Loaded Queso In A Crunchy Tortilla Bowl With Steak Bites, Guacamole, And Sour Cream
Tortilla chips are the ideal crunchy companion to all of the best Tex-Mex dips out there. From the simple slide straight into salsa to the deep nosedive into decked-out nachos, they bring that little extra something to every bite! We think that creamy, spicy queso is the perfect match for the tortilla, so we've developed our own special recipe for seasoned tortilla chips and loaded queso, served up right in an edible tortilla bowl. But this isn't your average queso – it's stacked high with all of the best toppings, like steak bites, guacamole, sour cream, and jalapeños, bringing you the ultimate in snack food. It's a chips 'n dip experience unlike anything you've ever had before!
Yield: 5 servings
Prep Time: 1½ hours
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
You'll Need:
For the Tex-Mex seasoning:
- 1 tbsp paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
For the tortilla chips & bowl:
- 5 tortillas
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- Tex-Mex seasoning
For the loaded queso:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 2 jalapeños, diced
- 1–2 tbsp flour
- 1⅔ cups milk
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
For the steak bites:
- 12 oz steak, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Tex-Mex seasoning
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp chopped rosemary
For the toppings:
- cherry tomatoes, chopped
- guacamole
- sour cream
- jalapeños, sliced
- fresh cilantro
Here's How:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make the tortilla bowl, place 1 heat-resistant bowl upside down on your countertop, cover it with 2 tortillas, and place a slightly larger heat-resistant bowl over the top. Press down gently on the larger bowl, sandwiching the tortillas between the 2 bowls.
2. Transfer the tortilla bowl to a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
3. Use a pizza cutter to slice the remaining 3 tortillas into even triangles.
4. Distribute the sliced tortilla triangles around the tortilla bowl on the baking tray and brush vegetable oil over the surface of each tortilla triangle.
5. For the Tex-Mex seasoning, combine the paprika, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Sprinkle about ½ of the Tex-Mex seasoning over the tortilla triangles.
6. Transfer the baking tray to the oven and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the baking tray from the oven, take the tortilla chips off of the baking tray, and set them aside for later. Transfer the baking tray with the tortilla bowl back to the oven and bake at 350°F for another 20-30 minutes. Remove the baking tray from the oven, let the everything cool slightly, then remove the tortilla bowl from the heat resistant bowls.
7. For the queso, melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the diced red onion and jalapeños until the onions become translucent. Gradually stir in the flour, pour in the milk, and bring everything to a boil, stirring continuously.
8. Once the mixture has come to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese.
9. Stir all of the ingredients together thoroughly until the queso mixture is smooth and creamy. While the queso cools, toss the steak bites in vegetable oil, rosemary, and the remaining Tex-Mex seasoning. Let the seasoned steak bites marinate for about 30 minutes, then sear them in a hot skillet until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
10. Place the baked tortilla bowl in the center of a plate surrounded by the seasoned tortilla chips and pour the queso directly into the tortilla bowl.
11. Top the queso off with the seared steak bites, chopped cherry tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, jalapeños, and fresh cilantro.
An edible tortilla bowl, homemade tortilla chips, fiery queso, seasoned steak bites, and all the best toppings – this loaded queso bowl is serious. It'll make all your troubles melt away and add some spice to your life!
Get the recipe for the Chicken Avocado Fiesta Salad featured in the bonus video.