Published Date: September 1, 2022
Category: Air Fryer Appetizers
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Meaty, cheesy and packed full of flavor and deliciousness- this Air Fryer Smoked Queso is one recipe you’ll keep coming back to. It is incredibly easy to put together, and can be prepped in advance too! Need I say more?
Table of Contents
Video Instructions
🛒 INGREDIENTS
- Ground Beef
- Velveeta Cheese
- Mexican Blend Cheese
- Rotel
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Diced Green Chilies
- Cream Cheese
*see recipe card for detailed amounts
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER SMOKED QUESO
- First we will brown the 1 pound of ground beef in the air fryer. Crumble the ground beef into the basket of the air fryer. Break up any chunks with a wooden spoon.
- Cook the beef at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Open the air fryer and break it up again, using the wooden spoon.
- Cook the beef at 400 degrees for another 3-4 minutes. If there is any pink left, you will need to cook it for another minute or 2, make sure that it is completely browned.
- Put the cooked meat in a small bowl and set it aside for later. Clean the grease that is on the bottom of the air fryer basket and find a foil pan that fits into the basket. (If you don’t have one, use a large piece of thick foil that covers the bottom and comes up the sides as well, to form a sort of pan.) An 8X8 inch pan works in a square 6.8 Qt basket / If you have a 5.8 Qt basket, you will have to fold up the sides to make it fit.
- Put the meat back into the pan. Stir in the 1 pound of cubed velveeta cheese, 1 cup of mexican cheese, 1 can of rotel, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke, 8 oz of green chilies and 4 oz of softened cream cheese.
- Cook this at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture and cook for another 5 minutes
- This is delicious served with tortilla or corn chips.
HELPFUL NOTES:
- Simple and delicious – just the way we like it!
- Don’t have Rotel? You can use a mixture of diced tomatoes, chopped up green chilies, salt and pepper instead.
- Remember to use a foil pan to reheat the leftovers. Keep the temperature 300 degrees, and reheat for 3-4 minutes or until heated all the way through.
STORAGE AND REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS:
Place leftover dip into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
FAQS & SUBSTITUTIONS/VARIATIONS:
How Do I Thin Out Queso That Has Turned Thick?
If the queso has turned thick, you can get it thinner by adding some evaporated milk, full fat milk or even some cream, if you fancy that extra flavor.
How Do I Add Extra Smokiness to the Queso?
To enjoy some extra smokiness in the queso, add a 1/2-1 teaspoon of liquid smoke into the mix.
How Do I Serve the Air Fryer Smoked Queso?
The smoked queso pairs wonderfully with salty tortilla chips, nachos, crisp vegetables like carrots and celery sticks, or even pretzels.
How Do I Make the Queso More Flavorful?
One of the best things about making this air fryer queso is the fact that you can play with the ingredients based on your personal taste preference. If you enjoy the spice, a dash of your favorite hot sauce or some Adobo chipotle sauce can do the trick. You can also add some garlic powder, smoked paprika and even some taco seasoning to add a bit of extra flavor.
Try Some of My Other Favorite Air Fryer Recipes
Tangy, cheesy and super savory- this air fryer smoked queso is sure to be a total hit at your house party or gathering!
EQUIPMENT
- 1 Air Fryer
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Foil Pan, 8X8 inch
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 1 pound Velveeta Cheese, cubed, room temp
- 1 cup Mexican Blend Cheese, shredded
- 10 ounce Rotel
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
- 8 ounces Diced Green Chilies, undrained
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
INSTRUCTIONS
- First we will brown the 1 pound of ground beef in the air fryer. Crumble the ground beef into the basket of the air fryer. Break up any chunks with a wooden spoon.
- Cook the beef at 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Open the air fryer and break it up again, using the wooden spoon.
- Cook the beef at 400 degrees for another 3-4 minutes. If there is any pink left, you will need to cook it for another minute or 2, make sure that it is completely browned.
- Put the cooked meat in a small bowl and set it aside for later. Clean the grease that is on the bottom of the air fryer basket and find a foil pan that fits into the basket. (If you don’t have one, use a large piece of thick foil that covers the bottom and comes up the sides as well, to form a sort of pan.) An 8X8 inch pan works in a square 6.8 Qt basket / If you have a 5.8 Qt basket, you will have to fold up the sides to make it fit.
- Put the meat back into the pan. Stir in the 1 pound of cubed velveeta cheese, 1 cup of mexican cheese, 1 can of rotel, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke, 8 oz of green chilies and 4 oz of softened cream cheese.
- Cook this at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture and cook for another 5 minutes
- This is delicious served with tortilla or corn chips.
VIDEO
NOTES
Storage Instructions:
- Place leftover dip into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- I like a smoky flavor to my queso – how can I do that? You could add ½ to 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke.
- I can’t find Rotel – what could I substitute? Use a small can of diced tomatoes, 1 Tablespoon of chopped green chilies, a sprinkle of salt, and a sprinkle of pepper.
- How should I reheat the leftovers ? Use the foil pan to reheat the leftovers. You will cook it for 5 minutes at 300 degrees or until heated through.
NUTRITION
Serving: 6ServingsCalories: 522kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 33gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 1409mgPotassium: 657mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 965IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 599mgIron: 3mg
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