Spicy peppers, melted cheese, and meaty mushrooms combine flavorful forces in this delightfully vegetarian recipe for Queso Fundido with Mushrooms. If you're in the market for an irresistible appetizer to replace your usual cheese plate, this is it!
16ouncessliced mushrooms, (I used a combo of baby bella, shitake, crimini, and oyster mushrooms)
1/2cupwhite onion, chopped
2serranos or jalapeños, diced
12ouncesmelty cheese, (I used a mixture of mozzarella, tomato basil, and Monterrey Jack), shredded
chopped cilantro
6corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Melt butter in a large skillet and add onion and cook for 1 minute.
Add mushrooms, and cook until mushrooms begin to soften for about 5 minutes.
Place the cheese and chile over the cooked mushrooms.
Place skillet in the oven and bake uncovered for about 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is completely melted and slightly golden brown on top.
Sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
Serve with corn or flour tortillas.
Notes
Expert Tips
Mushrooms will give off a lot of water when they cook, so be sure to choose a large enough pan to keep from crowding them. If you don’t, you can end up with soggy mushrooms.
Grate your own cheese. I know buying pre-shredded cheese seems like a great time-saver, but to keep those individual pieces from melding back into a blob in the bag, they're coated in a starchy powder that prevents them from melting well.
Use cast-iron cookware to keep your queso nice and fundido. It retains heat better than any other type of pan material around!
FAQs
What is the best kind of cheese for queso fundido?There are a variety of other cheeses that would work well here depending on what you have access to. Here are some possible options: cheddar, chihuahua, asadero, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, gouda, or havarti. Basically, you want a cheese that is going to get good and melty. Avoid any crumbly cheeses like feta or cotija and you should be good!How do you eat mushroom queso fundido?When I eat queso fundido, I eat it with warm corn tortillas, literally making instant quesadillas — it’s the height of comfort food. You can also serve it with flour tortillas or chips, or even on toast. Doing the low carb thing? Eat it with a spoon!