An easy dinner packed with flavor, these Mexican Spiced Steaks with Chile con Queso are sure to be a hit with any meat lover. Steaks are crusted with spices, then served with an easy queso sauce spiced with chipotle peppers.
For another meat lover’s Mexican inspired dinner, try this Sheet Pan Steak Nachos Supreme or these Slow Cooker Chile Colorado Burritos!

One of our favorite meals lately is a simple steak, grilled to perfection. These Mexican Spiced Steaks with Chile Con Queso take that simple up a notch, and give your tastebuds a treat. The Chile Con Queso really adds a special something – you can’t go wrong when you cover anything in a cheese sauce!
Serve this dinner up with an Avocado and Tomato Salad and dinner is served!
Ingredients
- Spices: This recipe calls for grill seasoning, which can contain different spices, depending on which brand you use. You could also just make a mixture of salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flake. You’ll also add coriander, cumin, and chili powder.
- Lime Zest: This brings in brightness and flavor.
- Steaks: You can really use any cut of steak that you prefer – we used strip steaks, which tend to me more affordable.
- Butter: You need butter to cook the steaks in, as well as some for the cheese sauce. I use unsalted butter.
- Flour: This will thicken your cheese sauce.
- Milk: For best results, you’ll want to use at least 2% milk, but preferably whole milk.
- Cheese: This recipe calls for smoked cheddar cheese, which might be a little harder to find. But most grocery stores with a cheese counter will have it. Just look where the specialty cheeses are.
- Chipotle in Adobo: This gives the cheese sauce a nice smoky hit. You’ll use the chipotle, as well as some of the sauce from the can.
- Cilantro: This is just for serving, but is a must in my opinion!
How to Make Mexican Spiced Steaks with Chile Con Queso
- Combine the spices and rub the mixture generously over the steaks. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Melt the butter in a heavy pan (I like to use cast iron) and then cook the steaks in the hot butter for 5 minutes on one side, then 2-3 minutes on the second side. Remove the steaks and let them rest while you make the cheese sauce.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan, then whisk in the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk.
- The the mixture cook until it is thickened, then start adding in the cheese and the chilpotle. Once it all comes together, taste it and add more salt, if needed.
- Serve the steaks topped with the Chile con queso and some fresh cilantro.

More Favorite Steak Dinners
Korean Flank Steak
Balsamic Grilled Flank Steak
Chipotle Flank Steak
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Mexican Spiced Steaks with Chile Con Queso
Ingredients
Steaks
- 2 tablespoons grill seasoning
- grated zest of 2 limes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 1-inch thick strip steaks (2 lbs total)
- 1 tablespoon butter
Chile Con Queso
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 1/2 cups shredded smoked Cheddar cheese
- 1 chipotle in adobo seeds removed, minced
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
- salt
- cilantro
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the grill seasoning, lime zest, coriander, cumin, chili powder and salt. Rub the seasoning onto both sides of the steaks. Let the steaks sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.2 tablespoons grill seasoning, grated zest of 2 limes, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 4 1-inch thick strip steaks
- Melt the butter in a large cast iron pan or a heavy skillet over high heat. (You may have to cook the steaks in batches – you don’t want to overcrowd them in the pan.) Add the steaks and cook for 5 minutes, then turn and cook the second side for 2-3 minutes for medium. Lower the heat while the steaks are cooking, if needed. Remove from the pan to a cutting board and let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before slicing.1 tablespoon butter
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour and whisk for a minute or two. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil and let cook, whisking frequently, until it starts to thicken, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cheese and the chipotle and sauce. Season to taste with salt. Turn the heat to low to keep warm.2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 1/2 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups shredded smoked Cheddar cheese, 1 chipotle in adobo, 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, salt
- Serve the steaks topped with the chipotle con queso and some fresh cilantro.cilantro








Grace says
key words: mexican, chipotle, QUESO, and avocado. clearly, this is a meal tailor-made for me. i guess i need to stop giving ms. ray such a hard time…
Jenny says
This looks so yummy Deborah! And that Chipotle con Queso Sauce, I would probably lick the plate clean!
RecipeGirl says
My kind of meal. YUmmO.
chocolate shavings says
That looks great! Simple and tasty!
http://www.chocolateshavings.ca
Elle says
I love everything in there, so it’s got to be good! Looks great–wonderful photos!
breadchick says
Deborah!! I’m drooling over here!!!!
javagirlkt's cookin' says
Cooking Light and Every Day with Rachael Ray are my two favorites too!
This dish looks really, really good 🙂
glamah16 says
I had to throw away boxes of magazines when CS movedin. The only ones I kept are food related.Its weird though. I save them but dont go back to them. Need to change that.Thats a nice hearty salad.
nicole says
It all looks good.
Katerina says
I am so with you on the real food for real people thing. Every Day and Cooking Light are two of my favorites too. I also love Canadian Living.. but of course that is a canadian thing.
kat says
oh that sounds so good & perfect for a hot day…hmm maybe i can cook the sauce on the side burner of the grill
Paula says
This looks terrific! Perfect for summer!
Katie B. says
Beautiful plating!! I think I could look at that picture every day and be happy – so I KNOW eating it would be even better!! 🙂
Lore says
That sauce looks mighty good to me!
katskitchen says
That looks great, and not too difficult. I’ve never cooked with or bought chipotles in adobo sauce. I think my husband would like this one. Thanks!
Ann says
Really fabulous! You’ve done a very hard thing, too… which is to get an appealing photo of rare meat. Nicely done!