Easy Hot Bean Dip

Hot bean dip, or Mexican bean dip, is a popular choice for potlucks and get-togethers. It’s also an excellent option for game-day parties. Everyone loves it!

It’s thick and creamy and has loads of flavor from the beans, salsa, and green onions. It’s surprisingly filling, too, especially for a meatless dish. (Thanks, refried beans!) 

You can serve hot bean dip with freshly baked tortilla chips or a bag of Fritos. Your guests will devour it either way.

After all, the chips pale in comparison to the yummy dip! 

Hot Bean Dip 

Don’t want to use your hot bean dip as an appetizer? Serve it as a slightly indulgent and delicious side dish instead. 

It pairs well with many South of the Border dishes like tacos, burritos, and enchiladas. 

However you serve it, you’ll love this Mexican bean dip. It comes together quickly with minimal effort and a few staple ingredients. 

The oven does all the hard work. The most demanding thing is opening a few packages and stirring vigorously. Now, that’s my kind of recipe. 

Ingredients 

This recipe for Mexican bean dip uses 10 simple ingredients. Here’s what you need: 

• Cream cheese – Set the cream cheese out beforehand so it’ll be soft and easy to work with. Also, stick to full-fat cream cheese in a block for the best flavor and texture. 

• Sour cream – Some people make this dip with only cream cheese as the base. However, the cream cheese and sour cream combined provide the silkiest texture. Sour cream also adds a lot of flavor. 

• Refried beans – You need two cans of beans, and don’t go with a cheap brand. The beans make up a large portion of the dip, so they must taste great. 

• Cheese – This recipe uses a mixture of Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Add half the cheese to the dip itself. Then, use the other half to top it for an extra cheesy finish. 

• Green onions – I could add green onions to almost anything, but they’re especially yummy in this recipe. 

• Dried parsley – Parsley works great. However, you can use cilantro for a more robust Mexican flavor. 

• Taco seasoning – Pick up your favorite brand, or use my Taco Bell seasoning recipe to make your own. 

• Salsa – Pay attention to whether you’re getting mild, medium, or hot. Avoid hot if you’re spice-averse. 

• Hot pepper sauce – This ingredient also adds a noticeable amount of heat. Use more or less of it to suit your tastes. 

How to Make Hot Bean Dip 

Here’s how to make this quick and easy dip: 

1. Get everything ready. Set out all the ingredients, measuring those that need to be measured. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Make the dip. Blend the cream cheese and sour cream first. Then, add all the other ingredients, reserving half of each cheese variety for a topping. 

3. Assemble the dip. Spread the dip evenly in an 8 x 12-inch baking dish. Top it with the remaining half of each cheese variety. 

4. Bake it. Bake it in the preheated oven for about 20 to 30 minutes. 

5. Serve it. Serve it alongside a meal or with your favorite dippers. Enjoy! 

Tips for the Best Bean Dip 

Here are a few tips to make this dip even easier: 

• Freshly shred the cheese. Freshly shredded cheese doesn’t contain any anti-caking agents. Therefore, it melts better and tastes fresher. 

• Use the Crockpot for convenience. Mix all the ingredients except the cheese to make this dip in a Crockpot. Then, layer half the dip in the Crockpot and top it with half the cheese.
• Then, add the rest of the dip topped with the remaining cheese. Cook it for 2 to 3 hours on low power. This is also a great way to prepare and serve the dip at parties. You can keep it warm the whole time. 

• Add lime. Squeeze a bit of lime juice over the dip to brighten its flavor. 

Variations 

This dip tastes phenomenal as is, but here are a few ideas for tweaking the flavor: 

• Cut back on calories. I typically use full-fat ingredients. If you’re calorie-conscious, you can make plenty of substitutes. Look for low-fat cheeses, sour cream, cream cheese, and beans. You can also find low-sodium salsa and taco seasoning if necessary! 

• Add garnishes to suit your tastes. Top the dip with whatever you like: tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, jalapenos, and more. 

• Make ingredient substitutions. Prefer Rotel to salsa? No problem! Make the switch. Have cheeses you like better than Cheddar or Monterey Jack? Swap them out! Want cilantro instead of parsley? Add cilantro to your heart’s content! 

• Add meat. Mix in some seasoned ground beef or shredded chicken for more protein. Just be sure to cook the meat before adding it to the recipe. 

Serving Suggestions 

The best way to serve hot bean dip is with homemade tortilla chips. You can also serve it with pita chips, pretzels, pretzel bites, or other dippers. 

It also makes a good side dish for Mexican or Tex-Mex meals, such as: 

• Taco casserole
• Taco lasagna
• Mexican pizza
• Quesadillas
• Fiesta lime chicken
• Cowboy meatloaf

Make Ahead and Storage

Hot bean dip tastes better on day 2, as the flavors have had time to meld. That makes it an excellent make-ahead dish. 

To Make Ahead: Mix all of the ingredients except the cheese. Then, wrap the bowl tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. 

Mix half the cheese into the dip when you’re ready to bake it. Then, spread the dip in the baking dish, top with the remaining cheese, and bake.

To Store: Store leftover bean dip in an air-tight container in the fridge. It should last for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. 

To Thaw and Reheat: Let the frozen bean dip thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating it. To reheat it, spoon the portions into microwave-safe bowls. Microwave it on high power for 2 minutes.