I love shopping at Trader Joe’s, but until last week, the closest one to me was over an hour’s drive away. Did I still make the trip from time to time? Definitely. But when my community finally got its very own TJ’s last week, I began making my shopping list.
It was during this planning stage that I discovered a viral, two-ingredient appetizer recipe perfect for this time of year: a queso dip made from simple ingredients (which always seem to be on sale) at Trader Joe’s. The recipe sounded like a delicious addition for every occasion, from watching football to attending large gatherings.
How To Make the Viral Trader Joe’s Chili Queso Dip
When I attempted the 2-ingredient chili queso dip, I followed TikToker Jenn Jewitt’s recipe. In a video sharing the dip, she explains that she’s been making her cheesy appetizer for 15 years and found it in the most fitting place: the sample counter at her local Trader Joe’s. “If you are a queso lover like me, and you love Trader Joe’s,” she mentions in the video, “let me put you on to the easiest, most delicious little snack.”
The dip features Trader Joe’s pub cheese—Jewitt swears by the jalapeño variety, but says the regular kind works, too—and the store’s turkey chili with beans. “This could not be easier,” she explains, “You put the pub cheese in a saucepan and then all you do is add the turkey chili to it…[then] you’re just gonna let this warm up and melt together.”
When the two ingredients are well-mixed and the dip is nice and hot, Jewitt pours a few ladlefuls into a small bowl, perfect for dipping. Sounds incredibly easy, and she even has a great idea for storing the leftovers: saving the plastic-lidded tub the pub cheese comes in to pour the dip back into, then reheating it for future snacking.
“I’m telling you, this is so delish,” adds Jewitt. “This is one of those go-to Trader Joe’s things for me.”
How Does the Viral Trader Joe’s Chili Queso Dip Taste?
Hoping it would become a “go-to Trader Joe’s thing” for me, I quickly added pub cheese and turkey chili to my shopping list to recreate. I found the pub cheese in the fresh cheese section at TJ’s for $4.99 and the turkey chili with the canned goods for $2.69. With a $2 bag of tortilla chips, I was excited to have a simple appetizer that could serve plenty of people for under $10.
Best of all, making the dip was just as simple as Jewitt promised. I emptied both containers into a saucepan and let it warm up over medium heat, stirring often so it didn’t burn on the bottom. When it was slightly bubbling, I gave it a final stir, moved it off the heat, and spooned portions into small bowls for dipping.
The two-ingredient dip was unexpectedly flavorful, with a hint of spice from the jalapeño and smoky notes from the chili, creating a queso that my entire family loved. The leftovers went into the pub cheese tub, just like Jewitt suggested—we love an appetizer that comes with its own storage container.
For under $10 for all the ingredients to make the dip and chips, I’ll definitely include it in my regular rotation. The cheese, beans, and meat in the chili add lots of protein, and the dipping options are endless, from tortilla chips to pretzel bites to fresh veggies. And I love that it makes a lot of dip, so it’s perfect for taking to a party or keeping in your fridge for snacking.
