A Favorite Dip
If there’s one cheese dip most requested in my Teens Cook cooking classes it’s the “Almost” El Azteco Cheese Dip recipe. My version of the cheese dip with a cult following is not only popular around the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI, but now all through much of the corn belt of Central Illinois. It’s a crowd pleaser for sure.
El Azteco–“The Aztec”–Delicious Mexican Food
El Azteco is the first Mexican restaurant I ever visited. It was back in the early 1980s, and Mexican restaurants were a rarity in the Midwest. Maybe because it’s my first that it holds such a special place in my heart. Firsts have a way of doing that. I could reminisce for hours about all my great memories about El Az, as we Spartans called it, and often do. El Az fans can appreciate that a whole lot more than my family.
I remember how we’d stand in line for what seemed like hours outside or on that dark narrow staircase for dinner. The thankless task of trying to keep the door closed once on the staircase in an attempt to keep the cold winter air or summer humidity out, with what had to be a fire hazard never crossing our minds. Exceeding maximum occupancy didn’t either. We were more worried about being trampled by exiting patrons than thinking of a fire. Oh to be young and fearless.
And we all had our favorites, with mine being the sour cream enchiladas (Enchiladas de Jocoque), the Topopo Salad, and the signature El Az appetizer, the famous El Azteco Cheese Dip.
Origins of Almost El Azteco Cheese Dip Recipe
I’m not sure what the true origins of El Azteco Cheese Dip actually are, but I like to think it was born in that small dark and damp basement of the El Azteco restaurant back in the 1970s. It seems more interesting that way. I’ve searched every resource I can think of, and no one has the answer other than to say it’s really REALLY good and you should try a bowl if you’re ever at El Azteco. Can’t disagree there.
It’s Not “Just Another Cheese Dip” recipe
Cheese dip at most Mexican restaurants is usually a bowl of warm cheesy melty deliciousness called queso. It’s the perfect accompaniment to the never-empty bowl of tortilla chips and salsa. This cheese dip isn’t THAT kind of cheese dip. Nope. Not even close. Queso is good, but this cheese dip may be better if you were to take a vote.
And here’s a news flash–I don’t think this cheese dip recipe is in any way an authentic Mexican dish. Surprise! But that doesn’t seem to matter to us Spartans. We still think El Azteco had the best Mexican cheese dip ever created, authentic or not. No arguments accepted.
How to make Almost El Azteco Cheese Dip
- Start with 2 cups of cottage cheese and 2 cups of sour cream in a large bowl.
- Next add 2 cups of Monterey jack cheese (or Muenster that I swear is what they used in years past).
- “Secret” seasonings get mixed in–2 teaspoons of sifted dry Lipton Onion Soup Mix (leave out the dried onions) and 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder and cumin.
- Add 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire.
- Add 1-2 chopped jalapenos, to taste, and 4 green onions, chopped.
- Mix and pop in the fridge overnight (or at least 2 hours).
So simple to make and always a crowd pleaser.
I now make a habit of preparing my version called the “Almost” El Azteco dip at least twice a year with the teens in my Teens Cook cooking classes. I’m doing my part to pass the love of El Azteco’s cheese dip to younger generations. They can’t get enough of it. Sparty on my friends!
Other Favorite Dip Recipes
Almost El Azteco Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 16 ounces small curd cottage cheese
- 2 cups Monterey jack or Muenster cheese, grated (Jack has a stronger flavor)
- 2 teaspoons of sifted contents of 1 pkg of Lipton’s Onion Soup mix NOT the onions
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 green onions, chopped (count by bulbs)
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced (I use 1 with seeds for a little heat)
Instructions
- COMBINE all ingredients in a bowl. COVER and let sit in the fridge overnight or at least 2 hours.
- It tastes better if it sits overnight if you can wait that long. SERVE either cold or at room temp with tortilla chips or veggies.
As an East Lansing native I definitely appreciate your story & photo of the original East
Lansing location. In the early 90’s they moved above ground & down the street, but the food is still delicious. I had forgotten about that cramped stairway & hours long line all four the sake of a botana. What memories! I’m making this cheese dip this weekend so my kids can enjoy it too!
I’m hoping to one day make it back to East Lansing and El Azteco, Leah. I hear the food is still as delcious as ever.
The old El Az is pretty much the same, but be sure to go to the EL one. The Lansing one has gone downhill big time. The cheese dip is still awesome and most everything else is as you remember, like the botany and the nachos.
I’ve been a loyal El Az fan since the 70’s and the basement restaurant, so I know what I’m talking about!
I was at El Azteco over the weekend and binged on cheese dip. I wanted some more so I made this recipe today. Really not close to the same flavor. This has far too much artificial onion flavoring and the monterey jack cheese adds an odd flavor and texture to the dip.
I’m sorry you didn’t like the recipe. If you try it again, maybe use 1 teaspoon of sifted onion seasoning instead of the 2 teaspoons. I prefer the dip with mellower and smoother Muenster cheese instead of Jack cheese. It’s not so easy to find Muenster in my part of the country so I make due with the Jack cheese.
Just stumbled upon your El Azteco recipes!!! This made my day… week… YEAR!!! I’m getting out 9f my jammies right now and racing to the grocery store (I live in southern CA now, after living in DeWitt for 15 years, and the closest store is open 24 hrs!)!) Your commentary about the condition of the restaurant before the Topopo salad recipe is spot on! Except…. for many years, someone carved “f*ck you” into the front door, at the Saginaw location (or was that Michigan Avenue? Can’t remember at the moment? But they never bothered painting over it? I was ok with that, as long as I could have some cheese dip and a topopo salad with a margarita! Thank you, you made my life so much happier!
You’re very welcome, Heidi. I hope your homemade Toppopo was as delicious as you remembered. So many fun memories from El Az. Thanks for sharing yours.
So excited to find this! I had a roommate that worked at El Az and Colby was one of their go to cheeses for recipes. Jocoques had Colby. Not really the cheese you’d think of for Mexican dishes, but that’s what I remember & have on a recipe.
DO YOU ALSO HAVE THE RECIPE FPR THE ENCHIALDA JOCOQUE
I will look for it, Judith. If I find it, I will email it to you.
Whoa…I was just eating cottage cheese here in the CO Rocky Mountains, which made me start thinking of the El Az cheese dip! Yours was the first recipe that came up on Google 🙂 I love the context as well. I have the best memories during the 80s…waiting in the outside freezing line, then waiting in that dank, narrow staircase and finally to the sticky ground floor about to get seated. Plus we were sweating by that point – freezing and boiling at the same time. Didn’t matter! No place like El Az! Thanks for the recipe…and the memories! (Gonna look up the Topopo salad recipe next!!)
Oh that staircase!! And the signs that said In case of fire, follow an employee out 😂. My dorm RA introduced me and some friends to El Az in 1988. Good times and great food!!
Yep, I was a senior cook at the Lansing El Az in the late 90’s. You’re pretty close on the recipe. From my memory, though, the cheese was Muenster, and it was equal parts…
cottage cheese
muenster
sour cream
scallions (this is the strange amount…but believe me).
Arturo kept the spice amounts kind of the “secret”. Even I don’t know what was in those pre-mixed baggies. They were made in his tortilla kitchen in a completely separate location. So, I’m not sure on the onion soup mix. You nailed it on the Worcestershire, though. Most considered this the secret ingredient.
The main thing to remember is to not mix to much, it will liquefy the cottage cheese to the point of slop. Rather fold a couple times, and chill over night to get a thicker consistency.
I’ll never forget cleaning that “bean gun” at the end of the night. I loved working there in my 20’s. I learned a good amount of “restaurant” Spanish, and actually lived with a bunch of Mexican brothers/cousins that introduced me to a different kind of family culture that we Americans, or at least mine, didn’t foster. You take care of each other, no matter what. Family is always first. Not politics, not religion, not MSU vs U of M. Salute!
I can across your reciepe for the Topopo salad 1st because we were craving it , I said out load I wonder about the cheese dip and here it is!!! So excited, I knew it was cottage cheese and everyone said it had to be something else! Thank you! I also remember going to the underground my took us there often as she was going to MSU when we were I elementary school! The new one is great but just not the same! Thank you
I was wondering if anyone had posted a recipe similar to the El Azteco cheese dip online. And lo and behold there it is!
I had a classmate who worked there and who made the dip and this is pretty much the recipe she handed off to me, She wrote down that it was Monterey Jack cheese they used. Interesting that others have said munster. I graduated from MSU in ’82. so my version would have been very early 80’s. I wonder if they switched back and forth on the cheeses based on availability and cost. (??).
The only difference between the version I received and your version was: if you don’t want to use fresh jalapenos… you can use canned diced chilies.
She made me promise I never would share the recipe with anyone (She didn’t want to get in trouble.). and I didn’t… until now. Thanks for posting it!
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Lisa. I also graduated in 1982, but never knew what cheese El Az used. I just knew I liked it. Either muenster or Monterey Jack, both are delicious in the dip.