Food - Drink
The Canned Ingredient That Takes Cheese Dip To The Next Level
By KALEA MARTIN
Cheese dip may look like nothing but a bowl of melted cheese, but even the most basic recipes include a few other ingredients to achieve a robust flavor and creamy, emulsified texture. To give your cheese dip a kick, it's best to add a few flavorful, non-dairy mix-ins, and one canned ingredient is especially suited for this purpose.
Queso dip, one of the best-known cheese dips, is typically made with a blend of Monterey jack and cheddar, plus extras such as poblano or serrano peppers, garlic, and onion. However, cooks across the southern U.S. take their queso to the next level by adding canned diced tomatoes, specifically cans labeled "zesty" or "fire-roasted."
Canned tomatoes work much better than fresh tomatoes in this case, since they are usually canned at the peak of ripeness with a little salt added, giving them a more assertive flavor that can stand up to cheese dip. Fire-roasted canned tomatoes often include flavor boosters like cilantro and green chilies, adding an even stronger kick to your queso.