Some recipes are made for fancy dinners, and some are made for the happy noise of a living room full of folks reaching for one more bite. This slow cooker chili cheese beef dip belongs squarely in that second category. It is the kind of old-fashioned party food that feels right at home at ball games, card tables, church suppers, and holiday snack spreads, built from simple store-bought ingredients and a good bit of Midwestern practicality. When you need something hot, hearty, and easy for a crowd, this creamy, beefy dip earns its keep every single time.
Set this dip out warm with sturdy tortilla chips, corn chips, pretzel bites, or toasted baguette slices for dipping. If you want to round out the snack table, serve it alongside crisp celery sticks, pickle spears, a bowl of salsa, and maybe a tray of little slider buns so folks can spoon some inside for a messy, delicious sandwich. A cold pop, iced tea, or light beer goes mighty well with it too.
Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Chili Cheese Beef Dip
Servings: 10 to 12
Ingredients
1 (1 to 1 1/2 pound) frozen block ground beef
1 (15 ounce) can stadium-style nacho cheese sauce
1 (15 ounce) can no-bean chili
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
Directions
1. Place the frozen block of ground beef in the slow cooker. Scrape the nacho cheese sauce right over the top, then add the no-bean chili and the undrained diced tomatoes with green chiles.
2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, or on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fully cooked through and easy to break apart.
3. Remove the lid and break up the beef with a sturdy spoon or potato masher. Stir everything very well until the meat is crumbled and the dip is evenly combined.
4. Cover again and cook for 15 to 30 minutes more, just until the flavors blend and the dip is hot all the way through. If it seems thicker than you like, stir in a spoonful or two of water.
5. Switch the slow cooker to WARM for serving. Stir once more and set out with chips or dippers of your choice.
Variations & Tips
Safer beef method: For best food safety and more even texture, thaw the beef in the refrigerator first or brown it in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. Then combine it with the other ingredients and heat until bubbly.
Make it spicier: Add a few spoonfuls of pickled jalapenos, a dash of hot sauce, or use a hot variety of diced tomatoes with green chiles if your crowd likes more kick.
Stretch it for a bigger crowd: You can add an extra can of chili or a brick of softened cream cheese if you want a larger batch with a creamier texture. Keep the slow cooker on warm and stir now and then so it stays smooth.
Make it supper: Spoon leftovers over baked potatoes, hot dogs, or split hamburger buns. It also makes a fine topping for tortilla chips when you want quick sheet-pan nachos.