Chili’s White Spinach Queso is made with fresh spinach and three cheeses, served in a still-warm skillet, in just 10 minutes. It’s the perfect appetizer recipe your whole family will love.
We love cheese dips around here, like my absolute favorite, Baked Fontina Cheese Dip or Artichoke Cheese Dip. But when we go to Chili’s (I am addicted to their chips and salsa) for appetizers, I am ALL about the cheese dips.
White Spinach Queso Dip can be made in many different ways and with varying ingredients. I chose to stick to Chili’s mild spinach flavor for this recipe, but you could certainly add some fun ingredients.
Try adding in chopped artichoke hearts or some jalapenos. A can of finely diced tomatoes drained well would also be a great addition. Spices! Adding heat to the dish would be great, too.
What are the best chips for queso?
I find that the most important thing to remember when making cheese dips is the quality of the chips. I know this is going to sound counterproductive, but the best chips I would recommend are Chili’s. They have these paper-thin, super-crispy chips that are AMAZING.
So when we have parties or I make dips, I have my husband pick up chips from them. They’re really inexpensive, and you get a huge bag of them. We’ve had them stay fresh for a couple of weeks, too, in case you can’t finish them on the first pass.
If you want a good bag of chips you can buy in the grocery store, try Tostito’s Thin and Crispy and Late July Thin and Crispy. They’re the closest to the restaurant kind I have found.
The BEST Restaurant Salsa
When it comes to choosing a good pico de gallo, I PROMISE you’ll want to use my recipe for Guapo’s Pico de Gallo. I am a huge fan of chips and salsa everywhere I go, and when I tell you this is the best restaurant salsa you will ever eat, I am not kidding.
I know the ingredients are unique, but once you mix them all up, it is your delicious, traditional restaurant pico de gallo. TRY IT, then tell me what you think about it!
Tools used:
Cast Iron Skillet: This is the most used pan in my kitchen, and it will keep your queso melty the longest.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces white American cheese
- 2 cups Jack cheese
- pico de gallo salsa optional
- queso fresco crumbles optional
- guacamole optional
Instructions
- Set the oven to broil.
- In a cast iron skillet add the canola oil on medium high heat.
- Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, then remove from the pan.
- Add the butter to the pan, then the flour, stir and cook for 20 seconds before adding in the milk slowly.
- Add in the garlic powder and whisk well before adding in the cheeses.
- Stir the mixture for 1-2 minutes until thick and bubbly then add in the spinach and stir.
- Broil for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Top with salsa, queso and guacamole (optional).
Nutrition
For anyone using this recipe, use your judgement! I used extra garlic powder, salt and papper. Extra extra milk when making the rue. It turned iut AMAZING. Again just use your appropriate judgement. If you use exact recipe it wont turn out how you want. I also only used one 6oz bag of spinach CHOPPED
Any advice for why it turned out blobby and not really like queso? I’m a beginner so I probably just did something wrong.
Same for me. ??
Mine turned out very thick like a big blob of cheese. Not sure where I went wrong.
Mine also did 🙁 you’re not alone!
Can’t wait to try this. Is it PEPPER Jack or MONTEREY Jack?…..Or can you use either?
Either should work!
Chef Sabrina, did you taste this after you made it? It was goopy, and very very bland. Even a novice would know that 2 tbls flour to 2 tbls butter and 3/4 cup milk is way too much flour. The taste of this had no taste. A 1/2 tsp garlic powder to all that cheese did absolutely nothing. The fact that it stated Chili’s copy cate recipe caught my eye. I should have tried Cafe Delites queso dip recipe. Next time you should try it before you post it. I wasted a lot of time, money, energy, clean up, and
I’m so sorry this comment got stuck in the spam filter and I just came across it. I’m sorry this recipe did not turn out for you, it is one we make often. I apologize for your frustration with it.
I feel that your comment is very rude. Great recipe!
Hi could you tell me what size skillet you used ? Thanks going to make this for thanksgiving
I used a 12 inch cast iron skillet for this recipe. Enjoy!
I used Velveeta Queso Blanco as the white American cheese. I also used Monterey Jack. Should it be Pepperjack? I made it and it just wasn’t anywhere near Chili’s using these cheeses. Help! 🙂
I would stick with white American cheese and jack cheese if you want the Authentic Chili’s copycat flavor. If you still want to use velveeta, definitely a pepper jack would be the better option. Hope this helps!
Have you ever made this in the crockpot?
No, I usually just transfer it to a crockpot once it’s done to keep it on warm for parties. Just make sure to stir it every once in a while.
can you use frozen spinach
Yes but make sure to defrost and drain well.
I would like to try this recipe. You mention it has 3 cheeses but in the recipe list only 2, American and Jack. I assume the crumbles are not part of the 3 cheeses? Is the 3rd white cheddar?
Sorry, sometimes I make a description and then adjust the recipe later – it’s only 2 cheeses. But make sure your American Cheese is the White American Cheese, not the yellow.
This looks amazing! I’m going to make it for Easter. I was wondering if I have to use whole milk, or if I can use 2%. Is there a big difference?
So sorry I’m just now seeing this. Either is fine. Hope you had a wonderful Easter.
This dip is calling my name! A sure hit for parties and game day!
Oooooh my goodness! This looks amazing and is really calling my name! I fear I’d eat the whole bowl! I should try it, though, just to see if I could restrain myself! ?
This is perfect for my movie night ! 🙂
I could eat that entire bowl! Dangerously delicious!!
Oh, I know! Proceed with caution, haha!
I love white queso! Glad I found this recipe!
Enjoy!
But it’s not queso dip.But is not queso dip . It only has it sprinkled on top. I made it with real queso. And spinach.
Queso means cheese in Spanish – there’s plenty of cheese (Queso) in it!
Definitely must try this! Perfect dip!
Thanks Erin!