The Smoked Spice Your Store-Bought Queso Has Been Needing

Who doesn't love a big bowl of queso? As a chip dip, a mix-in for a mac and cheese recipe, or even bulked up with a topping of hearty protein, there isn't much queso can't do. With so many store-bought queso brands available, it's even easier to simply pop open a can or jar and start enjoying it. Of course, there are also a variety of ingredients that will level up your queso to bring basic flavors to grand new heights. The next time you grab your favorite store-bought queso, such as a Tostitos Queso Variety Pack on Amazon, add a helping of smoked paprika into the mix for the ultimate boost of flavor.

Smoked paprika makes an excellent addition to your store-bought queso because it brings the right balance of heat and spice along with a uniquely smoky flavor. The difference between regular and smoked paprika comes down to the level of boldness in the spice, and with a jar of store-bought queso, bolder is better! What's more, adding a dash of smoked paprika opens up the flavor of your queso to even more fun additions and recipe possibilities, such as queso fundido and more.

Upgrading your store-bought queso with smoked paprika is super easy and yields a big flavor. It's always a good idea to start slow and taste as you go as the ratio of smoked paprika to queso will be determined by just how much queso your meal requires. The dairy in the queso will definitely work to temper the heat of the smoked paprika, but you'll still want to go a teaspoon at a time for good measure to ensure you don't over-season your cheese. From there, you can use your smoky queso in a variety of delicious dishes.

Knowing what sets queso fundido apart from other varieties, you can definitely expect an addition of smoked paprika to really level up this appetizer, particularly when paired with an equally smoky chorizo sausage and chipotle peppers. It would also make an excellent sauce for a smothered chicken queso bake recipe. You can even try it in a recipe for potato-skin nachos to give the dish an extra punch of flavor. However you wish to amp up your queso, a sprinkle or more of smoked paprika is definitely the way to go.