It’s one of those things that you look forward to when eating at a steakhouse in Mexico. Your mouth waters just of the anticipation of the little side dishes like the guacamole, tortilla chips, warm flour tortillas, and roasted salsa served in the molcajete.
And then it comes out in a little hot iron or clay container, bubbling, steaming, and sometimes flaming: the melted cheese. All that gooey, stringy cheese just waiting to be scooped up onto your tortilla!
Queso Fundido with Chorizo
But steakhouses aren’t the only place where people eat “Queso Fundido”, it’s also often an important dish in barbecue parties, where the cheese is placed in a small clay or metal skillet to be melted on top of the grill along with some tortillas. This is usually your appetizer while you finish grilling the meat.
Queso Fundido is usually made with Asadero, Mennonite, Manchego or Chihuahua cheeses. These cheeses are hard to find outside of Mexico, and some good substitutes are Mozzarella, Monterrey Jack, Muenster or Oaxaca. This last one can be found now in Latin grocery stores.
The recipes aren’t that different from one region to another. The most common recipe is the one with fried chorizo, but you can also find ones with roasted poblano strips or sliced mushrooms. There is another version that has the chorizo with a mix of tomato, onion, and pepper.
The process to make it is another story. There is a recipe where the cheese is melted directly on a griddle and then scooped onto a plate, another where it’s baked in the oven or placed under the broiler.
You can also make it in a small skillet right on top of the stove or on the grill where you make your steaks. The Flaming Cheese or “Queso Flameado” has warm brandy or rum poured on the cheese and lit on fire, and is served at your table while still flaming.
How to make Queso Fundido with Chorizo
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a skillet over medium heat, add the oil if using. Most Mexican chorizos have enough fat and won’t need the vegetable oil. Add the chorizo and cook, stir frequently to cook evenly and avoid it from sticking to the bottom. It’ll take about 6-7 minutes to cook. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Once cooked, remove the excess fat from the skillet or place the cooked chorizo over a paper towel to absorb the fat.
- Place the chorizo in an ovenproof dish, setting aside 2 tablespoons to garnish when ready to serve. I divided the chorizo and cheese into 2 small clay pots, but you can use a large ovenproof dish.
- Place the grated cheese over the chorizo and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Do not overcook or it will have a chewy texture.
- Remove from oven and place over a heatproof surface. Serve warm with salsa and plenty of flour tortillas or tortilla chips.
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
Have you tried Queso Fundido at home or at a restaurant?
More recipes:
Cheese and Chorizo Turnovers
Cheese Stuffed Zucchini
Receta en Español Queso-Fundido con chorizo.
Queso fundido with chorizo
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 5 ounces Mexican Chorizo casings removed.
- 12 ounces Monterey or Oaxaca Cheese grated (2 ½ cups)
- 6 Flour tortillas or
- 12 ounces tortilla chips for serving
- 1 ½ cup of Roasted Salsa
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a skillet over medium heat, add the oil if using. Most Mexican chorizos have enough fat and won’t need the vegetable oil. Add the chorizo and cook, stir frequently to cook evenly and avoid it from sticking to the bottom. It’ll take about 6-7 minutes to cook.
- Once cooked, remove the excess fat from the skillet or place the cooked chorizo over a paper towel to absorb the fat.
- Place the chorizo in an oven proof dish, setting aside 2 tablespoons to garnish when ready to serve. I divided the chorizo and cheese into 2 small clay pots, but you can use a large oven proof dish.
- Place the grated cheese over the chorizo and bake for about 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Do not overcook or it will have a chewy texture.
- Remove form oven and place over a heat proof surface. Serve warm with salsa and plenty of flour tortillas or tortilla chips.
Miriam
Thanks for posting this recipe! I'm curious where you can buy Mexican style chorizo (and not Spanish style) and/or if you are able to recommend the brand you use.
Mely Martínez
Hello,
I usually buy it at Mexican or Latin grocery stores.
Judy p seaton
Here's a good recipe. Looks so good.
Bree
Mely,
I was wondering if there is a Mexican recipe for the cheese sauce served at Mexican restaurants that is NOT the fundido. Just a regular thin queso. I have tried every recipe I can find, and nothing is just fantastic.
Mely Martínez
Hello,
I came to know about that sauce here in the States, some people only mix cheese with salsa and season it with powdered bouillion. I never see that dish in Mexico. It must be a Tex-Mex thing.
Jesse
It’s an Americanized thing, but I know just what you’re talking about.
White American Cheese
Diced Green Chili’s / Jalepenos
Cumin
Garlic Powder
Pepper
Milk
Get the American slices from a deli, and chop it up in smaller slices. Add all ingredients to a bowl. Add milk a little at a time to make sure you get the consistency you’d prefer. And just either heat in a microwave. Or use a sauce pot on your stove.
It’ll be a hit every time
Catherine Oliver
This is great and just how we fixed it the first time. The next time we added some roasted poblanos (peeled and roughly chopped). And the NEXT time (lol) we grated the cheese into a large bowl and mixed in the chorizo and poblanos. Every way was the perfect way. Thanks SO much.
Mely Martínez
Hello Catherine,
Thank you for the feedback and for sharing all the ways you prepared the Queso Fundido.
Carl
Would queso fresco or cotija work for this recipe? Which cheese have you found works best? I’ve made this before with another recipe and the cheese was way too stringy
Mely Martínez
Hello Carl,
Usually, Oaxacan Cheese is used in Mexico. There are some Oaxacan Style cheeses sold at regular grocery stores in the USA. But you can use Monterrey Jack, Mozarella, or Muenster, This last one is my favorite for this recipe as well as quesadillas. And, the cheese after melting has that stringing consistency. Sort of long cheese strands.
Lyn
I fell in love with queso fundido when I had it a a restaurant in Phoenix last year. This recipe looks amazing and not difficult so I definitely want to try it. I do have a few questions - What size oven proof dish do you recommend? Also can it be done in a cast iron pan? Thank you!
mmartinez
Hello Lyn,
Use an 8 or 9 IN dish. Yes, you can use a cast iron or even clay pan.
Candelario
Most definitely you can do this queso fundido on a cast iron skillet I use that small 8 inch skillets and when I place the cheese to be melted I cover it with the cast iron lid and it melts the cheese amazing
K
I am lactose intolerant, can this be made with vegan mozzarella?
mmartinez
Hello K,
Is the cheese melt, yes you can.
Terri Foster
i have tried it in my crock pot & it works quite well. i have used regular white cap mushrooms, chorizo & a type of string cheese from a Mexican market. it might be Oaxacan. but it needs more flavor. any suggestions?
mmartinez
Hello Terri,
The Oaxacan cheese is a little saltier than the cheese you find here in the States.
Rosela
I would love to make this for a party. Do you think it would hold up well in a crock pot?
mmartinez
Hello Rosela,
I think the queso fundido with chorizo will keep fine if you set the lower setting. BTW such a great idea!
Sherry White
can I use gorgonzola cheese in this recipe?
mmartinez
Hello Sherry,
I'm not sure Gorgonzola will melt property. You can use any type of cheese that melts.
Saul
There's a restaurant that served queso flameado and is delicious. Everytime I go to Houston have to have it cause I can't get flamed cheese anywhere else 😞