This slow cooker spinach queso recipe/Jose Peppers Espinaca copycat may contain affiliate links.
Soccer season is back in full swing, and my family is, of course, cheering for Sporting Kansas City. Who else would we cheer for? They’re a force to be reckoned with, powerful and exciting to watch. But there’s just something about game day, especially an away game day, that calls for good food while watching the game. That’s why we’ve been loving this copycat of a Kansas favorite– Espinaca just like the kind at Jose Peppers, a local Mexican place that we adore. This is an almost identical copycat, the perfect spinach queso recipe!
The first thing you’re going to do is get that extra creamy, cheesy base going. That’s where you’ll start with your favorite block processed cheese and 4 blocks of cream cheese. Now, I’ll note that this is going to be a mega-sized batch for a mega-sized tailgate. But if you’re looking for something a little smaller, just half or quarter the recipe to suit your needs. We like to make a batch big enough to feed the whole team.
Once you’ve added the cheese and cream cheese to the slow cooker, you’ll need to add some heavy whipping cream. This will really amp up the creamy flavor. (And yes, the calorie count– some dips are worth it in moderation).
Cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles come next in this slow cooker spinach queso. Our family is a big fan of mild, and since we’re feeding a crowd including kids, mild really is the best choice to suit a variety of taste buds. However, this is a great place to kick it up a notch if you would like by choosing a hotter variety.
Toss in diced onions, half of a diced jalapeno, and some chopped spinach. (It isn’t a slow cooker spinach queso without some spinach!) We use frozen a lot of times because it’s convenient to have on hand for whenever we decide to make the dip, but going with fresh is just fine, too!
Chicken bouillon cubes help round out the flavor, and of course, it isn’t a recipe here without garlic.
Finish it off with milk, then set your slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 8 until your dip is hot, bubbly, and creamy.
This dip is perfect because it seriously packs that restaurant flavor (like I said, it’s an exact duplicate of Jose Pepper’s Espinaca), but it’s just this super simple spinach queso recipe for home. I can’t get enough of it, and neither can my family.
Obviously, this oh-so-creamy spinach queso is perfect for soccer tailgates. It’s also good for any kind of tailgate or watch party on game day. Basketball, football, whatever, you’ll love this dip for those parties.
Slow Cooker Spinach Queso/Jose Peppers Espinaca Copycat Recipe
- 2 lbs (1 block) processed cheese
- 4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
- 1 pint whipping cream
- 2 cans mild diced tomatoes with chiles (drained)
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 2 pkg chopped frozen spinach
- 6 cubes chicken bouillon
- 1 C milk
- 1/2 diced jalapeno
- 1 Tbsp garlic
- Place all ingredients in slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours until dip is hot and bubbly.
- Serve warm with tortilla chips.
What is your favorite soccer team?
And what game day food totally gets you stoked? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! We’re all about this espinaca, and we love ribs, too! If you’re looking for more easy game day appetizers, you’ll want to follow my Starters and Appetizers board on Pinterest!
Great Dip Resources and Tools
Slow Cooker (7 quarts) that’s plenty big enough for your Game Day Dip
A Set of Dip Bowls to make Game Day Easy
Jose Peppers Gift Card, for when you want the real deal.
Great Dip Cookbook on Amazon for more inspiration
More Easy Dip Recipes
Raspberry Black Bean Dip
Creamy Ranch Dip
Mexican Cheese Ball
Buffalo Chicken Dip from It’s a Keeper
Three Cheese Alfredo Dip from Centsable Momma
More Game Day Ideas
Where’s the Bathroom Printable Sign
Cheeseburger Nachos
Sweet n Tangy Barbecue Ribs
Game Day Puppy Chow from Sarah’s Bake Studio
Sports Cookies for Edible Tic Tac Toe from CakeWhiz
More Restaurant Copycats
Jose Peppers Copycat Pollo Magnifico
IHOP Double Dipped French Toast Copycat
Freddy’s Fry Sauce and Seasoning Copycat
Cracker Barrel Fried Apples in the Slow Cooker
Thank you, I pass thru Kansas about twice every year and stop at JP’s EVERY time. I have been working on JP’s Espinaca recipe for about 5 years now. This will help . Mine is still very lacking
This one is about as close as I could get to the real deal. I hope you enjoy!