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chile con queso

American  
[chil-ee kon key-soh] / ˈtʃɪl i kɒn ˈkeɪ soʊ /
Or chili con queso

noun

  1. a Tex-Mex dip of melted cheese with hot peppers, onion, and tomato, usually served as an appetizer with tortilla chips.


Etymology

Origin of chile con queso

First recorded in 1915–20; from Mexican Spanish: literally “chile with cheese”; see origin at chili ( def. ), queso ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Another important distinction is that “it was the first chile con queso recipe to call specifically for American cheese. A truly American queso in both name and style had arrived.”

From Washington Post • Feb. 6, 2023

I dust it over simmered roasted green chiles, which I cap with blistered asadero cheese for a Borderlands-style chile con queso.

From Salon • Jun. 29, 2022

Martinez combined the restaurant’s housemade chile con queso with taco meat and guacamole, and a star was born.

From Washington Post • Oct. 8, 2019

Since at least 1949, the company has been selling convenience in chile con queso, according to food historian Robert Moss.

From Washington Post • Oct. 8, 2019

Queso is short for chile con queso, so named for the hot peppers that are stirred into the melted cheese.

From New York Times • May 19, 2015

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