Air Fryer Mexican Cheese Dip

Name: Air Fryer Mexican Cheese Dip
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (120g) Mexican cheese; 4-6 jalapenos (chopped); 10 ounces (283g) canned Mexican tomatoes; ½ cup (125g) salsa; 2 cups (240g) cheddar cheese; 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese (shredded); ½ cup (100g) milk

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Homemade Mexican cheese dip is cheesy, creamy, and just as flavorful as what you get at your favorite Mexican restaurant. A delicious combination of cheese, jalapenos, Mexican tomatoes, and salsa, this easy air fryer Mexican cheese dip recipe is perfect for Cinco de Mayo, Taco Tuesdays, game days, or any occasion.

Suitable for Keto and Gluten Free diets.

the completed air fryer mexican cheese dip surrounded by tortilla chips

There are certain food duos that everyone seems to love, and you know what’s at the very top of my list? Mexican cheese dip and tortilla chips.

Creamy slightly spicy cheese dip is the perfect appetizer, and when dining out in a Mexican restaurant, I love to save a little to spoon over my entrée.

I love zesty cheese dip sooooo much, I decided it was time I learned how to make it home to go with all my favorite authentic Mexican recipes. The result is this amazing Air Fryer Mexican Cheese Dip recipe.

This queso dip recipe is shockingly easy and cooking it in the air fryer makes it so easy. Mexican cheese dip is perfect for dunking tortilla chips or serving as a side dish with all of your favorite Mexican dishes. #somuchyum.

If you like this, then you’ve got to try Air Fryer Tortilla Chips, delicious Air Fryer Nachos and these sweet Air Fryer Churros.

top down view of the completed air fryer mexican cheese dip recipe

Why Make This Recipe

Money Saving – Mexican restaurant cheese dip is delicious but the top-dollar price can be a bit hard to swallow. Learn how to make Mexican queso cheese dip recipe at home and save money on your favorite appetizer.
So Cheesy – Air fryer Mexican cheese dip is loaded with three kinds of cheese.
Bold Flavor – The addition of Mexican diced tomatoes with green chiles, salsa and fresh jalapeno gives this air fryer Mexican cheese dip recipe loads of bold, spicy flavors.

Ingredient Notes

Cheese – Use a combination of Mexican cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and cream cheese in this incredible queso recipe.
Jalapeños – Add freshly chopped jalapenos and adjust the number to meet your desired heat level.
Mexican Tomatoes – Use a brand of diced tomatoes such as Rotel with green chiles and lime.
Salsa – Use your favorite jarred or homemade salsa.
Milk – You can use whole, 2 percent, skim milk, or even a can of evaporated milk.

the ingredients needed for making air fryer mexican cheese dip

Ready to make this Mexican cheese dip air fryer? Gather your ingredients and I will show you…

How To Make Mexican Cheese Dip

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

Preheat the air fryer to 300 degrees F / 149 degrees C.
Mix all the ingredients into an oven-safe container.
Place the container into the air fryer basket and air fry for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
When the dip is hot and bubbly, remove it from the air fryer.
Serve warm with corn chips.

image collage showing the steps for making air fryer mexican cheese dip

Expert Tips

Select an oven-safe container that will hold all of the ingredients and fit inside of your air fryer.
If you prefer white queso dip, select white cheddar.
Canned tomatoes with green chiles come in a variety of heat levels and some even have onion powder, or garlic powder added to them. If you can’t find Mexican tomatoes, you can use regular canned tomatoes and add canned green chiles, garlic powder, and onion powder to spice them up.
For perfectly melted cheese, shredded cheese will melt easier than cubbed cheese. I prefer freshly shredded cheese over bagged cheese.
Stirring frequently will help you reach the desired consistency. Stir the queso dip every 10 minutes.
Don’t overcook the queso dip or it can become oily.
If the dip is too thick you can adjust the consistency by adding more milk and stirring frequently for a silky sauce.
Air fryers all work differently, so use these times as a guide and adjust based on your specific air fryer.
Gently reheat in the microwave so the leftover queso dip doesn’t separate and become oily.
Serve queso dip recipe warm, as the dip will harden as it cools.

Delicious Variations

Add Aromatics – Add sautéed onions and garlic to really bump up the flavor of the dip. You can also sprinkle on cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
Make Mexican White Cheese Dip – Regular cheddar will give the queso dip a yellowish color. Use white cheddar or white American cheese for a white queso Blanco. You can also use pepper jack or Monterey jack cheese.
Top It Off – Top the finished queso dip with diced fresh tomatoes, green onions, or slices of fresh jalapeno.
Swap The Tortilla Chip – Tortilla chips are an excellent choice for this dip, but you can also dip Fritos corn chips, crusty bread, pita bread, or veggie sticks.
Add Meat – Stir in ground beef, chorizo, or even chicken for a meaty queso recipe.

air fryer mexican cheese dip served with multicolored tortilla chips

Prep And Storage

Prep Ahead – Make authentic queso dip in advance and reheat in the microwave when ready to serve.
Store – Cool air fryer Mexican cheese dip to room temperature and store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freeze – Store cooled Mexican cheese dip recipe in a freezer-safe container in small portions in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the queso dip into the refrigerator overnight.

top down view of the finished mexican cheese dip inside the air fryer basket

FAQs

Can I Adjust The Heat Level Of This Mexican Cheese Dip?

Yes! It is so easy to adjust the spiciness of this Mexican queso dip recipe. You can increase or decrease the number of jalapenos you use. You can also change the heat level by choosing mild or spicy salad and Mexican tomatoes, using pepper jack cheese, or adding cayenne pepper or canned green chilis.

Why Is Air Fryer Mexican Cheese Dip Oily?

Oily cheese dip is usually caused by overcooking queso dip or cooking at too high heat. The best way to prevent this is to stir frequently and to remove the queso dip from the air fryer as soon as the cheese melts and the top just begins to brown.

Will Cheese Dip Stay Creamy As It Cools?

Homemade Mexican restaurant cheese dip made with real cheese will harden slightly and thicken as it cools. This is just the nature of cheese. You can gently reheat the cheese dip by microwaving it in 30-second increments and stirring it until it is heated up to your liking.

Can I Make Homemade Queso In Crock pot?

To make this queso recipe in the crock pot combine all of the ingredients and set to high heat. Stir frequently until the cheese has melted and the dip has reached the consistency.

side view of a hand dipping a tortilla chip into the finished air fryer mexican cheese dip

More Recipes You May Like

Serving Suggestions

Air Fryer Tortilla Chips. (the perfect accompaniment!)
Strawberry Jalapeno Margarita.
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas.
Instant Pot Chicken Tacos.
Crockpot Salsa Chicken.

Thank you for reading my Mexican restaurant cheese dip recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice, and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes, and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

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5 from 2 votes