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Who doesn’t love a good queso dip? This homemade Velveeta cheese dip is made with real ingredients and tastes good with EVERYTHING. It’s the best Velveeta substitute around!
Homemade Velveeta
I have finally perfected a cheese dip that has the same velvety, delicious quality of the fake cheese, but made with better ingredients.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with munching on fruits and veggies with store-bought dips, but why not add a new, healthier alternative to the party?
Test after test, 21 tries later, I am glad to introduce you to MOMveeta! Made with real cheese, milk, and spices this recipe can be made in your microwave or slow cooker.
This cheese sauce is the perfect recipe to keep on hand for lunches and dinners, so your picky eaters have a dip they love and try with new foods and veggies.
I often pack a container of this cheese dip for lunch for my middle son (my pickiest eater), because it helps him get the rest of his lunch finished.
Healthier Velveeta Cheese Sauce Ingredients
The goal idea behind making my own Velveeta dip was using simple ingredients to recreate the same creamy texture made with the fake block cheese. My recipe uses only four staple ingredients to give this appetizer the flavor of the original recipe:
- All Natural American Cheese
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Milk
- Cumin
And that’s it! Those simple ingredients come together for the perfect, dip-able, spreadable cheese sauce.
How to Pack Sauce for Lunch
You can pack this cheese dip or any of your favorite dips into a lidded sauce container. These small storage containers have leak-resistant lids, making them great for dressings, yogurts, BBQ sauce, hummus, or your favorite trail mix. They're also dishwasher-safe and perfect for the lunchbox.
Looking for more family-favorite recipes you can pack into the lunchbox? Check out these 101 Packed Lunch Ideas. Everything from power bowls, pasta, soup, and of course, epic sandwiches.
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Best Cheese for Homemade Velveeta
This recipe has been on MOMables for a long time, and I’ve gotten a lot of questions about the best types of cheese to use for it over the years.
We know that not all white American cheeses are made equal. A simple test to be sure you’re getting the good stuff is to check the ingredients.
You don’t have to read everything on the list, but some American cheeses don’t really expire. YIKES. In that case, take a pass and move on to the next option.
Another hint that you should find a new cheese is if it says “cheese product” on the packaging. If you see that phrase, it’s probably not real.
For both recipes, I purchased cheese from the deli counter in a big chunk; don't use sliced cheese.
What is American Cheese Called Outside of the USA
If you live outside of the USA, American cheese, might not exist. You can still make cheese dip using a a semi-soft cheese, often called “melting cheese” that is bland like gruyere, emmentaler, or edam.
How to Make Velveeta Sauce in the Microwave
While both methods of making your own Velveeta are easy, the microwave method is by far the quickest.
- Combine
Place all the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 5 minutes, stopping periodically to stir the cheese. - Stir
Once the cheese is melted, stir to fully combine, and serve immediately with chips and veggies
It might seem a bit runny at first with all the milk, but don’t worry. As more of the cheese melts it will blend together into a gorgeous dip. YUM.
You can also watch how this cheese dip is made in the video below:
This microwaveable cheese sauce is what I pull out when guests are on the way over and I realize I’m serving veggies with no dip or I need a quick crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Homemade Make Velveeta in the Slow Cooker
The crockpot method for homemade cheese sauce is just as easy as the microwave method but will allow you to be in and out of the kitchen a little bit more. Here’s what to do:
- Combine
Place all the ingredients in the pot and turn it on high for 2 and a half hours. - Stir
Every hour, give the ingredients a good stir to prevent the cheese from sticking to the sides. - Serve
Once the cheese is melted and has the right consistency, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and serve.
This is a great method to keep the cheese warm for a party or event, so you don’t have to keep running back of the microwave to heat it up.
How Long Does Homemade Velveeta Last
This homemade Velveeta dip will last up to a week in the refrigerator. If you like to make extra dip so you can send it in a lunchbox or have it as a companion for veggies throughout the week, cool it in a glass loaf pan and refrigerate it for a week.
You can also cool and refrigerate or freeze in 1-cup microwave-safe containers if you want smaller servings of the sauce. Reheat, both the loaf pan or 1-cup portions, stirring every 30 seconds until creamy and hot.
Velveeta Queso Recipe
So now that we’ve perfected the ultimate Velveeta cheese substitute, let’s move on to the queso. Yep, you can make amazing velveeta queso using this homemade recipe! This is one I pull out for taco night at my house a lot!
Simply add a 10-ounce can of diced tomatoes and green chilies (drained) to the mix before cooking. You’ll also want to drop the milk amount down by about half a cup to make sure that the consistency stays just right.
And that’s it! You’ll have the perfect kid-friendly Velveeta Queso Dip for your next family taco night!
Whether it’s for queso or using the pure, traditional dip, this homemade Velveeta Cheese Sauce is the perfect partner for chips, pretzels, veggies or anything else you love to dip in cheese.
So if it’s game day or you need something to pack in school lunches for easy dipping, here’s your recipe!
Homemade Velveeta Cheese Sauce
Ingredients
For the Traditional Velveeta Sauce
- 16 ounces natural American cheese
- 8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
For the Velveeta Queso use this instead
- 16 ounces natural American cheese
- 8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 10- ounce can diced tomatoes & green chilies, drained
Instructions
Microwave directions:
- Place all the ingredients inside a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stopping to stir every 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture might seem watery during the first few stirs, but it should thicken after all the cheese is melted.
- Serve immediately as a dip with tortilla chips.
Slow cooker directions:
- Place all the ingredients in a small slow cooker (that will fit at least 4 cups of liquid). Turn it on high for 2 ½ hours.
- Mix the ingredients every hour to prevent the cheese from sticking to the walls and possibly burning. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and serve.
miranda says
Hi, I am expat in China and Velveeta is no where to be found here. I struggle to get Cheddar most days, but if I can time it right with the shipments I can get cheddar. I’ve read through the comments and saw that you suggested Edam cheese to one person. Have you heard any feedback on that? I have seen that here. I have also seen Emmental and Gouda. I can sometimes find a block or two of the Colby/Monterey Jack cheese, but I wonder how the Monterey Jack would affect it. What would you suggest out of those to replace the American cheese? All of them are quite expensive, but sometimes….it’s totally worth it. haha.
MOMables says
Miranda, I don’t know what you are able to get your hands on in China… but look for cheeses that can easily be melted and hold texture –think of it as in fondue. I”ve heard of success with Edam. All cheddar will not work (see the picture with the big flop? yeah.. did not work-at all).
MicheleF says
How do you pack this cheese in a lunchbox? I’m looking at your nachos “lunchable” but not sure how to keep this dippable. It is too small of an amount to put in a thermos and I can’t think of what else to do. Thanks!!
MOMables says
I don’t pack it in a lunch as the nacho-remake. that was consumed shortly after. The other option is to pour the MOMveeta over the tortilla chips and then packing it in the lunchbox. if you have a short and wide thermos, you can preheat the thermos, heat the cheese and close it. :)
Sandi says
Tillamook was advertising a completely natural american cheese sometime in the past year or so. I have never found it in my grocery store, but it would probably be perfect for this if you can find it.
MOMables says
Oh great! thank you for letting us know of another brand!
MOMables says
Revised: I did not see a natural American Cheese on their website.
Stephanie says
This sounds great! I will definitely try with Boar’s Head: the label on their website says “pasturized process american cheese”, and the FDA regulates terminology for cheese product. “Pasteurized process cheese” contains 100% cheese, “pasteurized process cheese food” contains at least 51% cheese, and “pasteurized process cheese product” contains less than 51% cheese. So by those standards and their labeling, Boar’s Head at least is 100% cheese, even if it is processed to be smoother and meltier.
My mom has a chili cheese dip recipe from an old crockpot cookbook that she and now I have used for years. It calls for 1 lb. of Velveeta, 1 lb. ground beef, 1 can tomatoes and chilies, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder as its only ingredients (I can’t recall the measurements of Worcestershire sauce and chili powder because I just dump it in until it looks good, haha). This would be a great sub for the Velveeta, adding in ground beef (I’ve also used very lean ground turkey to good effect) and subbing the Worcestershire and chili powder for the cumin, or adding it. If you don’t want it very spicy, use less chili powder and mild tomatoes and chilies (I use Rotel usually); spicier can come by way of a bit more chili powder and the hot version of Rotel. Thank you so much for this! I love that recipe and really want to clean it up so I feel a bit more virtuous eating it!
MOMables says
Stephanie,I only suggested Boars Head because as far as most of their products go… they are good quality. Yes, it’s not “unprocessed” cheese but…
I’ve recently found that Applegate Farms has real unprocessed American cheese. check it out here. you can buy them at all whole foods.
Kristina says
I’m excited to try this. Do you know how long it keeps in the freezer?
MOMables says
About 2 months.
AshleyJ says
Two questions … I tried to read comments first, but didn’t see them:
1. When we omit the tomatoes/chiles, do we also omit the cumin? I rarely need a spicy melted cheese, just a plain one for mac ‘n cheese.
2. Would this work with raw cheese?
MOMables says
I would not omit the cumin. it adds a little smokiness that i compared to some of the artificial flavors (but natural) in actual velveeta. you could half it. cumin isn’t spicy at all. I have not tried it with raw cheese but I have a feeling it wont’. I tried it with nearly every cheese combination out there… don’t waste your money… eat raw cheese how it’s best enjoyed… not like this.
Susan says
I’m Canadian so we don’t have ‘natural American cheese’ – is this cheese yellow/white or orange (i.e. mozzarella type or cheddar?)
MOMables says
Do you have melting cheese in Canada? you can use that. Colby is available there but it did not work well consistently in my tests. it melted well one time, it separated another. I have mixed feelings about it
Angel says
Can I just use block cheese that is by the shredded cheese?
MOMables says
yes, you can use block cheese but not the already shredded cheese. if you look at the ingredients they are different! -no, they don’t just “shred” it unfortunately…
Emily says
Oh my goodness! This is perfect! We are trying to cut out all the processed junk in our diets but my husband and so LOVE Kraft mac and cheese. I found a recipe that I think is a good substitute and it uses all real ingredients EXCEPT for Velveeta! Now I can make this Kraft substitute for my family. Thank you for doing all the hard work for us!! P.S. I saw this through a pin on Pinterest.
MOMables says
Yay Emily!! it took months to get the right texture because I really REALLY wanted it to freeze, keep and store like the original. so glad you found us!
Magoo says
I’m excited to try this. I’m even more excited that you have a print option for the recipe. Hahahaha.
MOMables says
Of course we have a print option! I am still “old school” when I cook. I like my good recipes on paper. :)