Qdoba Three-Cheese Queso Copycat


The Superbowl is coming up (in two weeks, I know, but it's always time for queso) and the Packers aren’t in it (boo!)  I’m not a huge sports fan, but I come from a long line of die-hard Packer fans, so sporting a cheesehead just comes naturally to me.

Though the Packers will not be playing, I figure I can still give them a little shout out with this amazing (Cheesy) appetizer.

As with any copycat recipe, this is not a perfect duplicate of my beloved Qdoba Queso, but it is a pretty good approximation!  With the addition of cayenne at the end, this actually ends up being a spicier version of the original, which can be good or bad depending on your crowd (good in our case).  There is also a slight graininess to the texture that isn’t perfect, but not enough to dissuade anyone from consuming boatloads of queso, looking longingly at the empty ramekins wondering, “Why is the queso gone?”


 Qdoba Three-Cheese Queso Copycat

2 poblano peppers
1 (10 oz) container Philadelphia Cooking Crème, Original flavor
1 (8 oz) package Mexican Shredded Cheese
3 Roma tomatoes, finely diced, seeds discarded
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp paprika
¼ cup water
Cayenne pepper to taste


Place the peppers (whole) on a baking sheet and place under the broiler.  Broil, turning occasionally, until the peppers are blackened on all sides.  Move the baking sheet to a wire rack.  Use aluminum foil to form a tent around the peppers.  Cool for 30 minutes.

Using your fingers, peel the blackened skin off of the peppers.  Carefully twist the stems to remove the stems and seeds.  Scoop out any of the remaining seeds.  Discard the seeds, stems, and peels.  Dice the remaining parts of the peppers finely.

Place the chopped peppers and tomatoes in a medium sauce pan over medium heat and cook for 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften.  Add in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, cooking crème, and Mexican cheese.  Stir over medium heat until the cheeses are melted.

Add the water and cayenne pepper and stir for an additional minute.  Serve in ramekins with tortilla chips.





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Qdoba Three-Cheese Queso Copycat
Copycat Qdoba Queso is a restaurant favorite at home!
Ingredients
  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 10 ounces cream cheese
  • 8 oz cheddar cheese
  • 3 roma tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 cup water
Instructions
Place the peppers (whole) on a baking sheet and place under the broiler. Broil, turning occasionally, until the peppers are blackened on all sides. Move the baking sheet to a wire rack. Use aluminum foil to form a tent around the peppers. Cool for 30 minutes.Using your fingers, peel the blackened skin off of the peppers. Carefully twist the stems to remove the stems and seeds. Scoop out any of the remaining seeds. Discard the seeds, stems, and peels. Dice the remaining parts of the peppers finely.Place the chopped peppers and tomatoes in a medium sauce pan over medium heat and cook for 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften. Add in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika, cooking crème, and Mexican cheese. Stir over medium heat until the cheeses are melted. Add the water and cayenne pepper and stir for an additional minute. Serve in ramekins with tortilla chips.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 3 cups

Comments

  1. I have some serious queslo fans in my family - bookmarking this recipe as I will be making boatloads of it for Superbowl! :)

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  2. Well, even though you come from a line of Packer fans (boo), I'll still leave a comment. Diehard Bears fan here and all. The queso looks amazing. We love the stuff here and yes, there are big plans to have it included in our Super Bowl eats! Thanks for sharing your recipe.

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  3. this looks yummy. I may have to add this to my super bowl line up.

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  4. Amy, I am searching for the 3rd cheese ingredient (cooking cream, Mexican Shredded Cheese and ?). Or, is Qdobo 3 the name of the restaurant. Sorry if this is a dumb question.

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  5. Sorry - the title is a bit of a misnomer! The recipe is the copy of the "3 Cheese Queso" from Qdoba restaurant even though this recipe doesn't actually call for 3 cheeses!

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    Replies
    1. Mexican Cheese blend is a mixture of cheddar and montery jack. So technically you have cream cheese, montery jack cheese and cheddar cheese. 3 cheeses.

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    2. True, though it does depend on the Mexican cheese available in your area. The 2 brands available here have 3 or 4 cheeses, so it depends what you can buy. For the intent of this recipe, "Mexican Cheese" is considered one ingredient.

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  6. I think the graininess would not be a problem if you shred the cheese yourself. The pre-shredded cheeses have a coating on the pieces to keep them from sticking! It also makes homemade Mac and Cheese grainy.

    ReplyDelete

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