A bowl of warm queso is a great snack to gather around and enjoy with friends. A basic smoky white queso dip recipe is easy to make and can be paired with a variety of suitable dippers such as tortilla chips, veggie sticks, and more. With so many ingredients that will level up your queso, one that will give it the most serious upgrade brings extra sweet and savory flavors and textural variety to the mix. Give your next bowl of homemade or store-bought queso an elote-style spin by adding roasted corn to the dip.
Roasted corn is an ideal ingredient for queso because its complex sweetness counters the tangy and savory flavors of a cheesy dip and provides both a unique taste and a chewy texture. The Maillard reaction occurs when heat alters proteins and sugar within the corn during roasting, enhancing its natural flavors while also creating new ones that wouldn’t be present if it were steamed or boiled. With this in mind, there are a number of ways you can go about preparing an elevated bowl of roasted corn queso.
Making the ultimate roasted corn queso
The first thing to consider when roasting your corn for queso is whether you want to cook your corn under the broiler or on a barbecue grill. Either method will char your corn to perfection. Start with a grilled Mexican street corn recipe and then cut kernels from the cob to stir into your queso. Include a swirl of chili powder, lime juice, and a crumble of interchangeable queso fresco or cotija cheese on top for a complementary finishing touch.
You can also try making a queso fundido with Mexican chorizo to up the protein content of your dish and provide an excellent base to which to add roasted corn. Cook your chorizo first before melting the cheese and adding the roasted corn. Spice everything up with fresh jalapeño peppers or bring even more heat with serranos. The dairy content of your queso will help temper the heat and the roasted corn will provide a measure of sweetness that will tie your whole dish together.
