Home » From Fast Food to Fine Dining: Copycat Restaurant Recipes for Every Taste! » The Best Ever Copycat Applebees Queso Blanco
by Stephanie Manley, Last Updated 20 Comments
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Applebees Queso Blanco is a favorite appetizer of so many. This Southwestern cheese dip is smooth, creamy, and has just a little bit of spice.
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Table of Contents
What is Queso Blanco?
White Queso dips or queso blanco may at first seem like a mystery, I promise, it isn’t. I don’t know why, but the white queso seems to be very perplexing.
Queso Blanco is simply a white cheese dip or sauce with Mexican flavors. Applebee’s version is made with fresh jalapenos, onions, tomatoes, and cilantro.
What Makes this Queso Blanco Recipe the Best
What makes this Applebees queso Blanco dip copycat recipe special is that we are using fresh onions, jalapenos, and tomatoes to give this queso its added flavor. Nothing is canned, but this queso has its spice from fresh jalapenos.
Queso Blanco Recipe Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need to make queso blanco dip:
- Jalapeno pepper
- White onion
- Vegetable oil
- White American cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
- Half and half
- Tomatoes
- Freshcilantro
About American Cheese for Dips and Sauces
Many of the cheese sauces you find in restaurants have American cheese as their base. Before you recoil in horror, consider that American cheese has its place. Quite honestly it does a fantastic job of melting and making cheese sauces.
You may not have known it comes in the very familiar yellow variety, but it also comes in the white variety, and it is the base of this cheese sauce. A quick trip to the deli and you will be in the queso-making business.
How to Make Applebee’s Queso Blanco
- Place vegetable oil, chopped jalapeno, and chopped onion in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Sauté onion and jalapeno until the onion becomes translucent.
- Cut both cheeses into 1-inch cubes.
- Add the cheeses and half and half to the pan. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Add chopped tomatoes and half of the cilantro.
- Garnish the queso with cilantro and chopped jalapenos.
Recipe Notes and Tips
You may want to wear gloves when working with fresh jalapeno peppers because they can burn your fingers. Also, be careful not to touch your eyes.
If you like your queso hot you can add more chopped jalapenos. You could also not seed them and get a little more of that spice.
What to Serve with Queso Blanco
Serve this dip with corn chips, but honestly, I think this queso would taste great spooned over enchiladas, or even served over fresh chimichangas.
When serving queso at a party I like to put mine in a Fondue Pot. This way the queso stays nice and warm the whole time.
Looking for more Applebees Copycat Recipes? Be sure to check out these copycat Applebees recipes
- Applebee’s Menu Recipes
- French Onion Soup
- Pico de Gallo
- Quesadilla Appetizer
- Bourbon Street Steak
- Oriental Chicken Salad Dressing Recipe
- Applebees Oriental Chicken Salad
- Chocolate Lava Meltdown
More Tasty Dip Recipes
- Rotel Cheese Dip
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip
- Green Goddess Dip
- Chili’s Queso Dip
- French Onion Soup Dip
Take a look at even more of the best appetizer recipes and easy dips to make at home.
Applebees Queso Blanco
You can recreate Applebees Queso Blanco at home.
5 from 5 votes
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Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Applebees Recipes
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 295kcal
Author: Stephanie Manley
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper finely minced, core and remove seeds if you don’t like heat
- 1/3 cup white onion finely chopped
- 1 pound white American cheese
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup half and half milk
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped tomato
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
Instructions
In a medium-sized pot over low – medium heat add vegetable oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno pepper, and white onion.
Saute onion and peppers until the onion becomes translucent.
Chop cheese into large pieces, add all cheeses and half and half. Reduce heat to low and stir the cheese so it melts.
When all of the cheese has melted add the fresh tomatoes, stir the tomatoes in. Stir in half of the cilantro. Just before serving garnish the queso with remaining cilantro and chopped jalapenos.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 884mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 680IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 657mg | Iron: 0.5mg
About Stephanie Manley
I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.
Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
ali
recipe for “Gringos” green sauce?
Reply
Beth
Thanks for this recipe! My son wanted me to make it for him and he loved it!!Reply
Kelli
Hello Stephanie, I just came across your copy cat recipes and soooooo hope you can help me.
My boyfriend and I were at Disneyland in March and stopped to eat at the Splitsville restaurant in Downtown Disney.
We just loved their loaded fries especially the white Queso Blanco sauce that was on these fries. Is there a recipe you have for them ?
I can’t stop thinking of the sauce ! Thanks, KelliReply
Stephanie
Thank you for your note. I am sorry I haven’t tried this one. I would base the queso you loved off of this one. If it is a white queso the base is likely an American White cheese. Land o Lakes is a very popular foodservice brand. I don’t know how it was spiced. All available recipes are currently online.
Reply
Dolly
Stefanie this queso sounds fabulous. I
Absolutely love the white queso that qudoba serves. Are these two sauces the same ?Reply
Jill Bolster
This is one of my husbands favorites! I can’t wait to try this!!! Thank you so much! Keep the recipes coming!
Reply
Stephanie
I hope he enjoys the dip!
Reply
MissMusey
Hi! I just stumbled on your website recently and have been working my way through the recipes. My husband loves Applebees’ Pretzel and Beer Cheese app. Any plans on crafting that one?
Reply
Darrel Weber
Applebee’s uses this White Queso dip and adds granulated garlic and a little pepper, Shock Top beer, and shredded cheddar cheese it thicken it up again. (from the beer you added). Amounts? Don’t remember.
Reply
Sharon
What brand cheese you use and I have only seen slice white American.
Reply
Stephanie
I use Land of Lakes cheese, you can buy it in the deli section of the grocery store.
Reply
April Brady
I will be making this as soon as possible. Thank you for sharing all your wonderful recipes.
Reply
Susan
Could this be made in a crockpot?
Reply
Stephanie
You could make it in a small one.
Reply
kalynskitchen
Looks good!
Reply
Stephanie Manley
Thank you very much! I love appetizers.
Reply
Rita
Olive Garden Fried lasagne please TY.
CrunchyCreamySw
I LOVE Applebee’s queso! This is fantastic!Reply
Stephanie Manley
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Reply
Rick
Oh No! My diet just went to hell.
