Keto Queso – Low-Carb Creamy Recipe (2024)

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This keto queso recipe is the perfect low-carb appetizer! Whether you need to make a holiday party appetizer or you just want a game-day snack, you’ll love this ultra-rich keto cheese sauce dip.

Whether you need a dish to whip up for a holiday party appetizer, or you just want a tasty weekend snack – this keto queso is where it’s at! It’s ultra-rich thanks to the heavy cream, cheddar, and cream cheese, and has the perfect little kick from the green chiles. My family devours this whenever we make it! Let’s teach you how to make your keto queso!

Keto Queso – Low-Carb Creamy Recipe (1)

IS QUESO KETO?

Many people ask ‘can you eat queso on keto’ ‘is queso keto friendly’?’ Queso can be keto-friendly depending on how it’s made. However, many versions follow the traditional Mexican use of roux with flour to create the thickness you’re used to. Because of that, the carb count can quickly increase to a level that may not be optimal for your low carb diet.

With this queso recipe, we’re using heavy cream and cream cheese to act as the main thickeners, which not only keeps the carb count down but also adds a ton of filling fats.

HOW TO MAKE KETO QUESO

To make this dish, you’ll only need a few simple ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Onion
  • Heavy cream
  • Cream cheese
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Can of Rotel tomatoes & chiles
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Cumin

You’ll start by melting your butter in a pot over medium heat, and then add your onion. Yes, I know that onion adds a few extra carbs to this dish overall – but we only use a quarter cup and that little bit sautéed in butter adds quite a depth of flavor.

Next, you’ll stir in your heavy cream, cheddar, and cream cheese. Keep stirring this frequently so everything gets all melty and smooth.

Lastly, mix in a drained can of Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, salt, pepper, and cumin. Similar to the onion, I recognize that the Rotel adds a few extra carbs. You can leave this out if you’d like to nudge down the net carbs, but I love the flavor dynamic with the Rotel in there.

The result is a very thick, rich queso. I love it with the chunks of tomatoes and chiles and onion. It’s just so delicious.

If you want it to be a bit creamier or thinner, you can either a) leave out the Rotel, and/or b) use extra heavy cream. The flavor won’t be quite as good but it would give you more of a nacho-cheese style sauce rather than as-is which is more of a thick sauce/dip.

Keto Queso – Low-Carb Creamy Recipe (2)

NUTRITION INFORMATION

This keto queso makes about 8 servings. Each serving contains 20 grams of fat and just 3.5 grams of net carbs.

The macronutrient breakdown is as follows:

  • 80% fat
  • 13% protein
  • 7% carbohydrate

A pretty nice breakdown for a keto dieter!

Keep in mind you’ll want to make sure you choose good, low-carb options for eating with this queso, and make sure to add those into the total net carbs for your snack/meal.

HOW TO USE KETO QUESO

Here are some great options for items to dip or other ways to use this delicious low carb cheese sauce dip. The carb counts listed after each option are for that food itself; it doesn’t include the dip as well.

DIPPERS

  • Slice 3 medium stalks of raw celery and dip that into this queso. (3 stalks = 4.2 g carbohydrate, 1.8 g fiber, 2.4 g net carbs)
  • Dip with sliced raw bell pepper (1 medium = 5.5 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3.5 g net carbs)
  • Dip with raw cauliflower (1 cup = 5.5 g carbohydrate, 2.5 g fiber, 3 g net carbs)
  • Scoop the queso with sliced cucumbers (1 cup slices = 4 g carbohydrate, 0.6 g fiber, 3.4 g net carbs)
  • Use pork rinds as a dipper! (0 g carbs)
  • Try it with theselow carb tortilla chips(1 serving = 4.8 g carbohydrate, 2.9 g fiber, 1.7 g net carbs)
  • Scoop the dip on thesepepperoni chips(0 g carbs)

OTHER WAYS TO USE THIS:

  • Drizzle the queso over the cooked broccoli (1/2 cup cooked = 5.6 g carbohydrate, 2.6 g fiber, 3 g net carbs)
  • Stir the queso into cooked cauliflower rice (1/2 cup cooked = 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g net carbs)
  • Scoop the dip into lettuce wraps with chicken, pulled pork, or steak (4 large leaves = 1.2 g carbohydrate, 0.8 g fiber, 0.4 g net carbs)
  • Make a bun-less burger topped with queso. (0 g carbs)
  • Sub out the cheddar cheese and tomatoes for queso in ourketo taco bowls.
Keto Queso – Low-Carb Creamy Recipe (3)

FAQs

Can Queso Be Left Out?

You can leave queso out safely for up to two hours. Because it’s sitting in the temperature “danger zone”, bacteria can grow rapidly and you shouldn’t leave it out for longer than that. We recommend leaving out what you’re eating, and saving any leftovers for another day.

Can You Refrigerate Leftover Keto Queso?

With the proper storage, you absolutely can! Transfer your leftover queso to a tightly covered container and store it in the fridge. This will keep for 3 to 4 days. Store-bought ones can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge, and if kept in the freezer it will last for 3 months before it loses the quality of its taste.

Can You Add Meat To The Queso Itself?

Sure! You can add cooked ground beef, chorizo, or sausage to this queso recipe. I also like adding pork cracklings.

Can You Use A Different Type Of Cheese?

Although cheddar is the perfect choice, you can substitute or add a different kind of cheese to the recipe. You can use whatever cheese you find like Monterey jack, Pepper jack, and Colby jack. You can even add mozzarella to add texture and a new flavor to your queso.

Keto Queso – Low-Carb Creamy Recipe (4)

Keto Queso – Low-Carb Creamy Recipe

4.50 from 6 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 6

Calories 306 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 10 ounces canned Rotel tomatoes
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp cumin

Instructions

  • Heat butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-5 minutes, until tender.

  • Add the heavy cream, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese. Stir frequently until the cheese is melted and well combined (about 2-4 minutes).

  • Add the can of drained Rotel tomatoes and chiles, salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir and cook for a minute or two until everything is warm and well combined.

  • Serve with sliced celery, keto chips, pork rinds, or over chicken/steak. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 11gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 485mgPotassium: 214mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1016IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 308mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Keto Queso – Low-Carb Creamy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What cream cheese has the least carbs? ›

Philadelphia is one of the best brands of keto-friendly cream cheese. A 2-tablespoon serving of Philadelphia cream cheese contains 102 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.8 grams of protein, and only 1.6 grams of carbohydrates. It's recommended to opt for plain or full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese for the keto diet.

Can you eat queso on keto diet? ›

For 2 ounces Chipotle Queso, there are 4 grams of carbs and . 5 grams of fiber. That means Chipotle Queso has net carbs of 3.5 grams for 2 ounces meaning it is not bad for Keto dieters if you eat it in moderation.

What is the lowest carb cheese? ›

Got cheese has the lowest carb content out of all varieties. It contains zero carbs while supplying you with 8 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein per 1-ounce serving.

What makes queso less thick? ›

Feel free to add more chicken broth at anytime if you want to make queso less thick.

What is the most keto friendly cheese? ›

Some cheeses suit the keto diet better than others. This mainly comes down to their carb and fat content and level of processing. The best keto cheeses include cheddar, Gouda, goat cheese, and blue cheese, while the worst are cottage cheese and low fat and processed varieties.

What can I use instead of cream cheese? ›

Cream Cheese Substitutes:
  • Sour Cream. Sour cream replicates cream cheese's taste but isn't quite as caloric, making it a good choice for a lower-calorie substitute. ...
  • Greek Yogurt. ...
  • Neufchâtel. ...
  • Mascarpone. ...
  • Silken Tofu. ...
  • Cottage Cheese. ...
  • Hummus. ...
  • Quark.
Oct 18, 2023

Is there any Mexican food that is keto-friendly? ›

All the same, if you're eating at a Mexican restaurant in the United States, you may need to avoid high carb ingredients like tortillas, rice, and beans. At home, you can make many keto-friendly variations on Mexican dishes, including ceviche, fajitas, carne asada, and carnitas.

How many carbs a day on keto? ›

The ketogenic diet typically reduces total carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams a day—less than the amount found in a medium plain bagel—and can be as low as 20 grams a day. Generally, popular ketogenic resources suggest an average of 70-80% fat from total daily calories, 5-10% carbohydrate, and 10-20% protein.

Is peanut butter OK on keto? ›

Peanut butter can definitely be part of a keto diet, but it's best to stick to plain options that are free of extra flavors and sweeteners. Almond butter is a good choice, too, and it's slightly lower in carbs. Additionally, you should be mindful of your portion size if you're trying to lose weight.

Can I have a banana on keto? ›

Bananas. Bananas may be great for muscle recovery, reducing bloat, and calming an upset stomach, but they're on the list of foods you can't eat on the keto diet. With 25g of carbs per 100g serving, bananas are too high in carbs.

Does cheese ruin ketosis? ›

All types of cheese are allowed on the keto diet, as cheese is relatively low in carbohydrate, which complies with the key principle of the keto diet. The Ketogenic diet or “keto” diet is a low carbohydrate and high fat eating plan.

What crackers are low carb? ›

9 Best Low Carb Crackers
Best OverallJulian Bakery Primal Thin Crackers
Best Tasting Keto CrackerQuest Cheese Crackers
Best Seed CrackerELLA'S FLATS® Sesame Savory Crisps
Best Vegan CrackerHu Kitchen Paleo Vegan Crackers (Sea Salt)
Best Wheat Based CrackerFiber Gourmet Thinables

How do you keep cheese dip creamy? ›

If you don't want to use American cheese, you can achieve the same creamy, stabilized texture with the addition of cream cheese — which also has stabilizers added. Use whatever cheese you like (cheddar, Monterey Jack or other cheeses) and then add 2 ounces of cream cheese to the mix.

What can you substitute for heavy cream in queso? ›

The Best Heavy Cream Substitutes
  1. Half-and-Half and Butter. A combination of half-and-half and butter makes the best all-around heavy cream substitute. ...
  2. Milk and Butter. ...
  3. Evaporated Milk. ...
  4. Coconut Cream. ...
  5. Cream Cheese. ...
  6. Greek Yogurt and Milk. ...
  7. Soy Milk and Olive Oil.
Mar 30, 2022

How do you keep cheese sauce creamy? ›

Starch (such as all-purpose flour, cornstarch, or potato flour) will keep the cheese from curdling. If using all-purpose flour, add it to the mixture before the cheese; it needs to be cooked for a few minutes to remove the starchy taste.

Can you eat cream cheese on a low carb diet? ›

Cream cheese: Cream cheese is very popular in the keto diet. At only 84 calories per 1 ounce serving, it has 1 gram of carbs and 2 grams of protein but packs 8 grams of fat per serving. It can be a keto-friendly snack or meal addition when more fat is needed.

Is Philadelphia cream cheese high in carbs? ›

Kraft Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese (1 ounce) contains 0.5g total carbs, 0.5g net carbs, 10g fat, 2g protein, and 100 calories.

Does Philly cream cheese have carbs? ›

Kraft Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese 226g Pack (1 ounce) contains 1g total carbs, 1g net carbs, 10g fat, 2g protein, and 100 calories.

How many carbs are in Philadelphia light cream cheese? ›

Nutritional info
Typical valuesPer serving 100g%
Energy336 kJ / 80 kcal4.0%
Protein11.0g22.0%
Carbohydrate5.9g2.3%
Fat2.5g3.6%
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