Easy Queso Crockpot Dip Recipe

It takes me 5 minutes to prepare this dip. I let the slow cooker do the rest!

With Velveeta, spinach, rotel, pimento peppers, onions, and milk in the pot, I stir in the sour cream at the end for a nice smooth queso.

I’ve been making this queso crockpot dip for years, and it’s one of my favorite queso dips to make. It’s nice to have a big batch ready to go for game day, holiday parties, potlucks, or even for snacking on a weeknight.

You’ll never see leftovers of this queso crockpot recipe!

What Goes Into This Queso Dip

Queso Blanco Velveeta

You can use regular (yellow) Velveeta in place of the white, however, the final product will be more orange and have a more processed cheese taste. The queso blanco velveeta gives the dip a very white, creamy, queso-like taste and consistency.

The flavor is nothing like regular nacho cheese and reminds me a lot of the white queso at restaurants! I highly recommend it if you can find it.

It comes in a one-pound package and is easily cut into about one-inch cubes.

Frozen Chopped Spinach

Adding frozen chopped spinach. What?!

Yes. Just throw some directly out of the box and into your hot, melty queso.

It will melt right in. Stir it through until its incorporated (it will breakdown but still be identifiable).

Its earthiness offsets the spicy bite of the Rotel and adds some needed body to this dip. I know its sounds strange, and I was very hesitant to add spinach but am always happy I did.

Intrigue your guests with this addition. You wont regret it!

Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles

The recipe calls for half of a can of rotel. There are three versions of this product: original, mild, or hot.

I use the original one. Feel free to use what you think would be appropriate for your crowd.

If you are concerned that your queso will end up too liquidy, you can drain off some of the liquid.

Diced Pimento

Add some finely diced pimento (drain a 2 ounce jar). The mild sweetness of the pimento tempers the heat of the Rotel tomatoes nicely.

Just make sure you drain them well.

Whole Milk

Three-quarters cup whole milk is necessary to keep the cheese from turning into a dense block of queso. Lower-fat milks contain more water and will alter the texture of your queso.

If it becomes too thick, stir over low heat and add more milk.

Sour Cream

One-half cup of sour cream will make the queso nice and thick and stretchy. Important: The sour cream should be full-fat.

Also, if added too soon, it will overcook, separate, and become grainy. Add this item when queso has about 5 minutes left in cooking.

How to Make Crockpot Queso Dip

Step 1: Load the Slow Cooker

Add the following to the crockpot: cubed Velveeta, Rotel tomatoes, spinach, finely diced 1/2 small onion, drained pimentos, milk, garlic powder (1/4 teaspoon), a small pinch of salt and pepper. Give it a rough stir to mix.

It doesn’t need to be thoroughly combined. Even though it will be stirred again during cooking, I find it helpful to stir now.

At this point, it will not be pretty, but after stirring, it should look something like this:

Step 2: Cook on High, Stirring Every 15–20 Minutes

As it cooks, the frozen spinach will thaw, the cheese will soften and sag, the milk will blend in and melt the cheese, and the onions will soften. Stir it about every 15-20 minutes or so.

After about 45 minutes to an hour, the queso should be a bit more unified and melted. It won’t be perfectly smooth yet and it’s ok if there are still a few pieces of cheese.

It will be fairly thick at this point, looking something like this:

Notice how much darker and more orange this version of queso is compared to the first? At first, it’s pretty bland-looking, but as it melts and combines, the queso gets its color from the tomatoes, chili, spinach, and of course, all of that melty cheese.

Step 3: Switch to Low, Finish with Sour Cream Before Serving

At this point, lower the slow cooker to low and add the sour cream. Stir to combine.

Let it cook another 5 minutes before serving.

Lower heat to low when ingredients have melted and dip is smooth. When you’re ready to serve the dip and folks are coming to eat, stir in sour cream and serve.

The sour cream just adds a bit to lighten up color and makes dip luxuriously smooth. Trust me.

It’s so much more refined this way.

Ready for serving? Give it one last stir and serve.

It’s ready to go.

The Detail That Actually Changes This Dip

Do not stir in sour cream sooner than necessary. Sour cream cooks up grainy when it’s heated.

If you add sour cream when queso is being mixed together and cooked, sour cream will curdle in couple of minutes. Save yourself the heartache of ruined dip and stir in sour cream when queso is done and guests are on their way.

Slow Cooker Queso: The Practical Notes

Use Slow Cooker Liners

Slow cooker liners are life savers for dishes like queso, which is a pain to scrub out of slow cooker. I learned that lesson many moons ago…

Wish I’d known about slow cooker liners sooner. Simply cook queso in liner, allow to cool and remove liner when queso is served.

Slow cooker is still hot when queso is being enjoyed, but at least it’s not covered in gooey cheese. It’s much easier to scrub later.

Cut Cheese in Reasonably Sized Pieces

I like to cut the cheese in about one-inch cubes to make queso. It takes forever to melt if I throw huge chunk of Velveeta in slow cooker.

Drain the Pimento and Rotel

Drain as much of the liquid from the Rotel as possible. You don’t want queso to be too thin.

Same goes for the jar of pimentos, make sure you drain these really well too.

Stir Dip After 20 to 30 Minutes if Not Being Served

This is another lesson learned after making queso many times. If you’re going to be away from queso for 20 to 30 minutes after making, stir queso.

Cheese starts to get thick around the edges of the crock first so stir it with middle of queso to redistribute. If you’re serving queso as soon as it’s ready, you can ignore this tip.

If the Dip Gets Too Thick

If at some point your queso gets too thick, turn down the heat to low and add whole milk, a couple of tablespoons at a time until it’s the consistency you want.

If the Dip Is Too Thin

If your queso is too thin, remove the lid and simmer on high for another 15-20 minutes. Be sure to drain the Rotel really well when you add it to the queso, and that is usually my culprit if the queso is too thin.

Doubling the Recipe

I made a doubled batch of queso in my 6 quart slow cooker with 2 lbs. of Velveeta, a box of spinach (10 oz.) and the entire can of Rotel and doubled the rest of the ingredients and it took about 1.5 hrs. on high. It made about 15-20 servings (appetizer portion sizes) when we had other foods served as well.

Add-Ins That Work

The dip is great as-is, but if you’re looking to give the queso some extra oomph or stretch it a bit, try these ideas:

Cooked breakfast sausage, cook and drain/brown and stir into dip. This adds a hearty element.

Black beans, add about a small can of black beans, drained, to bulk up the queso.

Corn—I like to add corn but find that it tastes better if you plan on eating some of the queso cold. Frozen corn is fine.

Storing Leftovers

Leftover queso will keep for 4 days in the refrigerator in a covered, airtight container. When it cools it’ll be very thick, more like a block of queso, which is okay.

It’ll thin out again when it’s heated up.

Reheating

You can reheat a small amount of queso in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1-1.5 minutes, heating for 30 seconds, stirring, and repeating as necessary.

To reheat all of it, place it back in your slow cooker and heat on high for about 30-45 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Add a splash of milk if necessary as it may be very thick when you begin.

Enjoy!

Can You Freeze It?

Honestly, queso contains a number of dairy-based ingredients, like sour cream, which do not freeze well and may result in a more grainy separated texture. You can always give it a whirl.

But if you do, I’d thaw it out in the fridge overnight and then reheat it on low in the crockpot stirring frequently. It’ll eventually heat up but it’s not going to be anything like its original creaminess, though the taste is still pretty darn good.

Make-Ahead Strategy

You can make the recipe up until the queso is melted one day ahead, allow it to cool, cover, and store in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, transfer the mixture to the crockpot, stir in sour cream, and reheat on high.

The texture will be as if you’d made it fresh! I love being able to make the majority of a recipe ahead of time especially during the holidays as it cuts down on party-prep stress, since literally the only thing I’d be doing is turning on my slow cooker.

Crockpot Queso Dip Questions I Get Asked

Can I use regular Velveeta instead of Queso Blanco Velveeta?

Absolutely. They melt down the same and have identical consistencies.

Regular yellow Velveeta just has a bit of a sharper taste and will result in a more orange queso.

Do I have to use spinach?

You can absolutely leave the spinach out but know that your dip will be less meaty/thinner. You can also sub drained canned diced green chiles if you’d like.

And honestly, feel free to skip the spinach/green chiles altogether.

Can I make this in an Instant Pot?

Absolutely. If you have an Instant Pot with a slow cooker setting, this will work exactly like a stand alone slow cooker.

If you’re wanting to use your IP as a stand-alone stovetop, you’d follow directions as written except cook in Instant Pot on medium to medium/low heat setting using saute function. It will cook faster but needs constant stirring.

It’ll be ready in about 15-20 minutes. You’re trading active attention for a quicker finish.

What do I serve with this besides chips?

Soft pretzels are delicious with this queso, as are slices of crusty bread, pita chips and raw veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, pepper strips, and celery.

Enjoy your queso and I hope this dip becomes a staple at your house, too.

What’s better than a party with lots of dips?

Exactly.

Other Dips That Disappear Fast

Seven Layer Dip, an easily-doubled crowd pleaser

Jalapeño Popper Dip, a baked & cheesy crowd pleaser

Spinach and Artichoke Dip, another slow cooker dip that can stay warm during a get-together