It's Time To Turn One Of Your Favorite Dips Into A Cheesy Soup

Chips and queso are a hallmark appetizer in Tex-Mex cuisine, and it feels almost like a crime to not serve them alongside a spread of saucy enchiladas and beefy burritos. Queso, which is a melted cheese dip, is so mouthwateringly irresistible that it's hard to reckon with the reality that it can't be enjoyed as a full-fledged entree. Unless, hear us out, you transform it into a soup.

Although queso is delicious enough to enjoy by the spoonful on its own, the aftermath might look like a cheese-covered crime scene — we won't be elaborating. However, you can make ladles full of the dip more palatable (and digestible) by fusing it with other ingredients for a warm, cozy, and sippable one-pot dish that flaunts the creamy indulgence of everyone's favorite Tex-Mex provision. 

To make queso soup, all you have to do is combine a jar of the dip with a simmering pot of broth studded with other classic queso ingredients like onions or jalapeños. If you're using homemade queso, swap out the store-bought stuff for soft cream cheese and shredded cheddar (or your preferred variety of shredded cheese). Just make sure to whisk everything together with enthusiasm to evenly distribute the cheese throughout the soup. Once the cheese blend is melted, you'll have a creamy, rich, full-bodied soup that curbs the urge to simply eat a jar of queso for dinner.

Queso soup without a melange of ingredients is essentially just broth-diluted queso. Luckily, the same foods that are frequently served with queso will work well in a soup based on the stuff.

For starters, you'll need a protein source to make this luxuriously cheesy soup a proper filling meal. Ground beef, turkey, or black beans are three excellent options that wouldn't be out of place in or alongside a bowl of restaurant queso. Onion, garlic, bell peppers, chilies, and cilantro are must-have additions to queso soup that imbue it with a savory and citrusy taste respectively.

Top queso soup with a dollop of sour cream or zesty guacamole, or keep it simple with a burst of freshly squeezed lime juice. Spice, of course, is a central element of Tex-Mex food, so a touch of heat is essential. Fresh jalapeños or pickled peppers are the perfect cherry on top of this can't-believe-it's-actually-real soup. Just don't forget to wash down the fire with a refreshing cerveza; after all, beer and spicy foods are a perfect pairing.

Next time you're enjoying fistfuls of chips and queso, dreaming about the day that you can eat a ton of the dip for dinner stomach-ache-free, go ahead — make your dreams a reality. Trust us, your taste buds (and dinner guests) will thank you. Just remember to avoid these common soup-making mistakes.