© 2024 National Turkey Federation
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1225 New York Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20005
Queso? Oh yeah! Dr. BBQ is bringing one of our favorite, cheesiest foods right to your grill or smoker. Smoked Turkey Queso Italiano is a winner! Plus, Italian turkey sausage makes this dip hearty enough to be a meal (and we don’t judge). Use this recipe as a base for adding in your favorite ingredients – maybe some jalapenos or chiles for a spicier take? Just be prepared for your friends and family to keep asking you to whip up a batch of queso whenever they stop by!
Looking for more cheese-filled turkey recipes? Try our Cheesy Turkey Walking Tacos!
1 lb turkey Italian sausage, crumbled and cooked
1 lb Velveeta, cut into 1” cubes
1 lb shredded mozzarella
8 oz cream cheese, cut into 1” cubes
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
For Serving
Italian bread, sliced
Tortilla chips
Carrot and/or celery sticks
Prepare the grill or smoker to cook indirect at 300°F with apple or cherry wood added for flavor if desired. In a grill safe skillet or disposable pan, place all of the ingredients – except the four seasonings – in the pan. If you want to make it look great for a “before” picture, separate everything and arrange it like a Cobb salad. Alternately, you can just put everything in as it falls or even toss it together in a bowl before adding it to the pan. All of these techniques will cook the same.
Place the pan in the cooker for 20 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning, pepper, red pepper flakes and the salt. Stir everything as best as you can at this point. Cook another 20 minutes and stir again. Repeat this process every 20 minutes, stirring well each time until the queso is hot and bubbling. This should take a total of about 80 minutes.
Remove from the cooker and serve immediately with sliced Italian bread, plain tortilla chips and/or fresh veggies for dipping.