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

See Examples For:

chile con queso

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

But to many Americans, particularly those with roots in Texas, it is shorthand for chile con queso, a cheesy dip with chile peppers that is a staple at social gatherings of all types.

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

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