This Mexican cheesecake recipe is a savory crowd pleasing appetizer. It’s prepared in a springform pan like a cheesecake, it looks like a cheesecake, but its loaded up with everyone’s favorite Southwestern ingredients.
What You Can Expect From This Recipe
When most people hear the term “cheesecake,” they probably think of a sweet, decadent dessert. However, a savory version of this classic dish can be just as delicious, especially when it incorporates the bold flavors of Mexican cuisine.
This savory Mexican cheese cake appetizer is a great way to wow your guests with a unique and flavorful dish. It’s a perfect appetizer for a casual get-together.
And with just a few key ingredients like cream cheese, eggs, cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese, the result is a savory and slightly spicy cheesecake that pairs perfectly with chips, crackers, or even fresh veggies.
What makes this appetizer so special is the way it combines the rich and creamy texture of a classic cheesecake with the bold and flavorful ingredients of Southwestern cuisine.
This recipe is easy to make, it’s unique, it’s a vegetarian Mexican appetizer and it’s a make-ahead appetizer that makes entertaining a breeze. Let’s take a look.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese
- Cream Cheese
- Tortilla Chips
- Butter
- Chopped Chile Peppers
- Eggs
- Jalapeno Pepper
Ingredient Substitutions
- Cheese: Have fun with what cheeses you choose, just make sure that they’re good melting cheeses. Add a little more heat and use Pepper Jack Cheese. Muenster Cheese is also a good choice here, as it’s creamy and wonderful when melted.
- Chopped Chile Peppers: A 4-ounce can of chile peppers makes this a super easy recipe to make. Also try roasting a Poblano Pepper and then fine chopping it. It will add a unique layer of flavor.
- Jalapeno Pepper: If jalapenos are simply too spicy hot for you, substitute with a Poblano Pepper. Simply remove the stem and some of the inner membrane and chop just as you would a green bell pepper. And speaking of bell peppers, a green, red or orange bell pepper would make a good sub here. You’ll just be missing out on the Southwestern heat.
Topping Ingredients
I like to keep the toppings fairly simple as to not over power the creamy cheese base of the cheesecake. I’ve used:
- Black Olives
- Green Onions
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cotija Cheese
Chef Tip: I like to purchase Cherub brand tomatoes. Cherubs are a variety of grape tomatoes which have a stronger outer skin and meatier, less watery flesh. They are easier to slice for salads, hold up better during cooking or roasting and are reliable year round with their mild, sweet flavor.
More Topping Ideas
Without going overboard, consider:
- Chopped avocado
- A dollop of sour cream
- A dollop of Guacamole
- Fine shredded lettuce
- Pickled Red Onions
- or even some crumbled cooked Mexican chorizo.
How to Make Mexican Cheesecake Appetizer
- Step 1: Make the tortilla chip crust. Place the tortilla chips in a food processor and using the pulse feature, grind until rough chopped. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined.
- Step 2: Press the mixture into the bottom of a springform pan. Use your hands and a small glass bowl also work well. Sprinkle on a pinch of hot chile powder (optional). Bake for 325 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Step 3: In large bowl, blend room temperature cream cheese and eggs. A whisk works well here. The mixture doesn’t have to be completely smooth in texture. A few cream cheese lumps won’t compromise the end texture.
- Step 4: Using a large spoon fold in green chile pepper, jalapeno pepper, Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
Pro Tip: Purchase good quality cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-grated cheese in bags includes additives to keep it from clumping, which will also compromise the melting factor. Grating cheese from a block of cheese will result in a creamier and more consistent melting experience. Plus, it’s less expensive.
- Step 5: Poor the cream cheese mixture on top of the crumbs in the springform pan.
- Step 6: Using a spatula, carefully spread the mix over the tortilla chips crust. The crust will be a little loose, so go slow.
- Step 7: Bake 30 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from oven and cool in pan 5 minutes. Run knife around inside edge and release the springform pan clip to remove sides from the cheesecake.
- Step 8: Garnish the Mexican cheesecake with toppings of your choice and serve with sturdy tortilla chips or crackers.
FAQ’s
That’s the beauty of this recipe. Mexican Cheesecake can be made up to a day in advance. Simply bake and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until time to use. Before serving, let the cheesecake come to room temperature for about 30 minutes to one hour. Then sprinkle with the toppings of your choice.
Yes, once it baked, let cool then cover with plastic wrap and freeze. To serve, let the cheesecake thaw overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, let the cheesecake come to room temperature for about 30 minutes to one hour. Then sprinkle with the toppings of your choice.
Storage
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 – 5 days. If you’ve topped the cheesecake with chopped avocados, remove those, they simply won’t keep. To serve leftovers, simply let the cheesecake come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Tips for Success
- Allow about 1 hour for the cream cheese to come to room temperature. This will allow mixing to be much easier.
- This Mexican Cheesecake is very soft in texture, however, serve with sturdy tortilla chips for a better experience.
Chile Cheesecake, A Mexican Cheesecake Recipe
if you’re looking for a new and exciting way to enjoy cheesecake, why not give a savory Mexican cheese cake appetizer a try? With its bold and delicious flavors, it’s sure to become a new favorite in your repertoire of appetizers.
So gather some friends, whip up a batch, and enjoy the flavors of Mexico in every bite.
More Cheesy Appetizer Recipes
- Mexican Meatballs with Queso Blanco
- Baked Cheese and Chorizo Empanadas
- Fresh Tomato Tart Recipe with Gruyere
- Queso Fundido al Tequila with Chorizo
And one of our favorites for this White Queso Recipe. A big bowl of tortilla chips never had it so good.
And if you’re looking for even more appetizer recipes, don’t miss my Appetizer Category. You’ll find lots of great finger food recipes including the most popular on my site for Mexican Shrimp Cocktail.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Chile Cheesecake, A Mexican Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cup crushed tortilla chips
- 3 Tablespoons butter melted
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 4 ounces fire roasted diced green chiles
- 1 fresh jalapeno cored, seeded and diced
- 4 ounces Colby cheese shredded
- 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- Topping Options
- ¼ Cup sour cream or crumbled cotija cheese
- ⅛ cup chopped tomatoes
- ⅛ cup chopped green onions
- ⅛ cup sliced black olives
- ½ avocado chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Place the tortilla chips in a food processor and using the pulse feature, grind until rough chopped. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined.
- Using hands or the bottom of a small glass bowl, press the mixture into the bottom of a springform pan. Sprinkle on a pinch of hot chile powder (optional). Bake for 15 minutes.
- In large bowl, blend room temperature cream cheese and eggs. A whisk works well here. The mixture doesn't have to be completely smooth in texture. A few cream cheese lumps won't compromise the end texture.
- Using a large spoon fold in green chile pepper, jalapeno pepper, Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
- Step 5: Poor the cream cheese mixture on top of the crumbs in the springform pan. Using a spatula, carefully spread the cream cheese mix over the tortilla chips crust. The crust will be a little loose, so go slow.
- Bake 30 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from oven and cool in pan 5 minutes. Run knife around inside edge and release the springform pan clip to remove sides from the cheesecake.
- Let the cheesecake cool for about 10 minutes before adding toppings.
Notes
- Allow about 1 hour for the cream cheese to come to room temperature. This will allow mixing to be much easier.
- This Mexican Cheesecake is very soft in texture, however, serve with sturdy tortilla chips for a better experience.
Nutrition
Mexican Cheesecake …It’s What’s for a crowd pleasing appetizer
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
Lea Ann, This Mexican cheesecake is a really nice way to serve up fresh tortilla chips with a round of well made margaritas. No doubt this is delicious! Also makes a really nice presentation for guests.
Velva
This cheesecake looks incredible!
We’d love to share this recipe and one of your photos on a blog I help manage for Purple Cowboy Wines (purplecowboy.com). Could we use one of the cheesecake photos with your permission? We would link directly back to this post and include your website in the post.
Thanks for your help Lea Ann!
You most certainly can! Thanks for stopping by.