Chorizo Queso Fundido
A skillet of molten, stretchy cheese studded with spicy chorizo and baked until bubbling. Scoop it up with pork rinds and crisp vegetables instead of tortilla chips.
Nutrition per serving
about ¼ cup- Net carbs
- 1.8g
- Calories
- 216kcal
- Protein
- 13g
- Fat
- 17g
- Total carbs
- 1.9 g
- Fiber
- 0.1 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Vegetarian (mushroom & poblano): Browned mushrooms and poblano pepper, seasoned with smoked paprika and cumin, replace the chorizo for a meat-free fundido.
- Heat the oil in the skillet and cook the mushrooms and poblano over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, until the mushroom liquid has evaporated and they start to brown. Stir in the onion, jalapeño, paprika, cumin and a pinch of salt for 2 minutes, then layer with the cheese and bake as written.
Shrimp & green chile: Garlicky seared shrimp and mild green chiles under the melted cheese, a favorite at Tex-Mex seafood spots.
- Melt the butter in the skillet and sear the shrimp over medium-high heat for about 1 minute, just until pink at the edges; they finish cooking in the oven to 145°F (63°C). Spoon them out, soften the onion and jalapeño in the pan, then stir in the green chiles.
- Layer the shrimp and chile mixture with the cheese as written and bake 10–12 minutes.
Taco beef: Ground beef with chili powder and cumin stands in for the chorizo. It’s a milder version that kids usually prefer.
- Brown the beef until no pink remains (160°F/71°C), 6–7 minutes, then stir in the chili powder, cumin and salt with the onion and jalapeño. Continue as written.
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $6.86 for 8 servings ($0.86 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
-
Cook the chorizo in a 10-inch (25 cm) cast-iron or other oven-safe skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through with no pink (160°F/71°C), 6–8 minutes.
-
Add the onion and jalapeño and cook 3–4 minutes, until softened. Spoon out about half the chorizo mixture and set it aside, then tip off all but a thin film of the red fat.
-
Toss the two cheeses together and scatter them over the chorizo left in the skillet. Top with the reserved chorizo.
-
Bake 10–12 minutes, until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling at the edges. For browned spots, broil 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
-
Scatter with cilantro and serve right away in the hot skillet, set on a trivet, with pork rinds, mini sweet pepper halves, celery or jicama sticks for scooping. Warn everyone about the hot handle.
Tips for success
-
Queso fundido firms up as it cools. Serve it straight from the oven, and slide it back in for a few minutes when it starts to set. - Shred the cheese yourself from blocks. The anti-caking starch on bagged cheese makes it melt grainy instead of stretchy.
- Fresh Mexican chorizo is raw and must be cooked through; dry Spanish chorizo is cured and only needs a quick sizzle. Either works here.
Nice to have, not needed
- A cast-iron skillet holds the heat so the cheese stays molten longer — any small baking dish works, just serve it quickly.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, or microwave in 20-second bursts, until melted again.
Prep tip: Cook the chorizo mixture up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge; assembling and baking then takes 15 minutes.
Best straight from the oven. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days and reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, or in short microwave bursts.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosVegetarian (mushroom & poblano)
DietBrowned mushrooms and poblano pepper, seasoned with smoked paprika and cumin, replace the chorizo for a meat-free fundido.
- fresh Mexican chorizo → cremini mushrooms
- + 1 large poblano pepper
- + 1 tbsp olive oil
- + 1 tsp smoked paprika
- + 1 tsp ground cumin
2.2 g net · 179 kcal · 11 g protein · 14 g fat · ≈$0.98 per serving (+0.4 g net carbs vs the original)
Shrimp & green chile
ProteinGarlicky seared shrimp and mild green chiles under the melted cheese, a favorite at Tex-Mex seafood spots.
- fresh Mexican chorizo → raw shrimp
- + 1 tbsp butter
- + 1 can diced green chiles (4-oz can)
1.3 g net · 192 kcal · 16 g protein · 14 g fat · ≈$1.35 per serving (−0.5 g net carbs vs the original)
Taco beef
ProteinGround beef with chili powder and cumin stands in for the chorizo. It’s a milder version that kids usually prefer.
- fresh Mexican chorizo → ground beef (80/20)
- + 2 tsp chili powder
- + 1 tsp ground cumin
- + ¼ tsp salt
1.2 g net · 210 kcal · 14 g protein · 17 g fat · ≈$0.93 per serving (−0.6 g net carbs vs the original)
Save it for later
Pin this recipe to your keto board so it’s there when you plan next week.
Save to Pinterest
