This Chili Cheese Dip is a perfect dish to bring to any upcoming function you have as a “jack of all trades” appetizer. To be clear, I never claimed this to be a healthy dish to pass, but it will be talked about (and devoured). But at least it uses real cheese: no Velveeta!
A way to make this recipe a breeze is using some leftover chili (if you have any), but no worries if you don’t, the list below has the ingredients for an expedited version.
If it all goes right, you won’t have any leftover dip, but if for some reason you do, I highly recommend adding some to hot dogs, burgers, taquitos, or anything else you can think of!
As always, I will now walk through a few of the key ingredients and cooking tips to help you crush this meal and be the dinner time hero:
- Chili – I mentioned this above, but there are a few different ways you can go about this. The first is using my ingredients below and cooking an expedited version of chili. This is what I did, and it turned out amazing! You can also make whatever chili recipe you like and start with that. Lastly, if you have any frozen leftovers, that can be an easy option (and a reason to make more chili next time you do!)
- Cheeses – You read it right at the top, this dip can be made with real cheese. Clean ingredients will make your body happier, and this one has that! Now, if you want Velveeta, you can absolutely still add it (I’ll only judge a little).
- Pico de Gallo – Fresh is better, but make sure to only add it to the dip once you are ready to serve!
See below for full measurements and cooking instructions!
If you make this, please leave a comment or rate the recipe below! Also, feel free to leave a comment with anything else you want me to make! I love putting my spin on classic recipes or creating new ones!
Equipment
- High-rimmed pan
Ingredients
- For the Chili:
- ¾ lb. ground beef
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. cayenne optional
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 can pinto beans
- For the Dip:
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 2 cups sharp cheddar shredded
- 2 Tbsp. milk (I used whole)
- Pico de gallo
- Chips
Instructions
- For the chili (if you have leftovers, skip to step 7).
- In a pan, brown the beef and break it apart.
- Add in the shallot and jalapeno.
- Add the seasonings, stir and cook through.
- With a minute or two left in cooking, add the garlic.
- Once cooked through, add the pinto beans, tomato sauce, and broth. Bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Once the chili is warmed and ready, lower the heat and add the cream cheese, shredded cheese, and milk.
- Slowly stir together until it’s melted as one.
- Top with pico de gallo when ready to serve!
- Enjoy!
