Amazing Cafe Rio Queso Copycat

this rich and creamy sauce is irresistible! Each cheesy bite of our amazing Cafe Rio Queso copycat recipe is seasoned with just the right amount of spice to keep you coming back for more. if you have 10 minutes and a heat source, you can make this cheese!

One day I was standing in line at Café Río and noticed that they had cheese on the menu. that??! I thought I knew the whole menu at Café Rio?! once i tasted their cheese, and knew that a cheese recipe copied from cafe rio was meant to be on abk!

Reading: Cafe rio queso recipe

what is cheese?

Queso is a cheesy topping, usually served with tortilla chips. a little spicy and a lot of cheesy goodness in every bite. Queso is not a typical or traditional Mexican dish, but it is a Southwestern specialty! the original name comes from ‘chili con queso’ or, translated, chiles and cheese.

what is river cheese coffee made of?

good question. When I set out to make this dip, I had a plan. buy lots of cafe rio cheese and eat lots of cafe rio cheese! kathleen (my assistant) and i made more batches of this recipe than i can remember. In many testing sessions, our tasters declared that this copycat recipe tastes just as good (if not better) than the Café Rio version.

To determine where to start, we asked employees what’s in the cheese. we received responses that included: coke, beef broth; pico, salsa fresca, salsa, shredded cheese, cream cheese, sour cream and more. Well. Well. that wasn’t really helpful (and I’m sure they’re not supposed to share it), but it’s always worth a try! When I make a copy of any recipe, I always ask the business owner before going to the grocery store. If you don’t share, I understand, but it makes sense to start at the source!

The ingredients in this copycat version are simple and straightforward. As with all other Cafe Rio combinations, I was almost certain the cheese was made primarily from the 20-30 ingredients available to make tacos, enchiladas, salads, soups, and burritos. And don’t forget the pico, salsas, salsas, cilantro, and dressings! We take into consideration all the ingredients of Café Rio.

after a few months of testing, i’m sure cafe rio’s abk version of the cheese will be a crowd pleaser and stick around! here are some questions you may have about our imitation version…

why enchilada sauce? For the right color and flavor, we used red enchilada sauce. the cafe rio cheese has an almost orange/brown color to it, which we think is from the enchilada sauce. chopped fresh cilantro and green onions, mixed together also give the cheese a unique color. we also tried chili chipotle (dried spice) and although we loved the taste, it did not taste like coffee rio!

why did you use velveeta “white cheese” instead of fresh grated cheese? I guess this will be the question most of you will have. I’ll start with: I’m not a fan of shelf-stable cheese. where is my big eyes emoji? but after trying shredded cheese a few times while making cheese, I found that it just doesn’t melt as well as “pasteurized” cheese for a dip. Plus, shredded cheese easily overheats, resulting in separation and a coating of oil and then little clumps of cottage cheese sauce, instead of a smooth, creamy sauce. i chose this cheese for its consistency and ease of preparation, and the flavor is more like the cafe rio version. the white or white velveteta has a milder flavor than the traditional variety of orange.

why does the recipe call for canned (rotel) or bottled salsa, instead of pico fresco? I love pico fresco, but again, this choice was made after testing several batches made with “fresh” style salsa sold in the refrigerated section of grocery stores. I think cafe rio uses a combination of pico and their “salsa fresca” in their cheese, but it was hard to duplicate and then expect consistency as readers try to find the right sauce while making this recipe. I decided that Rotel was the best solution!

See also: Công ty Highlands Coffee

I don’t like my cheese too spicy, how can I adjust it? the cafe rio version has a bit of fire, so i used rotel hot in testing, but i felt it was too spicy for some. I recommend regular rotel for a bit of heat, but not too much. the mild rotel was too bland after mixing it with the cheese. likewise, the enchilada sauce and the green chile sauce can be found in mild, medium, or spicy. adjust it according to your preferences!

My cheese is too thick, how can I thin it down a bit? Cafe Rio’s cheese is pourable (even at room temperature), so we knew it had some kind of liquid in it. mixture, which was probably coke, water, or broth. Coke? yes, check out this recipe from our copy sweet pork recipe from cafe rio, we add coke or dr pepper to the sauce. Caffeine-free and Diet work just as well as Coke, Pepsi, or even Diet Dr. pepper.

can this cheese recipe be made in the microwave, oven, or slow cooker? yes! I made this in the microwave by placing all ingredients in a microwave-safe dish (like a silicone or glass dish) microwave for 1 minute, stir, repeat in 30-second increments until hot and mixture is smooth when stirred. with all three versions, leave out the cilantro and green onions while cooking if you make it ahead of time. in the slow cooker, place ingredients in slow cooker and heat over low heat until melted and smooth when stirred. in oven, place ingredients in baking dish, heat to 325 until melted, stir until smooth. add cilantro and green onions before serving.

can the cheese be made ahead of time? yes! This is the perfect make-ahead recipe! wait to add fresh ingredients (chopped cilantro and green onion) until serving day. this sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days before serving if you wait to add the fresh ingredients. it can also be frozen in an airtight container, then thawed overnight in the refrigerator and reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.

what you need to make an amazing coffee rio cheese copycat recipe:

16 oz white velvet cheese, cubed
1/2 cup of original or spicy rotel (with habanero) or 1/2 cup of pico
1/4 cup green chile sauce: mild, medium, or hot
1/3 cup red enchilada sauce, regular or hot
2 tablespoons coke, diet coke or dr pepper to dilute if necessary
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
3 green onion stalks, chopped into both green and white portions

I hope you like this homemade version of Café Rio’s cheese! Please leave a comment below and share your thoughts and any alterations or additions you’ve made to the recipe!