This Cheesy Refried Bean Dip is the ultimate crowd pleasing appetizer. It is gooey, flavorful, and only take minutes to make! This is perfect for a party, potluck, or any appetizer table. Bonus- you can use leftovers to make quesadillas and quick lunches too.
Refried Bean Dip – The EASY Way!
This Hot Bean Dip recipe only has 4 ingredients, but it is still knock-your-socks-off delicious! I love that this easy appetizer is kid friendly, easy to make and always a crowd pleaser. It is so tasty in fact, we also will eat it as a filling in burritos, quesadillas and tacos when we have leftovers.
Perfect for a party, potluck, or anytime you need to bring a dish. If you don’t have much time to cook, this bean dip recipe will be your best friend!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Quick – When I say quick, I mean you can have this prepped in as little as 5 minutes! It doesn’t get much faster than this appetizer recipe.
- Minimal Ingredients – Only 4 ingredients- or, 5 if you want a garnish!
- Hot and Ready – One of the hardest parts about brining food to a party is keeping it hot. The beauty of a refried bean dip, is that you can actually make it at the party either in the microwave or oven. Or, you can easily heat it up a bit in the microwave or oven upon arrival.
- Scalable – this recipe can quickly be doubled, tripled, or cu in half depending on how much you want.
Recipe Notes
This easy bean dip recipe is as simple as promised! Just 5 minutes of work for a family friendly dish.
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 for how to make bean dip.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Refried Beans – Any kind of refried beans will work – vegetarian, seasoned, regular. You can also make your own with this Mexican Style Crock Pot Refried Beans Recipe.
- Sour Cream – Any kind of sour cream will work too. Full fat, low fat, etc.
- Taco Seasoning – I always keep homemade taco seasoning on hand, but you can use a packet of pre-made seasoning for great results!
- Sharp Cheddar – Sharp cheddar is a trick I use to get more cheddar flavor with less cheese. You can certainly use regular cheddar cheese or Mexican blend but you may need to add more cheese to get the same amount of flavor. It will honestly taste good with just about any cheese though!
- Optional – Green onions are always a nice garnish for serving this cheesy bean dip.
Recipe Tips
- Mix up the flavor – You can change the flavor of this dip by swapping out the cheddar cheese for other varieties like pepper jack, colby or other. You can also swap the taco seasoning for ranch seasoning. Get creative with mix in’s for a super fun and tasty cheesy bean dip!
- Add more! – Try adding other meat and veggies to make the bean dip more hearty. You can add in some ground beef, chorizo, or fajita veggies for another layer of flavor in the best bean dip recipe aka – this one).
- Save some cheese – By saving half of the cheese for the top of the refried bean taco dip, you make sure folks get a perfect bite right off the get go. The top is gooey and bubbly with cheese and then underneath is creamy and flavor packed!
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Make ahead– You can mix up the dip up to 2 days in advance and just cook once you are ready to serve.
- Microwave – If you do not have time to throw this dip in the oven, you can microwave it! To do so, make sure it is in a microwave safe container and heat for 2 minutes. Then stir and top with remaining cheese. Microwave until the cheese is melted and you are ready to go!
- Use Premade Taco Seasoning– This is the absolute simplest way to make this dish and pack it with flavor. Plus, most taco seasonings out there are quite good so it may even be a toss up between homemade taco seasoning and store-bought.
- Use one bowl– You can cut down on dishes by mixing the bean dip in the same dish you will bake it in. Make sure to wipe down the edges after mixing so that you don’t have extras on the sides while baking.
Recipe 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!
- Cheesy Bean Dip in Crock Pot – To make this dish in the crockpot, simply mix in the crock pot and set on low heat. Give it time to melt everything and then serve!
- Cheesy Bean Dip with Velveeta – To make extra creamy bean dip, try swapping the cheddar cheese for velveeta. Using Velveeta in the cheesy bean dip recipe adds extra creaminess and a classic flavor.
- Cheesy Bean Dip with Cream Cheese – Another fun variation that results in extra creaminess is to add or swap cream cheese for cheddar.
- Cheesy Chorizo Bean Dip – Finally, my favorite version of this cheesy refried bean dip is to add chorizo to the mixture for a spicy bean dip! Simply pan fry the chorizo and then mix with everything else.
- Spicy Refried Bean Dip– To make this bean dip have a spicy kick, just add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder, and 1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapeno peppers. You can use more or less of each depending on how spicy you want it.
What to Serve with Bean Cheese Dip
Since this dish his a classic appetizer dip, you of course need some great options to dip into said easy bean dip. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Dippers
- Chips- tortilla chips are our pick, but this dip is great with almost any chip
- Crackers- You could do classic crackers along with gluten free options!
- Celery
- Carrots
- Bell Peppers
- Tortillas
You can choose one or add a few options to make a big appetizer spread.
Bean Dip Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this tasty hot bean dip, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Enchiladas – To make enchiladas with this leftover dip, simply roll it up in tortillas by itself or with a protein like chicken or ground beef. Top with enchilada sauce and cheese and bake.
- Quesadilla – Another super simple leftover meal is to put this bean dip between tortillas and fry it up in a quesadilla.
- Tacos – Use this bean dip as a topping for your favorite tacos or taco bowl with rice, protein, guacamole, and all the good stuff!
- Burritos– Make a classic bean and cheese burrito using this bean dip. You can serve it wet or dry, both are absolutely delicious.
More Easy Dip 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 recipes below.
Cheesy Refried Bean Dip
Ingredients
- 2 cans refried beans
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided in half
Garnish
- green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- In a large bowl, mix together the refried beans, sour cream, taco seasoning, and half of the cheddar cheese.
- Spread bean mixture in a pie plate or medium sized casserole dish. Cover with remaining cheese.
- Bake 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the dip is piping hot.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
- Refried Beans – Any kind of refried beans will work – vegetarian, seasoned, regular. You can also make your own with this Mexican Style Crock Pot Refried Beans Recipe.
- Sour Cream – Any kind of sour cream will work too. Full fat, low fat, etc.
- Taco Seasoning – I always keep homemade taco seasoning on hand, but you can use a packet of pre-made seasoning for great results!
- Sharp Cheddar – Sharp cheddar is a trick I use to get more cheddar flavor with less cheese. You can certainly use regular cheddar cheese or Mexican blend but you may need to add more cheese to get the same amount of flavor. It will honestly taste good with just about any cheese though!
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
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