Food and Recipes Appetizers Sweet Potato Queso Be the first to rate & review! A secret ingredient makes this dip healthier but still nice and cheesy. By Julia Levy Julia Levy Julia is an experienced cook with a demonstrated history of working in the publishing industry. She is skilled in catering, food & beverage, event planning, and menu development. She tests and develops recipes in the DotDash Meredith Test Kitchen for Southern Living. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on February 2, 2024 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Active Time: 20 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 8 If you’re thinking, “They put WHAT in queso???”—hear me out. Although it may seem odd at first glance, sweet potato questo is actually quite delicious. Queso is a tricky thing to make at home—it’s either too gloopy, too runny, or too stiff. This healthier version—which still has plenty of cheesy goodness—is the perfect consistency, thanks to the sweet potato, which adds some healthy fiber to an otherwise nutritionally meager dish. Far from making it sweet, the orange-hued mashed sweet potato rounds out the savory flavors, and helps the cheeses meld into a smooth dip that you’ll keep going back for. If you’re trying to eat better, you can tackle this dip with an array of fresh cut crudité, or even baked tortilla chips. But if you really want to take it up a notch, try our easy homemade baked tortilla chips. Full of flavor and ready in minutes, they’re much better for you than a bag of regular tortilla chips. Ingredients 2 bacon slices, chopped 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion (from 1 small onion) 1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (from 3 garlic cloves) 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika 1 1/2 cups whole milk 2 tsp. cornstarch 1 cup pureed or mashed cooked sweet potato (from 1 small sweet potato) 1 (7-oz.) can chopped green chiles 6 oz. American cheese, shredded (about 11/2 cups) Thinly sliced jalapeño chile Fresh cilantro leaves Homemade Tortilla Chips (recipe follows) Directions Cook bacon in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium, stirring often, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving drippings in skillet. Add onion to drippings in skillet; cook over medium, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, salt, and smoked paprika; cook, stirring often, until mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk together milk and cornstarch in a bowl. Add milk mixture to onion mixture in skillet; cook, stirring often, until bubbly and slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Add sweet potato and green chiles; whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Add cheese, and whisk until melted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with reserved bacon, jalapeño slices, and cilantro. Serve warm with Homemade Tortilla Chips. Homemade Tortilla Chips Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush both sides of 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas with 1 Tbsp. canola oil. Stack tortillas, and cut into quarters; arrange in a single layer on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp. each kosher salt and chili powder. Bake until crisp and lightly golden, about 13 minutes, rotating baking sheets between top and bottom racks halfway through bake time. Rate It Print