Healthy Queso Dip

So there is queso, and then there is QUESO. Healthy queso dip made with sweet potatoes!

When creamy and cheesy queso invites sweet potatoes to the party, they turn up the volume on flavor tenfold!

So, for the next game night or movie night, (or any night of the week really), grab some cheese, some cooked sweet potato, and some pantry friendly spices for the ultimate snack!

How to make healthy queso dip

Featured Ingredients

• Yellow onion: We love the delicate sweetness that yellow onions bring to this three-cheese sweet potato queso. However, red onion, white onion, or even shallots would make a great and flavorful substitute!
• Jalapeno: Use as much or as little as you'd like.
• Garlic: The garlic really adds a bit of bit and heat, but if there are people in your inner circle who (for some reason) are garlic averse, substitute in shallots. They’re the perfect union of garlic and onion.
• Milk: We’d recommend good old fashioned cow’s milk in this queso. Half and half or heavy cream would be a little too rich, and could overpower the delicateness of the sweet potato.
• Sweet potato: If you don’t have cooked sweet potato kicking around, you could substitute in frozen sweet potato, or canned sweet potato. You could also grab a can of pumpkin puree, (not pumpkin pie filling) or canned squash from the grocery store.
• Chili powder: You want a good amount of that for this queso! It brings its own inimitable flavor that really plays perfectly with the sweet potato and jalapeno.
• Cayenne pepper: It brings a little kick of heat to this queso dip. But, if you’d like to change the flavor profile a bit, you could add in smoked paprika or chipotle powder.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan to medium heat. Add the onion and jalapeno and saute 3-4 minutes, until very soft. Add the garlic and saute 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.
2. Whisk in the flour and allow to cook 3-4 minutes. Turn up heat to medium-high. Slowly whisk in milk until combined. Allow to cook, whisking frequently, for 2-3 minutes.
3. Turn down heat to medium and whisk in cooked sweet potato until combined. If mixture is lumpy, use an immersion blender to puree until very smooth.
4. Stir in the chili powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne.
5. Whisk in the cheeses and allow to simmer until cheese is completely melted.
6. Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
7. Serve with tortilla chips.

Recipe Substitutions and Alterations

• Instead of butter: Use oil to saute the vegetables and make a roux.
• For the jalapeno: This pepper brings a spicy and citrus note to this dish. However, if jalapenos (even seeded and deveined) are a touch too spicy for you, you could add in canned and drained green chilies. Or, in the reverse, if jalapenos are too mild for your palate, go ahead and drop in a habanero (or use more jalapeno)! And if you’re a fan of tanginess, try some pickled jalapenos! They bring heat and brininess that are just utterly delectable (and addicting!).
• For the milk: Use any kind, such as cow's milk or plain almond, soy, pea or rice milk.
• For the sweet potato: You can skip it altogether or use pureed pumpkin or butternut squash.
• Add meat: If you want to get really crazy, you could add in some cooked chorizo or ground beef, turkey or chicken to the dip.

Serving Tips

• Make nachos: You could use this as the cheese component on nachos! Imagine a big plate of chips, cooked and well spiced ground meat, onion, tomato, and a drizzle of this on top!
• Add to chili: This would make the perfect meat and bean chili topper! Just drizzle a bit of those over the chili, and garnish with thinly sliced scallions, diced white onion, or thinly sliced jalapeno for garnish.

Nutrition Considerations

• To make this gluten free: Use gluten free all-purpose flour. Be sure all packaged ingredients are gluten free.
• To make this dairy free: Use dairy free milk and cheese alternatives (although I haven't tested this).
• To make this vegan: Use plant-based milk and cheese alternatives (although I haven't tested this).
• To make this nut free: This recipe does not contain nuts. Be sure all ingredients are nut free.
• To make this egg free: This recipe does not contain eggs.

Appetizers that'll disappear:

• Olive Hummus
• Bacon and Corn Fritters
• Dill Vegetable Dip
• Simple Charcuterie Board
• Cheesy Bacon Spinach Dip
• Mango Cucumber Salsa

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Oh, and did I mention that you can use pumpkin or butternut squash puree if you don't have sweet potatoes?  Yes... yes, you can.