Rajas con queso is a creamy Mexican dip made from roasted poblano and Hatch chilies melted into Monterey Jack cheese. It's versatile enough to serve as a dip, topping, or light soup depending on the amount of broth added.
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Over an open flame, roast the Hatch chilies, poblano peppers, jalapeños and tomatoes for approximately 12 minutes, rotating halfway through until the skin is charred and blistered.
Place them in a sealed plastic bag, and allow them to steam for 5 to 10 minutes. Then remove the skins, seeds and stems from the chilies and tomatoes.
Cut the chilies, peppers and tomatoes into thin strips.
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and onion, and sauté them for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are translucent.
Add the chilies, peppers and tomatoes to the skillet and cook the mixture for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, and cook for about 2 minutes, bringing the mixture to a low simmer.
Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Top the skillet with a tightly fitted lid, and allow the cheese to melt with the residual heat for approximately 5 minutes. Remove the lid and gently stir the mixture until the cheese is completely combined with the chilies and tomatoes.
Serve hot with tortillas or as a side dish.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring often and adding broth if it thickens too much.
Yes. Use about 1.5 cups canned roasted poblanos and Hatch chilies, drained and chopped. Fresh roasted chilies deliver better flavor, but canned works in a pinch.
Char them directly over a gas flame or under a broiler until blackened on all sides (about 3–4 minutes per side). Place in a plastic bag for 5 minutes to steam, then peel off the skin.
Rajas con queso features roasted poblano strips (rajas). Chile con queso typically uses a broader mix of chiles and is often thinner. Both are cheese-based dips but rajas emphasizes the poblano flavor.
Yes. Prepare it up to 2 days ahead, store in an airtight container in the fridge, and reheat gently over low heat or in a slow cooker, adding broth if it's too thick.
That depends on use: for a dip, aim for a thick, scoopable consistency; for a light soup, add more broth until it reaches your preferred pourable consistency.
