A good starting point for upping your cheese dip game!
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This recipe takes me right back to my Air Force days when we’d gather at a friend’s apartment for cards and snacks. Cheese dips with a Mexican twist were a favorite. This is when I learned to put cheese and salsa on tortilla chips, place a jalapeño ring on each, and bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes to create “na-chips”. That’s what we called them. And we baked them at 350°F I’m sure, because that’s before we knew to vary the temperature on an oven for varying results. Oh, the good old days!
You’re going to love how quick, easy, and customizable this treat is. You can change the cheeses and the tomato/green pepper mix. You can add in just about anything. Really. I’d go with some spicy, and some mild additions. Finely chopped or in larger chunks—whatever your preference—green chilies, black olives, jalapeños, green onions, canned corn, pickled peppers, hot sauce, black beans, pintos, even bacon or ground meat. Add chopped cilantro or parsley for an added bit of color and nutrition, too.
Consider hosting a dipping party. Set out a stack of small plates. Provide the requisite chips and veggies, and some good crusty bread, then set out this dip with Vegan Spinach Dip, Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip With Cauliflower, and Pizza Dip. Your party is prepped in no time. It’s a good bet your friends and family will love this idea, and you can guilt them into hosting the next one!
Is Velveeta Cheese Dip Healthy?
Any recipe is subjective, as to its healthiness. That being said, Velveeta is high in fat and sodium. So there you have it. Maybe serve this along with healthy multi-grain chips, as well as veggies for dipping, to increase the healthy aspect of this dish. Also, plan on a small serving size for each person.
Changing the ratio of cheese to the tomatoes/chilies mixture will bring a significant change to the nutritional profile. Double the amount of vegetables, cut the cheese amount in half. Now do the math—you’ve made it much healthier!
What is Velveeta? Why isn’t it considered cheese?
The USDA doesn’t consider Velveeta as cheese, but rather a processed cheese product. It’s not made from curds, as cheese is. Velveeta is fashioned from milk, whey, milk protein concentrate, whey protein concentrate, preservatives, and more. To be considered cheese, a product must have a minimum milkfat content of 50% by weight of solids.
INGREDIENTS
- 16 ounces processed cheese, cubed
- 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine
Mix cheese with tomatoes and chilies.
Melt
Stir over medium heat until smooth.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
This can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, add a splash of milk and heat over low, stirring constantly. It can also be frozen in the size increments you’re likely to use, and then reheated in the microwave, until desired consistency.
For this recipe, you want cheese that melts easily. Monterey Jack is a good option, as is any type of cheddar. They’ll melt into the same gooey goodness you want for your dip. You can mix in a bit of cream cheese or hummus to add to the creamy aspect. Mozzarella melts well, but gets stringy. So I’d steer clear of that for this recipe.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this dip with corn or multi-grain chips and chopped veggies for dipping. This can be the appetizer course. Then go with other simple-to-fix recipes. Try Shredded Chicken Tacos for your main dish, along with Mango Salsa. Add a drink option of Mexican Martinis, and you have yourself a fiesta!
Velveeta Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 16 ounces processed cheese cubed
- 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chilies undrained
Instructions
-
Cube the processed cheese and combine it with the canned diced tomatoes and green chilies in a medium saucepan.
-
Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Nutrition
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