Queso — Crockpot or Smoked

SpicyGluten-FreeMake-Ahead

Best for: parties and game day. The crockpot version is the easy default; the smoked version is worth the extra effort when you want it to be the thing people remember. Both serve a crowd.

Queso — Crockpot or Smoked — Recipe

Prep

10 min

Crockpot

~1 hr

Smoked

~2 hr

Serves

a crowd

Equipment

Skillet (to brown sausage)
Small crockpot — or — Traeger + deep disposable foil pan

Ingredients

Base (both methods)

1 lb Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage
1 (32 oz) block Original Velveeta or Velveeta Queso Blanco, cubed
1 can gluten-free red enchilada sauce (spicy if available)
1 can Original Rotel Hot
1 small can diced green chilies OR diced jalapeños (one or the other, not both)
Tortilla chips, for serving

Smoked version — additional cheese

Monterey Jack, cubed
Pepper Jack, cubed

Crockpot method

Brown the sausage in a skillet. Drain if needed and set aside.
Cube the Velveeta.
Add the sausage, Velveeta, enchilada sauce, Rotel, and your green chilies or jalapeños to a small crockpot.
Heat on Low, stirring occasionally, until the cheese is fully melted and smooth.
Switch to Warm and serve with tortilla chips.

Smoked method (Traeger)

Brown the sausage and place it in a deep disposable aluminum pan.
Add the cubed Velveeta, Monterey Jack, and Pepper Jack, plus the enchilada sauce, Rotel, and green chilies or jalapeños.
Smoke on the Traeger at 225°F for about 2 hours, stirring every 30–45 minutes so the cheese melts evenly and the smoke works through.
Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Which version when The crockpot version is the easy, reliable default — set it and stir. The smoked version takes the extra cheeses and two hours on the Traeger, but the smoke flavor makes it the standout for a party or game day. Same base, different occasion.

Tips

Velveeta Queso Blanco gives a lighter-colored queso; Original Velveeta is the classic.
If the smoked queso gets too thick, stir in a splash of milk until it loosens to the consistency you want.
Use either green chilies or jalapeños, not both — chilies are milder, jalapeños bring more heat.

Make-ahead & reheating Holds well on Warm in the crockpot through a party. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat gently, stirring in a splash of milk to bring it back to a pourable queso — it firms up cold.

Dietary note Tagged gluten-free as conditional: confirm your enchilada sauce is GF (the recipe specifies it), and serve with corn tortilla chips, which are naturally GF, rather than flour. Contains dairy (it's a cheese dip). Jimmy Dean sausage and Rotel are generally GF, but check labels if it matters.