This warm, cheesy black bean dip recipe is spicy and smoky, with chipotle peppers and loads of Mexican flavors. It's quick too—ready in 15 minutes!
There's nothing better than a skillet full of spicy, cheesy black bean and cheese dip with Mexican and southwest flavors, especially when it's made all in one skillet in 15 minutes!
This dip is made with whole black beans right from the can, so it has a hearty, satisfying texture. Big slices of garlic soften and sweeten as they cook, balancing out the spiciness, and most of the ingredients are probably in your pantry right now!
If you love black beans recipes, try Mexican Black Beans or One Pot Chicken Thighs with Rice and Black Beans.
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Cheesy black bean dip ingredients
- Canned black beans: Use your favorite brand of whole black beans for this dip. For this recipe, we'll rinse the canned beans before using.
- Chipotles in adobo: These are smoked and dried jalapeños that are canned with sauce made from tomatoes, vinegar and spices. This is where most of the heat in the recipe originates. Yes, I only call for one chile in this recipe, but don't be annoyed with me. Once you open the can, you can keep the rest in the fridge for some time, or in the freezer for quite a long time. In fact, I pulled the one I used for this recipe from the freezer.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: I really do think you need the very cheesy flavor of sharp cheddar cheese, mild cheddar just doesn't cut through the black beans and spices in the dip.
- Tomato paste: This will be the base of our spicy sauce.
- Garlic and olive oil: We're using LOADS of garlic, softening it up in olive oil first, so that the flavor permeates the sauce. Yum.
- Hot water: To stretch the sauce so it coats everything evenly.
- Cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne: These are the spices we'll use to add heat, aroma, and smokiness.
How to make cheesy black bean dip
Adapted from the nytimes Cheesy, Spicy Black Bean Bake recipe by Ali Slagle.
Step 1: Grate the cheese and slice the garlic
Heat the oven to 475 degrees F.
Use a good chef's knife to thinly slice the garlic.
Grate the cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater. I'm a big believer in grating your own cheese. It's creamier and it melts better because it doesn't have those anti-caking agents in pre-grated cheese.
I use my KitchenAid box grater several times a week. But if you have no time for me on this one, pre-grated cheese is fine. We are, after all, trying to keep things easy here.
Step 2: Make the spicy garlic chipotle sauce
In an oven-proof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and let it sizzle for 1 - 2 minutes, until it's getting fragrant and translucent and just beginning to brown.
Clear a spot in the pan and add the cumin and paprika, stir them into some of the oil and let them bloom for 30 seconds. This is called blooming the spices and it's important, see the tips section below.
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Add the tomato paste and smoosh it around and let it sizzle for a minute, then stir to combine all the ingredients in the pan and add a pinch of salt.
Step 3: Add the whole black beans
Add the canned black beans and the hot water and stir all the ingredients together. Season to taste with salt.
Step 4: Add the cheddar cheese and bake
Top the black beans with cheese and bake the dip in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and the cheese has melted.
Expert tips
- Blooming the spices is important: When you let the spices sizzle in oil for a bit—a technique known as blooming spices—it wakes up their flavors, infuses the oil, and softens them so they blend completely into the dish without adding any gritty texture.
- You can slice the garlic how you want: If you don't want to take the time to slice the garlic thinly, you can just mince it. Keep in mind that it will probably cook a little faster when minced.
- Skillet size can vary: I tested this recipe in both a 10-inch and a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Although the original nytimes cheesy black bean bake recipe recommended a 10-inch skillet, I saw no real difference between the two, so use what you got!
How to store
- To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing.
- To reheat: Reheat in the microwave until warmed through, the cheese will blend into the black bean dip a bit more instead of remaining on top, but it will be just as cheesy and delicious!
Variations
- Swap out the chipotle chilis: Eliminate the chipotle chilis and tomato paste and add tomatillo salsa and diced fresh jalapeños.
- Use Mexican cheese blend instead of cheddar: Any good melting cheese will work here, and the Mexican blend of cheddar and Monterey jack would be my go-to substitution.
- Mash the beans: If you want a different, creamier texture, smash some of the black beans with a fork or the back of a wooden spoon before you put the dip in the oven to bake.
- Use different beans: Yes! You can use kidney beans or pinto beans in place of the black beans.
What to serve with cheesy black bean dip
For dipping purposes, serve with tortilla chips, crusty bread, or crackers, This warm black bean dip recipe also makes a great appetizer along with other Mexican recipes, so enjoy it with Chicken Enchiladas Suizas or Baja Shrimp Tacos, and sip a Mezcal Margarita!
FAQ
If you don't like it quite so spicy—or if you have a divided household on that fact—you can eliminate the cayenne, or the chipotle, or both, and those spicy-lovers can zhuzh it up with hot sauce once it comes out of the oven.
Traditional Mexican toppings like sour cream, fresh jalapeños, avocado crema, or cilantro are great choices.
More dip recipes
If you love dip recipes as much as I do, you'll want to try some of these!
- Dill Pickle Dip is creamy, cheesy and ready in literally 5 minutes!
- Elote Dip, also called Mexican street corn dip, is my favorite when fresh summer corn is in season.
- Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Dip is baked in the oven until warm and caramelized.
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip uses jarred red peppers and it's super quick.
This cheesy black bean dip is spicy, warm, smoky and so quick!
- Uses canned black beans for quick cooking.
- Made all in one skillet.
- Ready in 15 minutes.
- Chipotle chilis give it a smoky, spicy flavor.
- It's gluten-free and vegetarian.
- Makes a great dip for game day, Halloween parties, or movie night.
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Recipe
Cheesy Black Bean Dip
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Ingredients
- 28 ounces canned black beans two 14 oz cans
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic
- ½ cup boiling water
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- pinch cayenne
- 1 chipotle in adobo
- kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Grate the cheddar cheese, slice the garlic cloves thinly.
- Heat the oil in a 10 or 12-inch oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic cloves and swirl them around in the oil for 1 - 2 minutes, until they are fragrant and translucent, just beginning to brown.
- Clear a spot in the pan and add the cumin and paprika, stir them into some of the oil and let the spices bloom for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and smoosh it around and let it sizzle for a minute, then stir to combine all the ingredients in the pan and season with a pinch of salt.
- Add the black beans and the boiling water and stir all the ingredients together. Season the beans to taste with salt.
- Top with the cheese and place in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and cheese has melted. Serve with tortillas or corn chips, and optional toppings like sour cream, jalapeños, avocados, or cilantro.
Notes
- Yes, I only call for one chile in this recipe, but don't be annoyed with me. Once you open the can, you can keep the rest in the fridge for some time, or in the freezer for quite a long time. In fact, I pulled the one I used for this recipe from the freezer.
- I tested this recipe in both a 10-inch and a 12-inch Lodge cast iron skillet. Although the original author recommended a 10-inch skillet, I saw no real difference between the two, so use what you got!
- I prefer to grate my own cheese on most occasions. It tends to melt better and have a creamier texture, because you don't have those anti-caking agents found in pre-grated cheese. I use my KitchenAid box grater and I love it. But if you have no time for me on this one, I get it. Pre-grated cheese works fine.
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