At home, I try to make sure that my pantry is always stocked with tortilla chips. It’s fun to eat on its own, but even better with a dip, whether that’s salsa, guacamole, or classic chili con carne.
Today I’d like to share my recipe for a meatless and beanless chili dip. It contains three ingredients: cheddar cheese, canned chili, and cream cheese. This is, hands-down, one of the easiest recipes you’ll find here on the blog, but don’t be fooled: it’s incredibly tasty. Who knew that good chili could be so simple to make?!
If you’re hosting or attending a party for the next game day, this easy and beginner-friendly chili is the perfect appetizer! Everyone will be asking for more, so make extras.
I bake mine in the oven, but you can also cook yours in a slow cooker or over a stove top. Look for the details in the instructions!
Ingredients Needed
The three ingredients for this chili cheese dip recipe are:
- Cream cheese – 2 (8 oz) bricks of cream cheese, softened.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – 1 ½ cups of freshly shredded cheese from a brick of marble cheddar cheese. Shred the cheese yourself rather than getting the bagged type. The flavor and texture are so worth the effort!
- Beanless chili – One 15 oz can of beanless chili. I have used Hormel No Bean Chili, but any brand will work.
If you’re at the store, remember to grab a bag of tortilla chips for dipping!
How To Make Chili Cheese Dip
What we are doing in this chili cheese dip recipe is putting the ingredients together and baking it. It doesn’t get any easier than this. All it takes is a few minutes!
Read this guide if you are using a different cooking method other than baking.
- In a slow cooker: Spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Put all the ingredients in the pot, stir to combine, and cook for 1 hour on low heat setting.
- On the stove top: Spray a saucepan or deep pot with non-stick cooking spray. Stir all the ingredients together and cook on low heat, stirring constantly.
- In the oven: Use a glass pie baking dish and follow the steps below.
Step One: Spread the cream cheese in an even layer.
- Pro Tip: I use a spatula or the backside of a large spoon to spread the cream cheese evenly.
Step Two: Next, spread the beanless chili over the cream cheese. The layer of chili should also be even.
Step Three: Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the chili.
Step Four: Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes until all the cheese melts. Serve with tortilla chips. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley to make the dish look more appetizing!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make this chili with beans or without. I prefer a beanless chili dip, personally!
Pepperjack cheese, Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend are all tasty options for making a chili con carne.
The original chili dip has meat and is called chili con carne, translated from Spanish as chilies on meat. Our homemade chili cheese dip is vegetarian as it does not have any meat, but may not be suitable for vegans.
No, it's just used here as convenience to make this recipe ridiculously simple. You can absolutely use your own homemade chili. Just use about 1.5 cups homemade chili in place of the canned chili
Expert Tips
- There are two types of people in this world: those who like their chili mild and easy, and those who think “chili” isn’t really chili unless it makes your lips red. If you are the latter and prefer to have a hot chili cheese dip, adjust the spice level according to taste: add chili powder, paprika, jalapeno, or that bottle of hot sauce you already put in all your dishes. Tabasco is my go-to for a little spice!
- If you are using a crockpot or a slow cooker, make it a point to grease your pot first before putting the ingredients in. There’s a lot of cheese in this recipe, which means if any of the cheese sticks to the pot, it’ll be hard to get them off later!
- If using a crockpot or slow cooker, be sure to cook on low heat rather than on high heat – cheese burns easily.
What To Serve With This Recipe
This chili cheese dip recipe goes well with other things besides tortilla chips, such as:
- Healthy options: Cucumber sticks, baby carrots, or celery sticks
- Game day bites: Potato chips, fries/chips, crackers, or corn chips
You can also pour this dip over a plate of nachos (with olives, avocado guacamole, etc), spread it in your burrito, or have it as a condiment for fajitas or quesadillas.
Storage Instructions
If there’s any leftover chili cheese dip, simply transfer it into a container and place it in the refrigerator. It keeps well for up to 2 days, but I recommend enjoying it as soon as possible before the cheese dries out. To serve, microwave it until warm.
Chili Cheese Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 8 oz bricks of cream cheese softened
- 1½ cups marble cheddar cheese freshly grated, not bagged
- 15 oz can of beanless chili I have used Hormel No Bean Chili - but any brand will work!
- tortilla chips for dipping
Instructions
- In a glass pie dish, spread the cream cheese in an even layer (try using a spatula or the backside of a large spoon to spread!).
- Next spread the beanless chili over the cream cheese.
- Then sprinkle shredded cheese over the chili.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 min.
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