3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip is such an easy and delicious appetizer that everyone will love! Cream cheese, canned chili, and shredded cheese are all you need and this dip will last seconds as everyone digs in!
There is nothing I love more than a good appetizer waiting on friends to come over for the night! I am pretty positive I could have a whole food blog just centered around easy appetizer ideas. It is because everyone loves a good cheesy app like Kentucky style beer cheese dip or Baked chorizo cheese dip. Oh man, or even Spinach and artichoke dip in a bread bowl - we have been eating that like crazy around here recently!
This chili and cream cheese dip has been around since I was in middle school. Some friends of ours Mom made this for us all the time. I had never had anything like it and requested it all the time when we went to their house. All of us kids would sit around the table with a bag of chips burning our tongues on the hot dip because we couldn't wait for it to cool before we dug in.
I have been making this for years ever since. It's made with only 3 ingredients and in 20 minutes - this chili bean dip is going to be your new baked dip go-to - let me show you how to make it step by step!
Key Ingredient Notes
- Cream Cheese - use full-fat cream cheese.
- Canned Chili - this original recipe uses Hormel canned chili. I always use the version with beans, but you can use the no-bean kind - up to your personal preference! See below for different variations and substitutions.
- Monterey Jack Cheese - I prefer to buy a block of cheese and grate it myself. I think the couple of minutes it takes to do this is worth it.
How to Make
STEP FIVE: Remove from the oven and enjoy hot and fresh! This is a great Cheese dip for chips - we love the Great Value Chili Garlic tortilla chips in our home....they are the best!
If you don't have a can of Hormel chili (or don't like it), you have a couple of different options:
- You can use a different brand of canned chili - one that you like or prefer
- If it is during the colder months and you have leftover homemade chili, this is a great use for it!
- I have also done this with taco meat for a different spin on this baked dip.
The same goes with the cheese, I always use Monterey jack, but good melty cheese like cheddar and Colby Jack are great options.
PRO TIP - I always prefer to buy a block of cheese and grate it myself rather than using bagged pre-shredded cheese. Skip out on all those anti-caking agents on pre-shredded cheese. The extra 2 minutes it takes to shred your own I think make a difference in taste and texture.
Recipe
20-Minute Baked Cream Cheese & Chili Dip
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 1x
Description
3 Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip is such an easy and delicious appetizer that everyone will love! Cream cheese, canned chili, and shredded cheese are all you need and this dip will last seconds as everyone digs in!
Ingredients
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese - softened
- 1 - 15 Ounce Canned Hormel Chili*
- 2 Cups Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread the softened cream cheese into a pie dish.
- Pour the canned chili over the cream cheese and spread out evenly.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes (until the cheese is melted and bubbly).
- Remove from the oven and enjoy hot with chips.
Notes
- *You can use your favorite brand of canned chili if you do not have Hormel, leftover homemade chili , or taco meat if a different version.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 spoonfil
- Calories: 236
- Sugar: 1.6 g
- Sodium: 438 mg
- Fat: 17.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.4 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 12.6 g
- Cholesterol: 46.4 mg
Andrea James says
I made this in a 8*8” pan and doubled the recipe. It was delicious but it was not firm. It was runny. What did I do wrong? Should I have cooked longer? The top was set, pretty and golden but when I got a scoop to put on my plate it was like loose chili. Help me out
Heather Bilyeu says
Oh no! I am sorry. The chili doesn't set up and get thicker so this recipe needs to be made in thin layers. If doubling next time, I would use a 9x13 pan. That way you get a thin layer of cream cheese, chili, and the cheese without overcooking the top layer. The chili will still be chili consistency but more scoopable since it is thiner if that makes sense. Thanks for asking this question - I will update the post to include this helpful tip!
Andrea James says
Thank You! I will try that next time!