Chili Con Queso

In queso emergency open a can of chili! Get it? Get it? In queso = in case of? Haha *snort* haha *snort. Sorry. That wasn't even my own joke. I googled "queso jokes" and that little zinger popped up. Sorry.

Remember when I told you about the Vida Vegan Con Cookbooklette that I won on Jenn's giveaway a few weeks ago? This Creamy Cauliflower Queso is another recipe from the cookbooklette, and it is the creation of the one and only Ms Cadry McAwesomePants of Cadry's Kitchen. It's a super smooth and creamy queso that is gluten free and soy-free if you use salt instead of miso. Sautéed onions and garlic give this dip a lovely flavor, and jalapeños and hot sauce give it a nice kick. I used only half of my queso for this chili to keep the chili-to-queso ratio even, but if you want you can pour the whole thing over your chili!

The "recipe" for the Chili con Queso is not a recipe at all. If you can open a can of your favorite chili and pour Cadry's queso over it - you've pretty much made dinner! I used a can of Amy's Kitchen chili which was pretty spicy but not too fiery for my wimpy taste buds. You could make your own chili from scratch, of course, but sometimes a girl just can't be bothered to chop an onion. Amirite or amirite?

So here's what to need to make this Chili con Queso:

1 can of your favorite chili
1/2 batch of Cadry's Creamy Cauliflower Queso
minced green onions, cilantro, parsley or whatever floats your boat

And here's how to put this complicated dish together:

1. Turn the broiler on medium low. (450 degrees F)
2. Pour the chili into a saucepan or small pot and heat it on medium heat.
3. Pour the hot chili into a deep, broiler safe baking dish. Mine is a 7 x 5 ceramic baking dish that is about two inches deep. If you're going with a full batch of queso you'll need a deeper dish!
4. Pour the queso evenly on top. Place the baking dish on a cookie sheet (to catch any drippings that would otherwise fall on the bottom of your oven and then you would probably cast a curse upon my house) and broil for about 10 minutes or until the top of the queso looks a bit crusty.
5. Garnish with minced green onions or whatever toppings you chose and eat up!


This is a belly-warming meal that has lazy almost-winter evening written all over it. The spiciness of the chili blends beautifully with the creaminess of the queso, and it's a very filling meal. It makes enough for two. I wish I had baked some cornbread to make this comfort food even more comforting! Thanks for sharing the Creamy Cauliflower Queso recipe, Cadry! :)