Carlos O’Kelly’s Queso Recipe (aka THE BEST QUESO EVER!)
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So I’ve been OBSESSED with Carlos O’Kellys Queso FOREVER! It’s literally the perfect food – it’s a cheesy sauce with chunks of tomato and onion and you get to eat it on chips! I mean – what more is there in life? Plus – it’s super easy to make!!!
How did you get the recipe?
For 15 years – I’ve made my friends go to Carlos every single time I went back home to Iowa. I mean – I went to IOWA just for this food! But no more!
Why? A magical friend that is an ex-employee of Carlos told me the secrets – and now I have the recipe!!!!! Let me tell you – it’s easy and it DOESN’T use Ro-tel tomatoes! What????? I know! The flavor is so much better. I will never ever ever make another queso again – and you won’t either!
Copycat Carlos O’Kelly’s Chile Con Queso Dip Ingredients
This is a simple recipe and I love that it uses fresh vegetables. It has a much better bite on your chips! So get a bowl and scoop some chips in this amazing queso!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter – use real butter – please!
- Garlic Powder
- Tomato
- Onion
- Jalapeno – you could also use the canned green chiles but fresh jalapenos are the best!
- 1-pound box Velveeta (yes it uses process cheese food – because it’s amazing)
- Sour Cream
- And a big bag of tortilla chips!
How to make the Food Hussy recipe for Copycat Carlos O’Kelly’s Queso
What makes this queso so good? It’s creamy and chunky – and it’s because you actually saute the veggies in butter BEFORE you add in the cheese! The other key is low and slow – with the veggies and the cheese. So don’t fire that stove on high for pete’s sake! Take your time – it’s all of five minutes and it’s worth it!
- Heat butter in saute pan on medium heat
- Add garlic powder, onion, tomato and Jalapeno
- Cook until soft on a low temperature (the longer and slower the better)
- Cut cheese into cubes and put Velveeta cheese chunks in a mini crock pot
- Add sauteed veggies
- Cook on low until Velveeta melts for about an hour.
- Add sour cream, stir and serve. Keep on warm.
Can you put this queso on the smoker?
Yes!!! This recipe was the base for my famous Traeger Smoked Queso! Putting it on the Traeger adds another layer of flavor that is delicious!
More Carlos O’Kelly’s Copycat Recipes
Carlos O’Kelly’s has the most delightful tex-mex flavor and all my favorite recipes!
More Dip Recipes
Grab your favorite chips and get to dippin!
Recipes that go great with Queso!
Carlos O’Kellys Queso Recipe – the Best Queso Ever!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 cup diced onion 1/2 onion
- 1/2 cup diced tomato 1 small
- 2 tbsp diced Jalapeno canned or fresh
- 1 lb Velveeta diced
- 2/3 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Melt butter in saute pan2 tbsp butter
- Add garlic powder, onion, tomato and Jalapeno1 tsp garlic powder, 3/4 cup diced onion, 1/2 cup diced tomato, 2 tbsp diced Jalapeno
- Cook until soft on a low temperature (the longer and slower the better)
- Cut Velveeta into cubes and put in a mini crock pot1 lb Velveeta
- Add sauteed veggies
- Cook on low until Velveeta melts for about an hour.
- Add sour cream, stir and serve. Keep on warm.2/3 cup sour cream
I can not wait to make this!!! I have a serious weakness for queso!
Can it be made with fresh jalapeños instead of canned?
Sure! I would say fresh are probably stronger – I would suggest sauteing them with the tomatoes and onions – and you'll have to play it by ear on how many you want to add – depending on how spicy you like it!
Thank you so so so much! This is the real thing! I moved to AZ and have been craving this for years but could never find the right recipe!
i know!!! my buddy worked there – so it's spot on!
I cannot wait to try this! I LOVED Carlos O’Kelly’s in Springfield, MO, and it’s been sadly gone for years now! Thank you so much for these Carlos recipes I can’t wait to try. I loved the Enchilada De Monterrey, I’m hoping you add that recipe one day! We use On The Border “Cantina Thins” with our homemade salsa and they taste very much like Carlos’ chips! Thank You again!
I reached out to my former Carlos chef and got the Monterrey and Sancho Especial recipes! Coming soon! be sure to subscribe to my email!
OH MY GOODNESSSSSSSS, I can’t convey my excitement through this message!! Hahahaha I’m seriously sooo excited thank you, thank you, thank you so much. My mouth is watering! And it wasn’t until I seen the word “Sancho” that I remembered our favorite was the “Sancho de Monterrey” special! I’m beyond excited thank you so much.
Trade you the recipe for the salsa and the pablano cream sauce for the fajita cheese crisp and the diablo sauce lol!! Send me an email. My friend worked there too! I traded a photo session for the recipes myself haha!
@FoodHussy Please, Please, Please post the Sancho recipe!!! We make the Monterrey all the time since you posted it!:)
Hahaha – love it!
Another EXQUISITE recipe Heather!! I love love love this website, I made this for a game night and it was sooooo good, creamy, cheesy, flavorful!! Everyone LOVED it! Thank you again! -Jared
I worked at Carlos O’Kelly’s for many years. This recipe is spot-on! Thank you for sharing it.
Love it!!! My friend that used to work there clued me in!!!
Hi Brenda,
This is for you or anyone else who reads this who worked at Carlos. I’d love to see The Food Hussy post the recipes for the:
-Poblano Cream Sauce
-Diablo Sauce
-Chipotle Butter Garlic
You need to get a hold of that fajita cheese crisp recipe! Yum!! Growing up Carlos O Kelly’s literally was my favorite! So many memories with my family there. Can’t wait to try this one. Thank you!!
I’ll be sure to ask my connection for that one! 😉
I am making this today. I have been trying to make this for years. Trying to copy a restraint called Pancho’s in Okla. city which does not exist anymore. I’m sure this recipe is spot on. Thank you.
you will LOVE it!!!! i got this from a former employee and it was perfect!
Once again I am just eternally grateful for your Carlos recipes! Hahaha! THEY’RE SO GOOD!!!!!! Thank you, thank you,thank you!
Hahaha – it’s great to have connections – glad you liked!
Came out way to thick, tastee but not quite what I wanted
You could always add some milk to thin it out if you’d like – I like the consistency
This is amazing!! Can you ask your friend for the pasta diablo recipe??? It’s just as amazing as the queso!
will do!
Hi. This recipe is fairly accurate with one exception. Substitute white pepper for the garlic powder. You can use whatever flavor suits you but white pepper was used in the restaurant. I worked as a prep cook there for about 6 years and know how to make most of their dishes.
Thanks for the notes – a former employee shared with me as well. 🙂
Hi Jeni. The secret to the fajita crisp is the base. It is made simply from a 10″ flour tortilla fried. The trick to frying it flat is to use a screen of some kind to hold it flat. If you don’t it will blow up and be unusable. Fry to a light golden brown and allow to drip dry. That is the crust for the fajita crisp. The sauce is simply a creamy butter garlic sauce (the recipe is floating around out there). The fajita chicken is marinated in a mixture of season salt, chipolte pepper, a bit of flour and orange juice. allow the chicken breast to marinate a day or so. The mixture should be an orange colored thickish sauce. Grill the marinated chicken breast until done then cut into small cubes. Spread the butter garlic sauce on the fried tortilla, sprinkle the cubed chicken, and top with monterey jack cheese. Broil until cheese is well melted. Garnish with fresh diced tomatoes and chopped green onion and serve.
SOLD! Wow, thanks for sharing! I’ve been following this thread for comments just like yours, so Thank You!!
By the way, this Carlos O’Kelly’s Queso recipe is spot on ❤️❤️❤️
AWWWWW thanks for the compliment – it is my fav recipe!
I have the recipe from right off the kitchen wall of our local Carlos (now closed of course). Can’t say how I got it. 🙂 It calls for 1 tbsp red chile powder for a 5lb block of Velveeta so I use a rounded 1/2 tsp for 1lb of Velveeta. Otherwise your recipe is spot on. Thanks!
well i got mine from a similar source – the COK are still open in iowa – and this was their recipe
Possibly a regional difference? I’m in central Illinois. I’m so jealous that yours is still open! My kids and I are threatening a road trip just to eat there! Thanks again for your great recipes!