Smoked Queso Dip

Some people call it queso, some call it cheese dip, and some call it Rotel, but this dip is popular at tailgates and parties across the country because just about everyone loves it! 

While it’s commonly made in the crockpot or oven, you can cook it in the smoker for an amazing smoky flavor. 

Although I don’t use meat in this recipe, you can add ground beef, chorizo, or breakfast sausage, all of which taste great. 

This recipe is so easy to make. You add everything to a pan, no mixing, just pop it in the smoker for everything to melt together nicely.

Smoked queso dip (aka Rotel dip)

Ingredients you’ll need

• Cheese – queso is Spanish for cheese. You can use many different types of cheese for this recipe, but I like to combine cheddar, pepper jack, Velveeta, and cream cheese. If you’re not a Velveeta fan, use mild cheddar and add ½ cup of cream.
• Taco seasoning – any taco or Mexican seasoning you have on hand will work. 
• Rotel tomatoes – so many people call this dip “rotel dip” because Rotel tomatoes are a key ingredient. They are essentially diced tomatoes with green chilies, creating an amazing flavor. 
• Milk – some liquid helps the cheese melt and reach the right consistency for this dip. I used milk, but you can also use your favorite beer. 
• Meat– you can add seasoned ground beef, breakfast sausage, chorizo, or even leftover brisket to this recipe, and they all taste great.

Equipment you’ll need

• Knife
• Cutting board
• Oven-safe dish – you really want something that will retain heat so the dip stays hot for longer once served.
• Large spoon – for stirring
• Smoker

How to make smoked queso dip (aka Rotol dip)

1. Prep

I find it best to use freshly chopped or shredded cheese, as pre-shredded cheese has a coating that makes it grainy and prevents it from melting properly.

Start by chopping the cheddar, pepper jack, and Velveeta cheese into cubes about 1” thick. This will help them melt faster and speed up the cooking process.

In a large oven-safe dish, you want to layer all of the ingredients in this order: 

• Cubed cheese.

• Cream cheese – cubing cream cheese is too messy, so I opt to have it at room temperature to help it melt faster.

• Meat – if adding meat to this dish, ensure that you have pre-cooked it first.

• Seasoning – I like to use the Hardcore Carnivore Chili Lime seasoning for this dip. It’s like taco seasoning but with an added lime flavor that I love.

• Rotel tomatoes – if you’re making this for kids with no heat tolerance, just use plain diced tomatoes instead.
• Milk – use whole milk or the same quantity of your favorite beer.

If you like the idea of using beer, check out my smoked beer cheese dip recipe, which uses a very similar process to smoking queso.

This order is perfect for smoked queso because as the cheese melts, the other ingredients will blend into the cheese as it heats. 

2. Fire up the smoker

Fire up the smoker to 300°F. 

I used my Trager Ironwood XL and Bear Mountain Sweet BBQ pellets. You can use any grill or smoker you want as long as it can maintain a steady temperature of 300°F. 

You could also make this recipe in the oven, but cooking it on the smoker adds a nice touch of smoky flavor that really brings it to the next level. 

3. Cook

Once your grill or smoker is preheated, place the dish on the grates, close the lid, and let it smoke. 

After about an hour, the cream cheese should be nice, soft, and melty, and that is when you know it’s time to give it a stir.

Grab a large spoon and carefully mix everything together until it is well combined. The mixture may look watery at this point, but don’t worry, that is normal.

Once everything is mixed, leave it on the smoker for another 20-30 minutes until it thickens and the top turns golden brown and bubbly. 

Remove it from the smoker and serve immediately alongside your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy! 

This dish is the kind that you want to tuck into straight away because it hardens when it cools down; that’s why it’s a good idea to have a solid dish that retains heat to keep it warm for longer.

If you happen to have leftovers and want to reheat them, add a bit of milk and heat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each increment to ensure it’s fully heated through. Just don’t heat it too fast, or it may split.

Try these smoked appetizers next

• Smoked Candied Bacon
• Grilled Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Smoked Chili Cheese Dip
• Smoked Pig Shots: The Ultimate Tailgate Snack
• Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers
• The Ultimate Jalapeño Popper Dip