OKAY KIDS. HUDDLE UP!
Today, we’re tackling the BIG ONE… the Torchy’s Queso Recipe.
Why? I’m so glad you asked!
#1 It’s gaining status as the most coveted, delicious queso recipe in Texas— so any Urban Cowgirl is gonna be all over this one.
#2 All of the copycat recipes on the web really, and I mean realllllly fall short of it’s greatness and complexity.
(If you’re using Velveeta, you’re already off to a bad start…Sorry ’bout that. The good news is we’re here to help!)
What is Torchy’s Queso?!
Now, for anyone who doesn’t live in a Torchy’s town, Torchy’s is a neighborhood gourmet taco shop that in recent years has developed a cult-like following.
(And they is DAMN GOOD!)
For this challenge, we hit up our local Torchy’s and even took some photos while we were there.
Here’s the menu…
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I took the liberty of ordering several quesos to go and asked them to package each ingredient separately, so once we were back in the kitchen we could analyze each component.
How Do You Make Torchy’s Queso?
The Torchy’s queso begins with a scoop of fresh, basic guacamole scooped into a bowl.
Then, they ladle roasted green chile queso on top, which is infused with verde sauce. (That’s the little roasted black flecks of tomatillo.)
They top it with a drizzle of their homemade diablo sauce, a pinch of minced cilantro, and shredded cotija cheese. It looks like this…
NOM!
We found that the queso needs some time to infuse with the green chiles, so we’ll start there…
Like our official Urban Cowgirl Queso Recipe, this Texas-Style queso is made with a block of Boar’s Head American cheese from the deli. NOT VELVETTA! (Cause round these parts we’re on a mission to teach as many people as possible to use American cheese in your queso for WAY better, restaurant-quality queso.)
For the base of the queso we’re going to roast some salsa veggies in the oven. We’ve got new mexico chiles, also called anaheim chiles, serranos, tomatillos, roma tomatoes, and garlic.
Roast them according to the recipe instructions…
Clean the chiles just like the recipe…
And CHOP! Torchy’s queso recipe uses sizes about ½ an inch square.
Clean and chop the tomatoes and mince the garlic.
Throw the tomatillo, serranos, and roasted garlic in a small food processor (This is the one I have) and make a verde sauce like this… and reserve that for the queso.
Making the Torchy’s Queso Recipe:
In a large stockpot, melt the butter…
And for your stockpot, you can use something like this one and if you’re able to, get this one by All-Clad (It’s the one I’ve had for over 10 years and TOTALLY worth the investment!)
Add the garlic, and then the chopped veggies…
Add the half and half.
Melt in the Boar’s Head American cheese…
Add the 1/2 c. cheddar cheese and let it melt. Then add the verde sauce from the blender. Finish with the salt and lemon to taste.
You may use water to thin it when necessary, it won’t affect the flavor. This queso gets thick quick and often if left on the stove or in a crock pot.
Now, let this queso infuse while you prepare the other ingredients. I imagine Torchy’s makes the queso once a day, and always one day ahead. We noticed the green chile flavor takes about 3-6 hours to really infuse into the queso recipe. It can sit on the back of the stove, or you can chill it and reheat it before serving. Also, you can always thin it with a little water if it gets thick on you, which ours did.
Next, make the Torchy’s guacamole recipe which we put right here. It’s pretty basic. HAAS avocados, cilantro, white onion, salt, and garlic powder. We added a pop of lemon or lime juice to make it sing.
For assembly, use a scoop like this one to scoop a 1-2 oz. portion of guacamole into the bottom of your serving bowl.
Ladle the hot queso on top. Drizzle with Valentina which is very similar to their homemade diablo sauce.
Top with shredded cotija and fresh cilantro.
Walla! Enjoy my friends. 😀
Have questions? Need help? Have an addition or a suggestion to a recipe? Drop me a comment below!
If you make this recipe, I would LOVE to see it!
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How To Make Torchy’s Queso Recipe Copykat
When I originally created this recipe years ago, I found this version to be very close to the original. Then, employees wrote into the blog with the actual recipe. For that reason, the chicken stock has been removed and I have fine-tuned the recipe further. If you are coming here from YouTube please follow this new recipe with the salsa verde and roasted chiles which mimics their salsa roja, the salsa the restaurant version is built on. Enjoy cooking our home version of Torchy's Queso!
Ingredients
- 4 T. butter
- 3 roma tomatoes
- 5 green new mexico chiles, also called anaheim
- Verde Sauce:
- 4 large tomatillos
- 2 serrano peppers
- 4 cloves garlic - for roasting
- 1/2 t. kosher salt
- Queso Base:
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 c. half and half
- 1 pounds white or yellow BOAR's HEAD BRAND American cheese, from the deli (not Velveeta), cubed
- 1/2 c. sharp cheddar
- 1 T lemon juice
- ½ t. kosher salt
- Additional water to thin when necessary
- 1 prepared recipe of torchy’s guacamole copykat (linked in blog)
- Garnishes: Additional Valentina hot sauce, finely chopped cilantro, cotija cheese
Instructions
TO ROAST THE CHILES:
Turn your broiler on high and move the rack to the second rung from the top. On a baking sheet place the tomatoes, tomatillos, serranos, green chiles, and garlic cloves (garlic should still be in the clove).
When the broiler is hot, place the pan under and roast the veggies for about 8 min. The skin of the tomato should be soft and peeling off and the green chiles should have small charred areas.
Remove the roasted garlic from the pan and reserve. Flip the chiles and tomatoes and place them back under the broiler for an additional 6-8 minutes to char on the other side.
After the final side is well roasted remove the veggies from the broiler and place on a countertop to cool.
In a blender, place the tomatillos, serranos, garlic, and 1/2 t. kosher salt. Blend well and reserve.
To clean the chiles, remove the majority of the seeds and the tops of the chile under warm running water in your sink. You will be able to peel off the charred and wilted skin, keeping the green roasted flesh of the pepper. Dice this into small pieces, about ½ in x ½ in, place into a bowl and reserve.
Remove the roasted tomatoes to a cutting board. Remove the skin and discard. Chop the tomatoes very fine and reserve.
FOR THE QUESO:
In a heavy-bottomed stockpot, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the green chiles and chopped tomato, stirring well. Season with a pinch of salt.
Pour in the half and half and the cubes of American cheese. Stir to incorporate and bring to medium heat. Allow the American cheese to melt into the mixture. Add the sharp cheddar. When it melts in, add the verde sauce from the blender.
Cook as long as it takes to melt the cheese. (Reduce heat to prevent the bottom from scorching if necessary.)
When the cheese has melted, and you have a dish resembling queso, add in the lemon juice and salt.
At this point, the queso looks done, but it takes at least 1-2 hours for the queso to start to pick up the flavor of the green chiles. I imagine in the store this queso is probably prepared 8-12 hours ahead of time to allow the green chile flavor to infuse into the cheese dip. If you have the time, this recipe is best enjoyed after an infusing period of time of at least 4 hours. It can be refrigerated and heated back up in a slow cooker. Just keep extra water or half and half around to thin it out. The Torchy’s version is a very loose queso.
TO SERVE:
In a serving bowl, scoop out a 2 oz. ball of Torchy’s guacamole. Ladle the hot queso over it. Shake 1 line of Valentina sauce over the queso. Top with shredded cotija and finely minced cilantro.
Serve hot with chips!
Notes
I recommend using only Boar's Head American cheese in either white or yellow for this recipe. Generic brands of American cheese will occasionally (though not always) get chunky. I do not know why this occurs but it has happened to me when making other queso recipes. You're safe with using Boar's Head in my experience.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 105Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 345mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g
These nutritional values are an estimate only and provided as a courtesy. Different brands of ingredients may result in different calorie counts, and the software does not account for these differences. Consult with your dietician or doctor for precise nutritional values.
Torchy’s Guacamole Recipe
I’ve read many comments saying this is very thick and I’ve made it three times now and it’s very runny and I can’t figure out why. The flavor is spot on, just too runny. Anyone else?
Also- I have yet to add the lemon juice bc I’m concerned it will ruin the flavor and/or cause the cheese to curd. What exactly does the citrus do to the overall flavor?
Chefs add acidity to the end of the dish to give it a pop of flavor! Most people describe the taste as “brightness”. You don’t have to add it if you don’t want to. It has never broken on me, but quesos made with American cheese do break on occasion if the American cheese is not properly made. Boar’s head released a warning around Christmas that they had made a batch that would curdle. If your queso is thin it should thicken upon standing. Also, you can cut back on the liquid by 1/4 c. to see if that helps. Happy Cooking!
I suspect some brands clumping and others not has to do with the amount of sodium citrate found in different brands of American cheese.
That’s what makes American melt. It’s fairly cheap and easy to use and makes cheddar melt like American.
That is really fascinating! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Yeah I make queso at torchys and some of this is off from the real recipes we use. But thats okay!
Thanks Nelson! Someone posted the real recipe on my youtube channel but it’s like you have to make the table salsa first, and I think you guys use Land O Lakes Quikmelt, which I can get at the restaurant store, but most people don’t have access to. So, I hope this was a good copykat! Thanks for stopping by and letting us know about your experience!! 🙂
My store didn’t have Anaheim chilies, but had poblanos, will this work?
Yes! Just eyeball the amount you add because poblanos are quite a bit bigger than anaheim chiles. Let me know how it goes! 🙂 – Sarah
Hi Sarah! I live in Mexico and can’t seem to find the Boar’s Head American cheese in my local HEB. I tried a city market but couldn’t find it either. Are there any other brands of American / cheddar cheese I could use?
Thanks
You can try it with other American cheese brands but sometimes it comes out and sometimes it doesn’t! I researched this issue extensively and it seems like Boar’s Head is the only company that makes sure the melting quality is consistent from batch to batch.
I am making your recipe now and I am so excited!
I see that your recipe makes 30 servings, according to the nutrition information. Do you know about much that would be per serving? Meaning… is a half cup or a quarter cup or whatever amount a serving?
Thank you foe your help and for the recipe.
First of all THANKS for the recipe and it was fun and easy to make. I think the half and half gave it the sour cream highlight I detect in Torchys so this is getting close.
Im not a big fan of garlic in Tex-Mex, however, and this has more in it than most of my French and Italian recipes. My wife and I agree that Torchys has quite a bit less or perhaps none (I cant taste any garlic in it myself). Very good, but I’ll cut the garlic way down next time around.
Of course! If you don’t like the garlic, take it out! Queso is the people’s cheese, gotta make it how you like it! 🙂 Thanks for making my recipe. – Chef Sarah
We’re moving out of state temporarily soon and the one thing me and my lady were talking about missing the most was Torchys Queso. I gave this a go and man o man!! Spot on flavor and we were super floored. The salsa verde really gave it a spectacular flavor and we couldn’t be happier. Now we can slam some tasty queso wherever we are. This is a life saver. Thank you for digging through this and making it happen!! Now if we could only replicate Gloria’s frozen margaritas…..
I’m not even sure I know where Gloria’s is! I’d love to take a crack at it for you!
Dallas/Ft Worth!
Hello, Sarah:
Thank you for sharing! One clarification:
The video shows the addition of chicken broth/stock but the recipe ingredients list and cooking instructions leave that out.
Can you please share how much chicken broth or stock to add?
Thank you!
Hi Regina,
I have updated this recipe to not include chicken stock. The video is a couple years old! I leave it because I think the rest of the steps are helpful to see, but I plan on updating it soon. Please make the recipe as written on the recipe card for the best results. Best wishes! 🙂
Texan here, living on the east coast (a queso desert). This recipe is a winner. Only thing is, I didn’t realize how much I was making! Can you tell me how long this will last when stored in the fridge?
Hey Rebecca,
You can freeze any leftovers in Tupperware for 4 months!
Hi there! Im dying to make this. I didn’t see you use the tomatillos in the video, only the Mexican peppers. Did I miss something with that? Thanks so much!
I made the video a long time before the recipe, which I can update as I fine-tune it. The current recipe is the best and is the recipe everyone raves over. 🙂 But the video is still helpful because the process is close to the same.
I cant WAIT to try this. I’m in Australia now – was in Texas (guzzling Torchys at every chance) when the pandemic started & had to book it back here (husband and i live here). The thought of not having Torchys for a couple years is harrowing (Australia’s saying…will be a couple of years before we open borders again….eek). You may have saved my life! I’ll get back. Oh – and i had no idea they put it on top of guac!
Hey! When you make it we want to see! I think Australia has got to be the furthest place I thought my Torchy’s recipe would travel!! 🙂 That’s so awesome! – Sarah
I have it on good authority (bribed a waitress) that they use Land ‘o Lakes “golden velvet” (food service variety) cheese for the queso at Pappasitos.
Yes! So there is this delicious product called Quik Melt, made by Land ‘O Lakes which is what most restaurants use to make their queso. That’s why many quesos taste the same! And it is heavenly- it looks and melts just like Velvetta but with the peppers and seasonings already included. You literally just melt it and you have queso. I think there is a possibility that is what they use at Torchy’s, with additional salsa roja and some heavy cream. But this copycat recipe is pretty dang close. Glad you got to try it!
I can’t wait to try this recipe tomorrow for Cinco de Mayo! Just curious, is this freezable and do you have any tips for freezing it? Being that it makes around 2 quarts, I highly doubt we’ll eat it all!
Hi Bryan, I have never tried freezing it but I think it is worth a shot! Cheese freezes well so I am curious to see if queso (which is essentially cheese soup) would freeze well! I have a hunch it does! Happy Cooking!
you’re the best for doing the legwork on this, I’ve tried to replicate at home but after some failed attempts stick to og rotel+velveeta. can’t wait to try once I get my hands on all the fixins, cheers y’all
I can’t wait! If you don’t want to go through all this rigamarole you can also do the brisket queso and just leave off the brisket. That queso recipe is full proof and does not use velveeta. Not that I am against Velveeta but it’s always a thrill to make queso without it!
Hands down best queso recipe ever. Just like the real thing that I can’t get living in Utah. I might have flown to CO for my birthday just to go to Torchy’s… worth it. Question though- Your print button doesn’t work for this or the guac recipe. Is it just me?
I will check into this… I think I know how to fix it. Glad you liked the queso and are enjoying it at home in Utah. Im looking at vacations there right now for when all this passes!
This dip is amazing! Thank you for being so specific; it makes it so authentic. You’re to be commended for getting it broken so accurately. Now, I have a tip for you: “Walla” needs to be changed to “voila”. It’s French.
Delicious, even though it did kernel into small chunks (the size of Parmesan cheese), but not surprising since the recipe warns about using Boar’s head. I used Tillbrook (limited options during the current COVID-19 quarantine). It didn’t happen until I added the lime (I didn’t have lemon) juice and half and half, so next time I may just skip the lime / lemon juice and see what happens. I was so excited I had already bought both white and yellow american cheddar in the Tillbrook variety so I’ll try skipping the lime before buying new cheese! Thanks for sharing!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it Caitlin! I love your name!! 🙂
So excited to try this recipe!! Thanks for sharing. Any idea if I could half it?
my boyfriend and i halved it and it turned out delicious!
Hi. I was wondering about the weight for the Anaheim chilies as their size varies greatly. Thanks!
Hi Anna, I don’t have a weight amount on these but you can see the average size of anaheim chiles I am using. They don’t fluctuate very much in the southwestern US, but I don’t have a lot of experience working with them in other areas. Average size here is about 4-5 inches long. Hope that helps.
Hi! Thanks for this recipe, going to try it this weekend! Do you think I could get the Boars Head American Cheese sliced from the deli? Would that work (sliced) the same as it being cubed?
Omg! This was so delicious and worth the work. I was pretty skeptical halfway through because I didn’t like how the verde salsa tasted by itself. But it’s perfect in the queso! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve been craving Torchy’s queso since I moved away from Texas and this is as good as it gets!
To save time, you can substitute two 4 oz cans of fire roasted diced green chiles, 1 10 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes, and 1/2 can of tomatillo salsa instead of fire-roasting the veggies on your own.
The first time I made this queso it was amazing! I’ve made it twice since then and my queso is very grainy in consistency and makes it far less tasty because of that. Any tips on how I can fix this? I’m following the recipe just like the first time I made it and it turned out great so I’m not sure what is going on. Thanks!
Hi Brittany, the only problem I have encountered is the type of American cheese you buy. Walmart brand always curdles for me… not just with this recipe but with Bob Armstrong queso as well. I started using Boar’s Head american cheese and never had any problems. I also don’t let it simmer because of the dairy in it, but honestly I’ve never had a problem with queso until I used walmart brand american cheese from their deli. I also think the white cheese melts better than the yellow. (Even though that shouldn’t matter.)
Regular Valentina tastes like tomato paste compared to Torchy’s diablo sauce. At a bare minimum, use black label Valentina, which has a bit more flavor.
Hey Marty! Thanks for the tip. I have never seen a black label Valentina, but I will look for it on Amazon now! I later found the peppers that they use to make the diablo sauce at Azteca. I forget the name but they are little globes and they are HOT AS HELL! I would go ahead and take the extra step and whip up a batch of pepper sauce that I think would be similar to the Torchy’s Diablo Sauce but I’m not sure everyone would after going to this much trouble, so your tip here is really helpful! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂 – Sarah
The real deal! A bit labor intensive, but well-worth the effort! It thickens quickly, so keep thinning it down and keep it warm!
Glad you liked it Nonnie! 🙂 – Sarah
How do you thin a recipe like this down?
I thin it with water. Half and Half or Cream will thicken it up.
Can you freeze it or put it in the fridge and reheat it a few days later? Wanting to make to pre make it for a party and trying to save time!
I am planning on building a buffet style Tex-Mex spread and want to add this Queso. Do you think it will sit okay in a crock pot or an instapot that is set to warn?
Steven,
I would be concerned that the queso would get thick. If you add plenty of water and keep it on low, it should work out fine.
Hi,
Can i use medium cheddar cheese instead of american cheese? I want to use a cheese with vegetarian enzymes and couldn’t find an american cheese that was vegetarian. Thanks!
Hi Ritu,
Unfortunately you must use American cheese only in this recipe. 🙂 cheddar cheese requires you to make a bechamel sauce and melt the cheese into the establish sauce.
In the video you add chicken broth to the queso, but it is not in the recipe. How much chicken broth do you add?
Use the recipe above that doesn’t have chicken stock. It’s my most recent version. Please only use boar’s head American cheese if possible. 😬 Happy Cooking!
Thanks, Sarah. I followed the recipe and it turned out great! And yes, I found Boar’s Head American cheese at the store. Yay!
This recipe looks amazing! About how many people does this recipe serve? I’d like to make it for a party (about 40 people) and not sure how much to make.
This makes about 2-3 quarts (half a big stock pot) and do use Boar’s head American cheese in either yellow or white. I’m about to add that to the recipe. Some people were using generic brand American cheese and ever once in awhile it would clump. Boar’s head will not do that!!! Enjoy! 🙂 – Sarah
In the video you didn’t use verde sauce
No, the video was filmed long before. We have updated the recipe, so please use the recipe listed on the blog! It’s the latest and best!
So I’ve been using your recipe for about a year now and a couple months ago I added cilantro and 1tsp of cumin, and this has been the closest I’ve gotten to it tasting like Torchy’s. It’s been amazing! Thank you for sharing, because now all my friends and family have your recipe! Haha
Girl Yasssss! That’s what it all about. Thank you so much for sharing that! It is always so helpful with copycat recipes when people try the recipes and say what works better. I’m going to try it out! ❤️❤️❤️ Sarah
Are you suppose to peel the tomatillos,
I just throw mine into the food processor and it turns into salsa verde. Never bothered to peel them.
How many oz of queso does this recipe make? (Without the guacamole n other toppings) Thanks!
Hi Ritu,
It probably makes close to 2 quarts. Happy Cooking!
This was amazing! Well worth the effort. I tasted it when it was all melted and chose to leave out the lemon juice. I thought it was perfect without it. I served it for a get together and got many compliments.
Yay! We’re so happy your guests enjoyed it!
Tried your recipe exactly and the cheese climbed in small curds. I ended up putting it back in the blender
to smooth it out, but then lost the great little bits of green chilis and tomatoes. Also seemed to acidic and
do I did not add the lime juice.
Any ideas what went wrong???
Hey Greg, I’m not sure what happened! I might go less on the verde sauce until you find a level of acidity that agrees with you. As for the queso, I might try one more time. Every once in awhile I get a comment that this has happened with this recipe and I just cant figure out why. Its maybe 1 in 100. Boiling cheese and cream can cause separation, as can certain types of American cheese. Id give it one more go for sure.
The ingredients you use in the video differ from the ones written out. So I’m not sure which one to follow. In the video you said that queso tastes exactly like the Torchy’s queso, but with the differing ingredients I wonder does the written recipe also taste just like Torchy’s?
Aleigh,
Use the written recipe. I updated the video a bit but you can’t go back in time and update a Youtube video! You will love it with the salsa verde.:) Enjoy!!