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Bubbly and hot, Chili Cheese Dip is made with two types of cheese, beef, tomatoes, black beans, and taco seasoning and topped with diced avocado for an amazing appetizer. If you’re looking for party food that everyone will enjoy, I highly recommend serving this for your next event or gathering!
This Chili Cheese Dip recipe has everything you could want in a game day or holiday snack – savory flavors, hearty beef, and lots of gooey cheese!
Whether you’ve got family over to watch Sunday sports or you’re spending time with friends for happy hour at home, try whipping up this crowd-pleasing app.
It’s easy to make in one skillet, and you can even keep it warm in a small slow cooker. Serve with tortilla chips or Fritos, and you’re good to go!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- So delicious: The flavors of this cheese dip are to die for. All of your guests will be asking for the recipe!
- Easy: Making this is so easy. You only need about 20 minutes tops. Plus, if you’re serving at an event or party, you can easily keep it warm in your crockpot.
- A crowd favorite: Everyone will love this appetizer and will come for seconds. We recommend making a double batch if you are entertaining a crowd.
Ingredients needed
This delicious chili cheese dip has a cheesy, beefy base, with two different types of cheese, hearty mix-ins, and a pop of fresh avocado on top that you’ll love. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Beef: Feel free to use any ground meat that you prefer. We like lean ground beef, but ground turkey or ground bison would work great.
- Taco seasoning: You’ll need 2 tbsp of taco seasoning for delicious bold flavor. Use store-bought or make homemade taco seasoning.
- Tomatoes: We typically choose fire-roasted tomatoes for recipes like this for a nice smoky flavor. You could even sub with Rotel or any canned mix of diced tomatoes and green chiles.
- Black beans: For a boost of fiber and heartiness! Other beans can be used, like pinto beans or kidney beans.
- Cream cheese: For maximum creaminess!
- Mexican cheese. Shredded Mexican cheese works great here, but feel free to use sharp cheddar cheese, white American cheese, or pepper jack cheese.
- Avocado: Adding the diced avocado on top gives this dish a pop of color, freshness, and extra flavor.
How to make this recipe
Follow just a few easy steps, and you’ll be serving up this delicious cheesy appetizer in no time! Here’s the simple method:
- Brown the beef: Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the meat, mincing it with a wooden spoon.
- Add spices, tomatoes, and beans: Sprinkle with the seasonings and once it starts to brown, add diced tomatoes and beans. Cook, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Mix in cheeses: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream cheese, and Mexican cheese. Allow the cheese to melt, stirring occasionally.
- Serve: Remove from heat and sprinkle with diced avocado. Enjoy warm with corn chips.
Expert Tips
- Want a spicy dip? For a bit of heat, add sliced jalapeño on top or cook minced jalapeño with the beef. You could even add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Crockpot version: To slow cook this, brown the meat and then add all of the ingredients, except the avocado to a slow cooker and cook on high for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Garnish: If we’re serving this at a party, we like to top it with fresh herbs, like chives, parsley, and/or cilantro for presentation, but that’s completely optional.
Frequently asked questions
We love this with tortillas, corn, or pita chips. It’s also great with corn tortillas, bagel chips, sweet peppers, or baby carrots.
Most cheese will work for this dip. We love a Mexican blend, cheddar cheese, or even Colby cheese. However, to get the best melty consistency, it’s best to grate your own cheese from a block. Bags of pre-shredded cheese are often coated in anti-caking agents and they don’t melt as well.
This dip will start to get harder as it cools down. You can avoid this by serving it immediately, while it’s still hot. I like to serve this in a small slow cooker in a low or warm setting, to keep it nice and warm.
Storage & reheating
- Storing leftovers: Kept refrigerated, in an airtight container, this cheesy dip will last for about 5 days. It’s a great make-ahead recipe too! Once all the flavors really have a chance to meld and marry together it gets even tastier.
- Reheating: Leftovers can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave. Add a splash of milk if it’s overly thick.
More appetizer recipes to try
- Baked Brie with Pomegranate
- Crispy Baked Coconut Shrimp
- Olive Coated Cheeseball
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- How to Make a Cheese Board
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Chili Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 1 lb minced beef
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 1/2 cup diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temp
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- 1 hass avocado, diced
- Optional: Corn chips, for serving
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the meat, mincing it with a wooden spoon.
- Sprinkle with the seasonings and once it starts to brown, add diced tomatoes and beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream cheese, and Mexican cheese. Allow the cheese to melt, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and sprinkle with diced avocado. Serve warm with corn chips.
Notes
- Storing: Kept refrigerated, in an airtight container, this will last for about 5 days.
- Reheating: Leftovers can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave. Add a splash of milk if the dip is overly thick.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
