ounces at Whole Foods. \*/*
Trader Joe’s Queso Cheese Dip
It looks like cheese and stirs like cheese, but the flavor of cheese is missing in this salsa-forward dip. It’s edible but it’s definitely not a cheese dip. 20 calories, no fat, 160 mg sodium, no protein. $2.49 for 11.5 ounces. \*
365 Organic Salsa Con Queso
The chunks of pepper and tomato in this dip are promising, but there isn’t even a hint of cheese flavor — and it has a plastic aftertaste. 35 calories, 3 g fat, 220 mg sodium, 1 g protein. $4.99 for 15 ounces at Whole Foods. (no stars)
Juanita’s Nacho Cheese Sauce
The bright orange color of cheddar is the only plus to this gloppy, salty, otherwise taste-free dip. 35 calories, 2 g fat, 235 mg sodium, .5 g protein. $3.29 for 15 ounces at Safeway. (no stars)
Reviews are based on product samples purchased by this newspaper or provided by manufacturers. Contact Jolene Thym at timespickyeater@gmail.com.