Yes, You Can Make Queso In Your Air Fryer. Here's How
Air fryers are the true MVPs of the kitchen. Along with your standard air fryer recipes like fries and chicken wings, these devices can also be used to cook some unexpected dishes (consider that air-fried cucumbers are surprisingly delicious). You can even use an air fryer to whip up quick and easy queso dip perfect for complementing tortilla chips, burritos, and tacos.
Queso dip typically consists of cheese, hot peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and spices like cayenne and cumin. Either cream cheese, cream, or milk is usually added to achieve a smooth, dip-like consistency. Queso can also feature meat, often seasoned ground beef, which adds a bit of heartiness and flavor complexity to the dip.
Making queso in an air fryer is ideal, as you can conveniently add all your ingredients to the basket and the device will do the rest. However, it's recommended that you stir the queso components about halfway through the cooking time to ensure they're fully incorporated. Once the cheese is sufficiently melted, you'll know the queso is ready to serve. It should only take about ten minutes for the air fryer to work its magic.
Tasty variations on air fryer queso
One of the great things about making queso is that you can use a variety of cheeses in the dish. Some recipes call for either mild or sharp cheddar, but American cheese or Velveeta can work if you're going for Texas-style queso. You can use more than one kind of cheese, but it's important to use one that melts easily as your main cheese. If you want to add some texture variation to the cheese, crumble a hard, salty cheese on top at the end. Queso fresco is a mild Mexican cheese that offers a tangy flavor, perfect for topping your queso dip.
As for the meat, there's more than just ground beef. Mexican chorizo is a spicy pork sausage that's another popular choice for cheesy queso dip. It's not unheard of to make queso with crispy bacon, either. You could also keep things vegetarian with plant-based "beef" crumbles.
Regarding peppers, poblanos can be used instead of jalapeños if you want something milder. Poblanos are not as spicy as jalapeños but do impart a subtle sweetness. While it's fine to use regular canned tomatoes in the recipe, canned tomatoes with smoky adobo can make for a more complex flavor profile. If you like spicy and smoky, try adding canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Why lining your air fryer is a must when making queso
The deliciousness of your air fryer queso is bound to be diminished when faced with a massive, cheesy cleanup. Fortunately, you can avoid the mess by lining the air fryer with a protective material, such as a layer of parchment paper. Parchment paper is perfect for air fryers, as the material can withstand temperatures as high as 428 degrees Fahrenheit. However, avoid using wax paper in your air fryer, as it will melt when subjected to intense heat. If you want to limit waste, silicon air fryer liners are another good option. Many silicone liners are dishwasher safe, which makes for even easier cleanup.
Queso is the perfect appetizer for dinner parties and other gatherings, but there are plenty of other appetizing recipes you can make in your air fryer. The appliance can also be used to make mac and cheese bites, Brussels sprouts, chicken parm, and many other delectable and sometimes unexpected dishes.