Easy Cheesy Beef Enchilada Dip (Creamy + DELICIOUS!)

Beef Enchilada Dip is creamy, cheesy, and boasts the delicious flavor of beef enchiladas in an easy-to-make, addictive appetizer. This enchilada dip is perfect for parties, get-togethers, and game day!

If you enjoy cheesy dips, you'll also love Buffalo Chicken Dip, Hot Taco Dip, and BBQ Chicken Dip! And if you love enchiladas, you'll also want to check out Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas, and White Chicken Enchiladas!

Football season is in full swing and that means it's time for yummy game day food! Beef Enchilada Dip was inspired by one of my family's longtime favorite dips -- wait for it -- Chicken Enchilada Dip.

(That post is old, the photos are horrendous, but the recipe is delicious.) 😉

Ingredients

Beef Enchilada Dip is super easy to make. I basically took my other enchilada dip recipe and tweaked it to mimic what's typically found in beef enchiladas.

• Ground beef. Indubitably.
  • Even though this enchilada dip only calls for half a pound of ground beef, I usually buy my ground beef in 1-pound packages. So I go ahead and brown the whole pound, drain it, and then scoop half of it into a container to pop in the fridge (or freezer) for another use.
  • Alternatively, you could use an entire pound of ground beef in this recipe for a very BEEFY Beef Enchilada Dip.
  • Or double all of the other ingredients (to keep everything nice and proportional) and bake off in a bigger casserole dish. This would be the optimal choice if you're having a large-ish shin-dig.
• Diced green chiles.
• Tomato sauce + seasonings. AKA, a quick and all-natural shortcut for Homemade Enchilada Sauce! Specifically, you'll need chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chipotle chile pepper powder (if you fancy a lil' heat!), plus salt and pepper.
• Cream cheese. For the silky texture and decadent flavor so desirable in a dip.
• Shredded cheese. I usually go with a combo of sharp white and yellow cheddar, but you can use your favorite cheese. A Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, or even pepper jack would all be tasty.

How to Make Enchilada Dip

(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)

Beef Enchilada Dip is super simple to whip up. Read on for the method to the madness.

1. First, brown the ground beef in a pot.

2. Drain any grease from the cooked ground beef and then stir in the tomato sauce, the green chiles, and all of the seasonings.

3. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened and is clinging to the meat. This brief cooking time is important both to develop the "enchilada sauce" flavor and to make sure your dip doesn't end up too runny.

4. Next comes the cheese! It's fine to add the cream cheese and the shredded cheese at the same time and stir them into the beef over low heat until everything is smooth and melted. (You're only going to stir about ⅔ of your shredded cheese into the dip at this juncture and set aside the rest.)

5. Once the cheeses are fully incorporated, taste the enchilada dip mixture and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper, if desired.
6. Then spread the whole shebang into a pie plate (or similarly-sized casserole dish) and sprinkle with the reserved shredded cheese.

7. Pop in the oven until nice and melty.

I actually finished off my enchilada dip under the broiler until it was starting to turn golden brown and bubbly. If you go this route, just be sure to watch it the entire time. The broiler can do magical things, but it can also take a dish from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds.

Customize Your Enchilada Dip

Feel free to customize your Beef Enchilada Dip to your liking.

• You could stir in some black beans to give it even more substance.
• Tweak the spices or add diced jalapeño for extra heat.
• Top with diced onions or sliced black olives or fresh chopped cilantro for garnish...whatever you enjoy on your enchiladas! I'm not one to judge.

And that's it!

This Beef Enchilada Dip recipe is as scrumptious as beef enchiladas but easier to make in the form of a handy-dandy appetizer.

It's perfect for football season...or any time you're in the mood for a little chip-and-dip action!

Enjoy!

Helpful Tips, Tricks, & Equipment

• Chipotle chile pepper powder adds a smoky spiciness to this enchilada dip. You may omit it for a milder dip, increase it for more heat, or even swap it out for cayenne if that's what you've got on hand.
• If the mixture seems too thick before transferring it to the baking dish, you may add a splash of milk or beef broth to achieve your desired consistency.
• This dip would be a great way to use up leftover taco meat!
• Speaking of tacos, if you prepare this Beef Enchilada Dip recipe as directed except double the ground beef, you can spoon it into flour tortillas and garnish with slices of avocado and fresh cilantro. A little messy, but everyone will love it!

More Football-Friendly Grub

• Ultimate Bean Dip
• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Soup
• 3-Ingredient Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip
• Bacon Cheeseburger Monkey Bread

Easy Cheesy Beef Enchilada Dip (Creamy + DELICIOUS!)

Beef Enchilada Dip is creamy, cheesy, and boasts the delicious flavor of beef enchiladas in an easy-to-make, addictive dip...perfect for parties, get-togethers, and game day!

By Samantha Skaggs

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 270kcal

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Ingredients

• ½ pound ground beef
• 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ⅛ teaspoon chipotle chile pepper powder, or more to taste (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups (6 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Possible garnishes: diced onions, sliced black olives, fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
• Tortilla chips, for serving

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Set a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking apart and stirring as the meat cooks. Once the meat is browned, drain the grease from the skillet and stir in the green chiles, tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, chipotle chile pepper powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until thickened.
• Cut the cream cheese into cubes and add to the pot, along with 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Stir until all ingredients are combined and melted. Adjust to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
• Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch pie plate (or equivalent baking dish) and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, then increase the heat to broil and cook for several minutes more (watching the entire time) until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 527mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1020IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 195mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Made this recipe? I'd love to see on IG!Mention @FiveHeartHome or tag #FiveHeartHome!

Post originally published on September 25, 2018, and updated on May 25, 2020, September 24, 2020, and October 16, 2023.