Choriqueso

Think cheese fondue just…easier and more flavorful.

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 20 mins

Servings: 6 servings

Yield: 3 1/2 cups

Cheese. I could leave it at that, except it gets even better—think "spicy sausage swimming in hot, bubbling cheese" kind of better. As a matter of fact, those are the only two ingredients you need to make choriqueso. And once you do, I would bet on it becoming your new favorite go-to game day dish.

What Kind of Chorizo and Cheese to Use

Choriqueso is ridiculously easy to make. Just be sure you get the right type of sausage (chorizo) and cheese (queso). While cured, sliceable Spanish chorizo is delicious, it’s better suited for a charcuterie board.

For this recipe, you’re going to want to reach for a good quality Mexican chorizo. It has a slightly spicy chile pepper profile, and because it’s raw and much, much softer, it blends beautifully with the mild and super stretchy Oaxaca cheese—or what I like to call «the mozzarella cheese of Mexico.»

It’s Just Two Ingredients. Really.

If you haven’t yet fully pictured this dish in your mind, imagine a classic cheese fondue, or its Mexican counterpart: queso fundido. Now take out all the extra—albeit tasty—ingredients like cream and seasonings, and replace them with quickly pan-fried chorizo. Trust me, you won’t miss anything since the chorizo has all the flavor needed to take the cheese to the next level of yum.

How To Prepare Choriqueso

As far as blending the ingredients together, I’m biased toward popping them under the broiler since that makes for irresistible browned cheese bubbles and crunchy edges. Though a perfectly melted choriqueso can be made on the stovetop, or a crockpot or electric fondue pot for a winning tailgate appetizer.

Break out the tortilla chips and get ready for kickoff.

Tips for Making Choriqueso

Where to find the ingredients—Mexican chorizo and Oaxaca cheese can be found at most chain supermarkets or at specialty Latin food stores.
Cook the chorizo fully—It should deepen in color and become slightly less soft, even somewhat crumbly, depending on the brand and amount of fat. A less fatty chorizo will produce a meatier texture, versus a fattier chorizo with a pastier consistency.
Serve it right away—Serve choriqueso immediately for the maximum cheese stretch. If you can’t serve it immediately, keep the dish warm (cast iron or a heavy ceramic baking dish is recommended) in an oven set to 250 F or on a hot plate. For keeping warm on a buffet table or for taking on the go, (partially) prepare and serve it in a crockpot or electric fondue pot. See Make Ahead instructions below.

Make Ahead

Choriqueso can be made ahead by building the dish in advance. Fully cook the chorizo. Then drain off excess fat and let cool before building the layers.

Store the assembled choriqueso in the refrigerator, tightly sealed, for up to 3 days before use. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before heating as directed.

“Choriqueso is similar to queso flameado or cheese fondue with a meat component. While you need to leave plenty of time for the cheese to melt, be careful you don’t broil for too long.” —Noah Velush-Rogers

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

2 (9-ounce) packages Mexican pork chorizo
10 ounces Oaxaca cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup each finely chopped tomato, onion, and/or cilantro for topping, optional
Tortilla chips, for serving

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients. Position a rack in the upper-middle part of the oven and heat the broiler to high.
Remove 2 (9-ounce) packages Mexican pork chorizo from the packaging and/or casing and cook in a large skillet on medium-high heat until the color deepens and the texture becomes slightly less soft, about 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, scoop half of the chorizo into a small, heavy duty broiler-proof pan and spread evenly over the surface. Keep the remaining chorizo warm.

If your chorizo is especially fatty, you can push the meat to one side of the skillet and use a paper towel to absorb excess rendered fat.
Evenly distribute 10 ounces Oaxaca cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes over the chorizo layer.
Broil until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and slightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes depending upon your broiler’s strength.
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before topping with the remaining chorizo and optional 1/3 cup each finely chopped tomato, onion, and/or cilantro.
Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

How To Store

Refrigerate leftover choriqueso in an airtight container for up to three days. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before heating, then reheat under the broiler or in a skillet over medium heat.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

Substitute another melty cheese—You can play with the type of cheese in this recipe. Mozzarella, queso asadero, or any mild cheese that melts easily would work well. A combination of Oaxaca and asadero is a good place to start experimenting.
Eat with tortillas—Crunchy tortilla chips make this dish a true finger-food but a couple spoonfuls between charred corn or flour tortillas is another great way to enjoy it.
Scale it up—The number of servings can easily be scaled up by doubling or even tripling the ingredients.
Make it less cheesy—For a less cheesy (gasp!) version, use 6-ounces of cheese for every 18-ounces of chorizo, or approximately a 1:3 ratio.
Using the stovetop or a slow cooker—The cheese will take longer to heat on the stovetop or in a crockpot, about 15 to 20 minutes on medium heat. When it reaches a fully melted consistency, lower the heat and keep warm until serving. To heat using an electric fondue pot, check the instructions for your specific appliance but keep in mind that low and slow is better.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	432
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 35g	45%
Saturated Fat 15g	77%
Cholesterol 93mg	31%
Sodium 1084mg	47%
Total Carbohydrate 2g	1%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 26g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 244mg	19%
Iron 1mg	7%
Potassium 290mg	6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.