This Cream Cheese Bean Dip is creamy and delicious and perfect for scooping up with corn chips.
Perfect for parties and for watching football or even served as a side dish with your favorite Mexican dinner.
Refried bean dip
Hot cheesy bean dips are always a hit any time of the year. This dip is made with refried beans, cream cheese, sour cream, and green chiles and is topped with shredded cheese.
It's delicious straight out of the oven when it's piping hot, but it's just as delicious as it starts to cool. Serve this Mexican bean dip for football watching, a family gathering or even as a side dish. We love this served with homemade chimichangas or enchiladas!
I love putting out several appetizers so everyone can choose their favorite. Some other great dips include this white bean dip, homemade salsa, jalapeno artichoke dip, and this tasty green onion dip from the blog, Entirely Elizabeth.
Key ingredients
This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.
- Refried Beans - You'll need a can of your favorite refried beans or about 1 ⅓ cups of homemade refried beans.
- Cream Cheese - Make certain it's softened so it mixes in easily.
- Sour Cream - Adds extra creaminess and a bit of tanginess.
- Green Chiles - You can freshly roast and chop green chiles or buy a can of green chiles. Most cans of roasted green chiles come with different heat options, mild, medium or hot.
- Seasonings - Salt, pepper, dried parsley, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Shredded Cheese - Use cheddar, Monterey, pepper jack, or a blend of cheese.
How to make cream cheese bean dip
In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.
- Place softened cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Mix well with a hand mixer or a firm spoon. You want your cheese to be very creamy so it mixes well with the other ingredients.
- Add sour cream and spices and stir well.
- Use a large silicone spatula or a large wooden spoon and gently stir in refried beans and chopped chiles.
- Place the mixture in a greased baking dish. I use an 8-inch deep dish round casserole dish.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake uncovered in a 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
- Top with chopped green onions and serve hot.
Recipe tips
- Make certain the cream cheese is soft and creamy before adding the other ingredients. This will help make certain there aren't any small lumps of cream cheese.
- Serve with hearty corn chips, baked tortilla chips, or pita chips.
- To make ahead of time, prepare up to adding the cheese, but don't bake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two days. When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes bake time until the beans are fully heated through.
- Cover any leftovers and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Variations
- Stir in ¼ cup of your favorite tomato salsa to the bean mixture.
- For an even cheesier dip, stir in ¼ cup of shredded cheese along with the beans.
- Top with sliced jalapenos, freshly chopped tomatoes and diced avocados.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, this bean dip can be made up to two days ahead of time. Assemble the bean mixture and top with cheese, but don't bake. Cover and refrigerate. To bake, remove plastic wrap and bake as directed. You will need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes.
More delicious appetizers
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Cream Cheese Bean Dip
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Deep Dish Pie Plate
Ingredients
- 4 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 can can refried beans (16 oz)
- 1 can roasted green chiles (4 oz) (chopped and drained, mild, medium or hot)
- ½ cup shredded cheese (cheddar or a Mexican blend)
- 1 green onion (chopped for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Mix the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or heavy spoon. Mix until soft and creamy.4 oz cream cheese
- Mix in sour cream and all spices.1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ½ cup sour cream
- Fold in refried beans and chopped chiles.1 can can refried beans (16 oz), 1 can roasted green chiles (4 oz)
- Place in a baking dish sprayed lightly with a non-stick cooking spray
- Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.½ cup shredded cheese
- Bake at 350°F until hot and bubbly, approx. 25-30 minutes
- Top with chopped green onions or fresh cilantro before serving.1 green onion
Notes
- Make certain the cream cheese is soft and creamy before adding the other ingredients. This will help make certain there aren't any small lumps of cream cheese.
- Serve with hearty corn chips, baked tortilla chips, or pita chips.
- To make ahead of time, prepare up to adding the cheese, but don't bake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two days. When ready to bake, remove from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap. Bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes bake time until the beans are fully heated through.
- Cover any leftovers and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in February 2016. The recipe and images have been updated.
Smitha says
Wow. An absolute yes to this dip. creamy and cheesy and hot. Then it is yes from me kathy
Kathy says
It is a YES in our household too! Thanks 🙂
Anu - My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
No one can say no to dips, and they even more yum if hot and cheesy! Classic and delicious.
Kathy says
I do have a weakness for dips!
Kate @ Framed Cooks says
Is there ever enough Super Bowl food though? I don't think so - and you could NOT have left this deliciousness out!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
Keep on keeping on with the dip recipes, Kathy!!! Give me a big ol' bowl of bean dip and a bunch of corn chips and I'm a happy camper. I'll have to make this when I make your refried beans recipe 🙂
Kathy says
Once you make those refried beans, you will just keep looking for recipes to use them in...
Manali @ CookWithManali says
there can never be too many dips! looks delicious Kathy!
Kathy says
Thanks....and I just keep eating all these delicious dips!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
I do not want to talk about the Super Bowl, but these beans sound amazing! You can never have too many go-to dip recipes! I'll take some cheesy refried beans to comfort my broken football heart.
Kathy says
Sorry about your team, Rachelle....oh wait...we aren't talking about that are we? These beans will make you feel better.
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
Oh I love delicious dips Kathy. I'm so glad you shared this one, because it's so easy. Sometimes we like to dip with oven baked steak fries. This would be a great one for that.
Kathy says
Oooohhhh....something else for me to try dipping in this dip!
Adina says
Sounds so great and I love the spices too.
Kathy says
It is perfectly delicious!
Meghan | Fox and Briar says
I love all the spices in here, and a cheesy dip is always a good idea!
Kathy says
A little cheese always makes me happy!
Nicole @ Young, Broke and Hungry says
There is never enough dip recipes out there in my opinion. And this one looks so easy yet delicious.
Kathy says
Very easy. You can even make it ahead of time and then just pop it into the oven when you're ready.
Ashley says
Dips are always a good thing ... especially when cheese is involved!! Hope you had a great weekend!
Kathy says
Cheese makes everything wonderful!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
One can never have enough dips, even past Super Bowl... as far as I'm concerned at least! I LOVE bean dips and this one looks ultimate! Cheesy, hot and seriously delicious! I'll take a vat please! 😉 Cheers, friend!
Kathy says
You are right! We don't have to wait for the Super Bowl to eat all this amazing food! Everyday can be a special occasion if we make it that way!
David @ Spiced says
Ooo...I like where you took this dip, Kathy! The cream cheese + refried beans sounds like a killer combo. The Super Bowl may be over, but there's still plenty of college basketball games left...and that means plenty of chances to make this dip! 🙂
Kathy says
Yep...you can eat this bean dip at any time!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Watching the Super Bowl right now Kathy and enjoying this yummy dip! Great idea to add the green chilis! My husband is loving it too!
Kathy says
Glad you loved it! I made it again for us...that's twice in one week! My whole family loves it!
Laura ~ Raise Your Garden says
Truly, these are some of your BEST photo's. Love your towel. And are you considering to be a hand model? Hehe. I can never get enough dips, you need them for so many occasions. I just think of how many times I'm heading to friends and family and don't want to go empty handed. A dip is always welcome because people can munch while the host finishes up the meal. Hyped about that bubbling cheddar top. Oh yum.
Kathy says
Ha! Thanks, Laura! Those are my daughter's hands! Poor girl...I make her pose in all kinds of ways and she has to sit there drooling over all the food she is waiting to eat!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
My husband and I love refried beans and I have all the ingredients for this dip at home! No trip to the store! Yay! I'll be giving this one a try for sure Kathy!
Kathy says
Great! I hope you love it as much as we do!
Amanda says
This is definitely a dip that I could turn into a meal. I'd keep coming back to it and dunking just one more chip. Then suddenly it would be half gone. dDelicious!
Kathy says
We've actually used bean dip spread onto burritos....super yummy!
Fran @ G'day Souffle' says
This looks so easy- using various powders instead of having to chop up onions, etc. This looks like it could also us as a filling for a vegetarian enchilada!
Kathy says
That's an excellent idea! I will need to give that a try.