Description
A creamy, cheesy, and perfectly spicy black bean dip made in the slow cooker. It’s the ultimate game day appetizer that disappears every time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
- 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Rotel), undrained
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish (optional)
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Prep the beans: Open both cans of black beans, pour them into a colander, and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Let them drain while you work on everything else.
- Sweat the aromatics: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon). Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until it becomes translucent and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and diced jalapeño, and cook for another minute until you can smell the garlic. Remove from heat.
- Soften the cream cheese: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and sour cream. Stir with a spatula until smooth and well-combined.
- Layer in the slow cooker: Spray the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Start by spreading half of the black beans in an even layer on the bottom. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the beans and spread it gently. Add the sautéed onion, garlic, and jalapeño mixture. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over everything.
- Add the tomatoes and spices: Pour the undrained can of diced tomatoes with green chilies over the top. Sprinkle the cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne (if using), and a pinch of salt and pepper. Give everything a gentle stir, but don’t overmix.
- Top with remaining beans and cheese: Add the remaining black beans on top, then sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese over everything.
- Cook low and slow: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 2 hours, or on HIGH for 1 hour. Do not lift the lid during the first hour of cooking.
- Finish and serve: Once the dip is hot and the cheese is fully melted, squeeze the juice of one lime over the top and stir it in. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or cayenne if needed. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. Switch the slow cooker to the ‘Warm’ setting for serving.
Notes
Don’t skip the sauté step for the aromatics. Shred your own cheese for smoother melting. Start with less cayenne than you think you need; you can always add more at the end. The dip thickens as it cools.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 520
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 12
Keywords: black bean dip, cheesy dip, spicy dip, game day dip, slow cooker dip, appetizer, party dip