Ultimate Bean Dip

by Sabrina Snyder

Last Update:

33 Comments

5 from 14 votes
16 servings
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
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Ultimate Bean Dip is the perfect crowd-pleasing party dish that’s rich, creamy, and bursting with flavor! Ready to serve in just 5 minutes.

It’s about a month away from the big game, and I’m already gearing up for ALL the Appetizers, including Jalapeno Popper Dip and Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip. You won’t be disappointed if you make the entire day a dip party!

Sabrina’s Ultimate Bean Dip Recipe

This Bean Dip really is the ultimate go-to party or game-day dip, made with savory refried beans, cream cheese, spicy salsa, shredded cheddar, and taco seasoning. It takes almost no time at all to make, and you’ll be hard-pressed to meet someone who doesn’t like it. It’s creamy and cheesy, and goes perfectly served with tortilla chips or on top of a tray of nachos with a big dollop of sour cream.

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

Ultimate Bean Dip Recipe

Ultimate Bean Dip is the perfect crowd-pleasing party dish that's rich, creamy, and bursting with flavor! Ready to serve in just 5 minutes.
Yield 16 servings
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Author Sabrina Snyder
Pan and bowl of beans with chips
PrintRate

Ingredients
 

  • 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
  • 32 ounces refried beans
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning , (about 1 packet, if using store-bought)
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese , grated

Instructions

  • Add the ingredients to a medium saucepan together on medium heat, stirring to combine for 3-5 minutes.
  • Lower to a simmer to keep warm until ready to serve, then transfer to a serving bowl.

Video

Notes

Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 116kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 650mg | Potassium: 92mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 303IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 1mg

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Chef’s Notes

This bean dip is the perfect base to work from and there are so many different ways to add flavor! Add cayenne pepper, diced jalapeños, or hot salsa to make this dip spicier. Top with pickled jalapeño slices for garnish. You could also add a squeeze of fresh lime juice to brighten up the flavor of this dip. Add an even deeper flavor by sautéing chopped onion and garlic with a tablespoon of olive oil for 3-4 minutes, then adding in all other ingredients and stirring together. However you choose to flavor, this dip has lots of potential!

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About this Recipe

You can garnish this bean dip recipe with chopped green onions, chives, or cilantro. It adds a really nice pop of color to the brown dip. This dip will take you a total of five minutes to throw together, but you could also prep this the day before, because it is one less thing to do on the day of a party. If you want a spicier dip, stir in ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and top with sliced jalapeños. You will never want to go back to store-bought dip again!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Substitute the refried beans for pureed white beans to make a white bean dip recipe.
  • Use this as one of the layers in a seven-layer bean dip.
  • If you don’t have taco seasoning, add a ½ teaspoon each of cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Any traditional Tex-Mex flavors will work well.
  • To cut some of the calories, use Neufchatel cheese instead of cream cheese, and low-fat refried beans and cheese.
  • If you don’t have cream cheese, substitute it with sour cream. Keep in mind that your dip won’t be quite as thick with this substitution.

How to Store

  • Serve: This Bean Dip can be left at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or kept warm in a small crock pot for up to 4 hours.
  • Store: Bean Dip should be sealed in an airtight container and refrigerated for 3-4 days.
  • Freeze: This dip can definitely be frozen, just wrap tightly and freeze for 2-3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator a few hours before you’re ready to serve, or heat it on the stove or in the microwave and stir before serving. Serve with fresh tortilla chips.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you make Bean Dip ahead?

I’ve made this dip the day before many times and have never had an issue. Just seal it tightly and refrigerate until you’re ready. Then warm it back up on the stove for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, before serving.

How do you make Bean Dip in the slow cooker?

Add everything to the slow cooker and stir together. Cook on low for 2-3 hours, or until cheese is melted and dip is hot. Stir, then top with extra shredded cheese and serve.

What should I serve with Ultimate Bean Dip?

Try serving Bean Dip with tortilla chips, pretzels, crackers, sliced bell peppers, nachos, or Fritos.

More Appetizers to Impress Your Guests

Bowl of creamy bean dip, garnished with shredded cheese and herbs. Served with tortilla chips.

Photo used in a previous version of this post.

Bean and Cheese Dip Pin image collage
Bean and Cheese Dip in serving bowl with chips
Bean and Cheese Dip in a pan being stirred
Bean and Cheese Dip on a chip
Bean and Cheese Dip Collage
Bean and Cheese Dip in serving bowl with chips
Bean and Cheese Dip prep Collage

About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. This is the best bean dip ever! Took it to an event and got rave reviews. Going to make again and use it to make beef and bean burritos and maybe add to my enchiladas!

    Reply

  2. The best last minute appetizer! I needed to make something quick for a get together and found this and it was so good! There wasn’t any left by the end of the end.

    Reply

  3. Never thought bean dip is a great dip recipe! I was impressed with its flavors. Will surely have this on repeat.

    Reply

  4. Never been disappointed with this bean dip! It’s been on our game day dips list. So easy and simple yet so satisfying. HIghly recommended!

    Reply

  5. just did the math. If I bought this much canned bean dip it would have been 32$. This was way better and at a fraction of the cost.

    Reply

  6. Yummy!
    I added some pickled jalapeños and some black olives, I highly recommend! I’ll definitely be adding this to the recipe book.

    Reply

  8. Over the past year this has been my go to recipe for get togethers, always a hit. I am constantly passing on the recipe. IF there are leftovers I spread it on my soft tacos then put a hard taco with all the fixings in the middle

    Reply

  11. So good! I am sure you hear this all the time but I am new to your site. I love that you have really easy delicious recipes and really love the tips! I get recipes all day long from sites I am a member of but this one by far is the best. Thanks!

    Reply

  12. This was super simple to make and incredibly delicious!! I definitely would make this over getting the store bought any day!! Recipe is a keeper! Thanks so much!!

    Reply

  14. Bean dip JUST saved me when i had to immediately prepare something for sudden guests. Thank u so much Sabrina.

    Reply

  19. Made this for the last Bears game and every bit of it disappeared. You can’t go wrong with bean dip for the big game.

    Reply