This quick and easy warm bean dip recipe is a real crowd-pleaser. It consists of creamy refried beans mixed with cream cheese, sour cream, green chiles, taco seasoning, and plenty of melted Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese.
It is perfect for game day parties, movie nights, and neighborhood shindigs. I love to serve it with garlic parmesan chicken wings, little smokies, and ham and cheese pinwheels.
This Warm Bean Dip is easy to fix, and everyone loves it. I love to top it with sliced jalapenos, green onions, and tomatoes right down the center of the dip. Since it is a hardy dip, I like to serve good, sturdy tortilla chips, celery, and carrots with this recipe.
Spread leftover dip on quesadillas or burritos, spoon some in a fajita bowl, or serve it as a side dish with some of my favorite Mexican recipes, such as chicken soft tacos, queso dip, and cilantro rice.
Ingredient Notes
These are special notes on some ingredients. Please see the full list on the recipe card below.
- I prefer full-fat cream cheese, refried beans, and sour cream. I think it tastes better and is slightly creamier.
- Homemade taco seasoning is flavor-packed and so easy to make.
- I like to use both Monterey Jack cheese and cheddar cheese, but a Mexican blend works well too!
How To Make Warm Bean Dip
This is the nutshell version. See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and instructions.
Melt the cream cheese in a large skillet over very low heat. Stir in the refried beans, sour cream, taco seasoning, green chiles, a few pinches of ground cayenne or other spicy spices (to taste), and a little bit of Monterey Jack and cheddar. Spoon it into a large baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.
Finally, bake to gooey perfection, and if desired, cut some of your favorite toppings and spread them out to make that dip look delicious and fancy. Serve promptly with sturdy tortilla chips or mini bell peppers!
Preparation Tips and Storage
- You can use traditional refried beans or fat-free refried beans. They both work out well and are delicious.
- For optimal flavor, we prefer the full-fat cream cheese and sour cream in this dip for optimal flavor. But if you are on a low-fat diet, you can use the others; they blend well and taste good.
- For even more flavor, make homemade taco seasoning.
- Customize it with your favorite toppings, such as tomatoes, red onions, guacamole, jalapenos, Pico de Gallo, green onions, and cilantro.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
Recipe Variations
- Replace the green chiles with minced jalapenos or serrano peppers.
- Swap the cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack Cheese for Pepper Jack Cheese or a Mexican blend cheese.
- Add 1/2 cup salsa or drained Rotel tomatoes to the bean mixture.
- Add cooked seasoned ground beef or chicken for extra protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can make this recipe up to two days in advance. Prep up to the point of baking, but don’t bake. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Remove the dish from the refrigerator 30-40 minutes before baking and warm it to room temperature. Bake as directed.
Make this dip in a crock pot and keep it warm for hours for all your party guests. Instead of spooning it into a baking dish, spoon it into a crock pot and top with the remaining cheese. Heat it on low for 2 hours.
More Party Dips
Warm Cheesy Bean Dip
Ingredients
- 1 (8 ounce) can package cream cheese
- 2 (16 ounce) can refried beans
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 taco Seasoning packet either mild or hot
- 1 (7-ounce) can chopped green chiles
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper to taste
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1 jalapeno thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
- Melt the cream cheese in a large skillet over very low heat. Stir in the refried beans, sour cream, taco seasonings, green chiles, ground cayenne pepper, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese; cook until smooth and slightly melted. Spoon into a 9×13 casserole dish and top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
- Shred your own block of cheese. It is so much tastier and does not contain cellulose.
- You can use traditional refried beans or fat-free refried beans. They both work out well and are delicious.
- For optimal flavor, we prefer the full-fat cream cheese and full-fat sour cream in this dip. But by all means, if you are on a low-fat diet, you can certainly use the others, and they will blend well and taste good.
- If you don’t have taco seasoning, try making your own with chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Use good sturdy chips for this recipe, as it is a really hearty dip with lots of gusto.
- Top with tomatoes, red onions, guacamole, jalapenos, black olives, green onions, and cilantro.
- Make this recipe up to 2 days in advance. Prep up to the point of baking but don’t bake. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. 30-40 minutes prior to baking, remove the dish from the refrigerator and warm it to room temperature. Bake as directed.
- This Warm Bean Dip recipe makes a lot, so if it is just you and the family for movie night, then you may want to cut this recipe in half.
- Make this dip in a crock pot and keep it warm for hours for all your party guests.
Nutrition
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Angela
I love your recipes they are tasty and easy step instructions make em full proof. I am not seeing as many of your recipes as I used to on Facebook . And signed to follow you here on Pinterest but not seeing many recipes here. Anyway I catch one here and there. Thank you for recipes I have saved and tried.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Angela! I am so glad that you like my recipes. Unfortunately Facebook and Pinterest are favoring AI so no one is seeing many real blogger recipes.
Sandy
Sounds so good. Already have my Super Bowl menu planned, but will try this another time. Do you think it could be done start-to-finish (prep, bake, and serve) in a cast iron skillet?
Beth Pierce
Yes but I would not prep to far ahead of time in a cast iron skillet. Cast irons just don’t do too well with food sitting in there too long.
Jill
Just made this for a New Year’s Day party. So good and easy to make which is a big plus! Everyone asked me for the recipe. Will definitely be making this one again!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Jill! Happy New Year!
Stephanie
I love bean dip! It’s quite possibly one of my very favorites. You make yours a bit different than mine, so I can’t wait to give this version a try.
Vickie Rampelbergh
Wow !!! Beth : this is gonna be my next , Family Get together , Football – Birthday Party or > what ever Party
I haven’t made Bean Dip in several – yrs …Lots of FINE Ingredients in this recipe ,YummO”
Thanks for Posting
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Vickie! I hope you enjoy the dip!
Tammy
Oooh I love warm dips! This sounds delicious and looks so good 😀 I have to make this over the weekend when company comes over.
Rhian Westbury
I bet this would be so good with nachos. I don’t eat a lot of beans but this combination sounds really good x