Where did chili con queso come from?

Answer 1

It began in Texas as a fusion or take on Queso Chihuahua which is a fondue style dip named after the Mexican area of Chihuahua as well as the soft cheese of which it was originally made from in Mexico. As it hit the U.S. however it was typically made from processed cheese and green chiles rather than the soft Mexican cheese although sometimes it is made with Jack Cheese and cream cheese and green chiles. Mention of the dip can be seen in other regions however such as an article and recipe from California in the 1950s. Today the most common recipe is Velveeta and Ro-Tel (tomatoes and green chiles with spices), melted together and typically served in Tex-Mex restaurants. However, although the term "queso" means "cheese" in Spanish, this is simply the term now used for the dip in the U.S. even if it contains processed cheese or no cheese at all. In 2010 the first vegan queso arrived in supermarkets called Nacho Mom's Ultimate Vegan Queso and, although it contained no cheese and claims only 160 calories per jar, it is made with nutritional yeast, a cheesy tasting natural nutritional additive.

Although still primarily a "Southern" dip, the warm, spicy, cheesy dip has gained a greater following with it's ease of preparation and comforting gooey taste and other national brands such as Newman's Own have brought in shelf-stable ready made alternatives for those not wishing to simply melt together their Velveeta and Ro-Tel.

Queso is typically served with tortilla chips and served warm but can also be served with tortillas.