What is queso (the sauce/dip)? Is it short for Chile con Queso?
Queso is the Spanish word for cheese but (in the US) it is often used to refer to a cheese-based dip or sauce for tortilla chips.
When I google "what is queso?", Google says "short for chile con queso". Looking it up on Wikipedia leads to a disambiguation page where the page for Chile con Queso looks like the relevant result. That page says chile con queso is "sometimes described simply as queso".
However I'm also finding a lot of people who think that it is just a cheese sauce that doesn't have anything to do with chile.
So is queso short for chile con queso or are they distinct dishes?
Best Answer
Google is correct, in that it can be a shortening of 'chile con queso' (most typically in the US to non-spanish speakers). But 'chile' is not the same as 'chili'.
'Chile' refers to peppers, so the dip is 'peppers with cheese'.
'Chili' is either an alternate spelling for the peppers, but more commonly in the US, it's a dish made from meat, tomatoes and chile peppers (chili con carne, literally 'peppers with meat')
And as Cindy pointed out, 'queso' may simply mean cheese and not a cheese dip. (typically of a central or south american variety of cheese; in the US typically queso blanco, queso seca or queso fresca). As best I can tell in the US, this is the more likely meaning when used by Spanish speakers.
update: and to make things even more confusing from an entomology standpoint: it's quite possible that 'chile con queso' led to 'queso dip' and shortly after lost its 'chile' ... and it's actually 'queso dip' that's been shortened to 'queso' by Americans.
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Quick Answer about "What is queso (the sauce/dip)? Is it short for Chile con Queso?"
Chile con queso (Spanish for "chile with cheese"), sometimes simply called queso, is an appetizer or side dish of melted cheese and chili peppers, typically served in Tex-Mex restaurants as a dip for tortilla chips.What is the difference between con queso and queso?
Queso is the Spanish word for cheese. At the grocery store I would (typically) buy the cheese. At a bar if I order queso I will get chile con queso. Chile con queso is a dish often shortened to queso.What is Queso Dip called in Mexico?
When I go to my local Mexican restaurant, I always order the cheese dip, usually called queso blanco. It's creamy, a bit spicy, and addictive to scoop up with tortilla chips! Since I love making Mexican dishes at home like Enchiladas, Elotes, and Chicken Nachos, I decided I needed to learn how to make this at home too.Why is Queso Dip called queso?
Queso, which means cheese in Spanish, isn't a direct translation when you're ordering it with a basket of tortilla chips or drizzled over a breakfast taco, but rather an abbreviation for chile con queso, an almost liquid melted cheese dish dating back to turn-of-the-century Texas, when Tex-Mex cuisine originated.Is queso the same as cheese dip?
While queso clumps as it cools, cheese dip stays dippable because it combines natural cheese with the processed stuff. The two are melted and flavored with peppers, garlic, tomatoes, and spices like cumin and chili powder.Chili Con Queso • Tasty
More answers regarding what is queso (the sauce/dip)? Is it short for Chile con Queso?
Answer 2
Translated to English, queso means cheese. There are many kinds of Mexican cheeses and most are widely available.
The popular cheese dip, chile con queso, is melted cheese with chile peppers. Some where along the way, it became a 'thing' to simply call it queso.
From Bon appétit :
Get your mind out of the bowl of gooey Tex-Mex dip. When we say queso, we’re talking the many varieties of fresh white Mexican cheeses, which are distinctly salty and springy. They tend to taste more of milk than butter or cream, and range from melty to crumbly—you can even grill some of them. To go deep on Mexican cheese, you don't need to shell out at the fancy dairy counter. Seek out these inexpensive favorites (and their rad retro packaging) at your local Latin grocery.
A few popular types of Mexican cheeses are queso fresco, queso blanco, queso chihuahua, cotija, and asadero.
Answer 3
It depends on the region and the context.
If my wife sends me to store for hamburger I know she means packaged ground beef. At a restaurant if I order hamburger I will get a cooked patty with a bun.
Queso is the Spanish word for cheese. At the grocery store I would (typically) buy the cheese. At a bar if I order queso I will get chile con queso. Chile con queso is a dish often shortened to queso.
I think most people would consider the dish queso to have chilies but it is going to depend on the person.
Some people don't serve beans with chili.
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