Southwest Corn Dip (Cold Corn Dip)

This Southwest Corn Dip is the perfect cool and refreshing summer snack! This quick and easy appetizer is made with a creamy base then loaded up with sweet corn, Monterey jack cheese, and chopped green chiles. It’s creamy, cheesy, tangy, and oh so delicious. Serve your corn dip with Fritos, tortilla chips, or fresh veggies for the best appetizer or snack!

this Recipe

Cheesy Corn Dip – The EASY Way!

This creamy and cheesy Southwest corn dip is about to be your new favorite appetizer. It’s one of those recipes that has everyone you serve it to asking where they can find the recipe.

Yes. It’s that good.

A simple, no-cook appetizer that’s super fast to make, perfect for sharing, and loaded up with so much delicious flavor. You’re going to love it!

If you are looking for a corn dip that is not creamy, check out our Corn Salsa recipe here!

Why I LOVE this recipe!

• Simple ingredients. This dip requires just 5 main ingredients.
• No Cooking Required – About as easy as it gets!
• Quick and easy. A simple appetizer that requires just 5 minutes of hands-on time. Just dump, stir, and chill.
• Crowd pleaser. Whip this fiesta corn dip up for your next party and just watch how fast it disappears!
• Perfect Poolside! This cold corn dip is great at a party, or on a warm day where a cool dip filled with flavor can really hit the spot.

What to Serve with Corn Dip

Since this dish has the classic Southwest flavors, it will pair well with many of your favorite classic dippers. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.

Dippers

• Chips: Try it with Fritos, tortilla chips, or even pita chips.
• Veggies: Serve it with peppers, mini peppers, celery, carrots, broccoli, etc.
• Crackers: Try Ritz crackers or club crackers.
• Tortillas

You can choose one or a few dippers to give your party guests options!

Recipe Notes

This fiesta corn dip recipe is as simple as promised! Just 25 minutes for a family friendly appetizer.

In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use when making this recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.

Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Corn – You can use two cans of Southwest-style corn, Mexi-style corn, or whole kernel corn. If you don’t have canned corn or prefer not to use it, frozen corn will work too. Just be sure to thaw it first! If you decide to use frozen corn, you will need roughly three cups.
  
• Chopped Green Chiles – The chopped green chiles give the dip the perfect amount of flavor and add a little bit of texture. Don’t worry, these green chiles aren’t spicy, but they do add a lot of great southwest flavor to the corn dip.
  
• Mayonnaise – I use regular mayonnaise, but you could use light mayo if preferred. Keep in mind that the texture and flavor won’t be quite the same.
  
• Sour Cream – As with the mayonnaise, I like to stick to full-fat sour cream. However, if you want to lighten your dip up, you can use light sour cream or even plain Greek yogurt.
  
• Monterey Jack Cheese – I use a block of shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Hand shredded your cheese will always work best if you have the time since it don’t have the anti-caking agent on it that preshredded cheese does. This allows it to fully incorporate in the dish and have more flavor.If you like a little bit of heat, swap it out for pepper jack instead!
  
• Optional Garnishes – Finish your dip off with a sprinkle of chopped green onion and additional shredded Monterey jack cheese right before serving for the perfect presentation.

Recipe Tips

1. Drain the corn. Whether you’re using canned corn or thawed frozen corn, it’s important to drain the liquid or your dip will be watery.
   
2. Grate your own cheese. I like to use a block of Monterey jack that I grate fresh for this dip. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with an anti-caking agent that doesn’t have that same creamy texture. Shredding your own cheese allows the cheese to really meld into the dip as it chills in the fridge.
   
3. Chill for at least 20 minutes. I recommend a minimum of 20 minutes, but if you have more time to let the dip chill, then use it. You can even make it a day or two ahead of time to really let all of those flavors come together.

Recipe Short Cuts

If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help you get ahead!

• Shred the cheese in advance – You can get ahead on some of the prep by shredding your block of cheese in advance. Just store it in a ziplock bag or airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
  
• Make it ahead of time – Get ahead on the entire assembly by simply making your dip 1-2 days before you plan to serve it and storing it in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, top it off with additional shredded cheese and the green onions, then dig in.

Corn Dip Variations

If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!

• Corn Dip with Rotel – Swap the plain green chiles out for a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chiles for a little extra flavor and texture.
• Jalapeño Corn Dip – Give your dip a kick of heat and some added crunch by mixing in diced jalapeño.
• Spicy Corn Dip – Spice your creamy corn dip up with a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce and some chopped pickled jalapenos.
• Bean and Corn Dip – Want a heartier dip? Try adding a scoop of black beans.

Creamy Corn Dip Leftovers

If you have leftovers after making this corn dip recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save well, and can be eaten or snacked on throughout the week.

To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:

• in the refrigerator for 3-4 days

More Appetizer Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!

You can check out all of my appetizer recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite dip recipes below.

• Chicken Fajita Dip
• Green Chile Dip
• Tomato Feta Dip
• Loaded Taco Dip
• Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Rolls
• Cheesy Refried Bean Dip
• Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls