Our Fully Loaded Cheesy Poblano Chorizo Fundido is rich, creamy and utterly delicious! It is the type of dish that you need to keep in your back pocket for a party because everyone will RAVE about how wonderful it is and then come back to ask for the recipe!

Although the name is a mouthful, the ingredient list and recipe are as simple as they come. You can put this dish together in 10 minutes and it will become a family staple because the only thing that will come out of your family’s mouths are smiles.

My first introduction to this plethora of melted cheese, aka queso fundido, was at a hole-in-the-wall Tex-Mex restaurant as a kid.  That fundido was plain and simple, yet so delicious. With gooey, salty cheese scooped onto a tortilla chip, it was like the best parts of a pizza. Over time, I developed my own version, adding an array of complementary flavors until arriving at the *Fully* Loaded Poblano Chorizo Fundido recipe below.

Is This The Kind That Flames Up?

Originally from Mexico, queso fundido can be made in a variety of styles.  The regional differences include varying cheeses, ingredients, and even cooking styles.  A delicious version of fundido called queso flameado (meaning flamed cheese) includes a tablespoon of tequila and fire.  Queso flameado is cooked over the stove in a cast iron pan, once the cheese is added, the tequila or high proof alcohol is poured on and lit a flame.  Think of it as Mexico’s answer to Grecian Saganaki, I’m sure nobody will fault you for yelling “Opa!” as the flames leap in the air! 

I, personally, haven’t had much luck on the “flameado” portion using tequila; my last attempt ended up with 4 shots of different liquors (all 80 proof or higher) before finally getting a flame.  At that point I knew it was time to scrap that attempt…  If you’re adventurous enough to give it a try, I’d suggest three things:

1. Use an alcohol 100 Proof or higher.
2. Keep all people and body parts away when lighting up the alcohol (we don’t need anyone losing an eyebrow).
3. Test it outside first to avoid that embarrassingly, panicked call to the fire department.

What Kind of Cheese Should I Use?

Traditionally there are two different cheeses used depending upon the region.  Oaxaca, a stringy mild flavored cheese and Chihuahua is a medium bodied cheese, similar to a Monterrey Jack. Maybe someday we’ll dive more into cheeses, but if you haven’t tried the two kinds, you should.  When making queso fundido, I prefer Oaxaca Cheese, but it’s usually harder to find and it takes a bit more time pulling it apart vs. a pre-shredded bag of Chihuahua Cheese (which you can find easily, even at Walmart). Therefore, this recipe calls for Chihuahua, but feel free to switch it up if you would like.

What Do I Serve This With…. Or How Do I Serve It?

It sort of depends on how you want to serve this. If you want it to be an appetizer, you can make it in individuals ramekins, and give everyone some mini tortillas (try these Holy Grail of Corn Tortillas Recipe). Follow it up with some of this Buttery Herb Garlic Skirt Steak and people will talk about that meal for years to come. If you want it to be the main course, you can serve it family style in a large baking dish and everyone can serve up themselves. You can also have additional meats, sautéed mushrooms, etc that people can add to their tacos. Serve with a little guacamole, plus salsa and chips and it’s a complete feast!

Tips and Tricks for Making Fully Loaded Cheesy Poblano Chorizo Fundido

• The video does not have beans and corn. The two ingredients are added along with the poblano.

• If you can’t find a poblano pepper, you can use an Anaheim or a couple deseeded Jalapeno Peppers. BUT that being said, the poblano will add that deep rich flavoring with a balanced touch of heat. Anaheim Peppers are lower on the Scoville Scale (degree of spiciness), while Jalapenos are significantly spicier.

• You can put this into individual serving dishes or one large dish. The only thing to keep in mind is the large dish may take 1-2 more minutes to get fully melted

• If you want to take this to the next level, try making these homemade Holy Grail of Corn Tortillas. They’re easy and will complement this dish extraordinarily. You can also make them any size you want! The pic below is a mini version which is perfect for an app!

• Make it in advance! You can put the entire dish together (minus the baking) and leave it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Place it in the oven and let it cook for an extra few minutes to heat all the way through.

Fully Loaded Cheesy Poblano Chorizo Fundido

5 from 4 votes

Course: Appetizers, Main, DinnerCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp 1 Olive Oil

• 10 Ounces 10 Chorizo (1 Tube)

• 1/2 Cup 1/2 Sweet Onion Diced

• 1 Cup 1 Poblano Peppers Slivered

• 3/4 Cup 3/4 Corn (Fresh off Cob is best, but frozen works)

• 1/2 Cup 1/2 Canned Black Beans (Strained and rinsed)

• 2+3/4 Cups 2+3/4 Chihuahua or Oaxaca Cheese Shredded

• 1/4 Cup 1/4 Heavy Cream (Optional)

• 1 tsp 1 Himalayan Pink Salt

• 2 tsp 2 Dried Chopped Oregano

• Additional (Optional) Garnishes

• 1/2 Cup 1/2 Roughly Chopped Cilantro

• 1/4 Cup 1/4 Green Onions Diced

• 2 2 Limes Sliced

• 1/2 Cup 1/2 Tomatillo or Avocado Salsa

Directions

• In a medium sized frying pan, add the oil and chorizo at a medium/high heat.
  Cook for about 2 minutes, then add the onions. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for another 4 minutes stirring occasionally to ensure all the chorizo is cooked.
  
• Add the poblano, corn, and black beans and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.
  
  
• Turn on Oven to Broil.
  
  Transfer the cooked fundido base mixture into an oven safe dish (or dishes), such as a 9in round pie pan. (if you are using cast iron, feel free to continue on, unless you’d like a more decorative baking dish). Add the shredded Chihuahua or Oaxaca Cheese on top. If using heavy cream, pour evenly over the cheese. Sprinkle the salt and dried oregano on top. Place in the oven and broil for approximately 5 minutes or until the cheese is entirely melted and starts browning.
• Remove from the oven, let it cool for 3-4 minutes. Garnish with Cilantro, Green Onions, Mushrooms and Lime. Serve with warmed tortillas or tortilla chips and salsa.

Recipe Video

Notes

• The video does not have beans and corn. The two ingredients are added along with the poblano.

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** Note, the video does not contain the beans and corn.  These two ingredients are added along with the poblanos.