This Crockpot Taco Dip is the ULTIMATE taco dip! It’s cheesy, full of flavor, and super simple. It can be made in the oven as well.

Crock Pot Taco Dip

It’s October and there is definitely a nip to the air here. I live in the South so my nip in the air may be a little different than what you call a nip in the air.

But whenever the weather starts to turn colder and the leaves begin to change, it really makes me want to pull out my crockpot.

There’s a good reason, after all, that so many folks call October ‘Crocktober’.

I’ve been making all sorts of things in my slow cooker lately but today I’m going to share with you my deliciously easy Crockpot Taco Dip recipe.

You’ll want to make this for your next party! It’s an easy dip to make that goes great next to all your game day appetizers.

Why You’ll Love My Crockpot Taco Dip

This recipe is as simple as can be and lip-smacking good too. I love it so much that I could eat a bowl of it with a spoon and not dip a thing in it!

Perfect for parties: This cheesy dip is ideal for any get-together, whether it’s a Super Bowl party, game night, or holiday dinner. It always disappears quickly!
Easy to make: This slow cooker taco dip comes together super easily. You throw it all in the crockpot and let the crockpot do the work!
Great for dipping: Serve it with tortilla chips, corn chips, or even potato chips. The melted cheese blend on top makes it a perfect party dip that works well with any dipper.

Crockpot Taco Dip Ingredients

You can get the printable recipe at the bottom of this post. There is also a video tutorial of Mrs Happy Homemaker making this recipe right above the printable recipe.

For the Taco Dip

Ground Chuck: I prefer to use lean ground beef to avod excess fat. You can also use ground turkey if you prefer.
Yellow or Red Onion: Onions add sweetness and flavor. I prefer to use either yellow or red onion, but even white onion works if that’s all you have on hand.
Jalapeño Peppers (optional): If you prefer a milder dip, leave them out or use green bell peppers. For more heat, leave the seeds in or add a splash of hot sauce.
Poblano Peppers: Poblanos add a smoky, mild flavor to the dip.
Beef Broth: If you don’t have beef broth, you can use chicken broth or even vegetable broth.
Packet of Taco Seasoning: Taco seasoning gives the dip its taco flavor. You can use a store-bought packet or make your own homemade taco seasoning if you’d like.
Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies: I use Rotel for this recipe. If you don’t have Rotel, you can use regular diced tomatoes and a small can of green chilies.
Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Cheese makes this dip extra creamy and gooey. Use any blend you want, it will be delicious with any type of cheese (except maybe mozzarella!). A Mexican cheese blend is also a convenient way to use several types of cheese.

You will also want a few things to garnish the dip with once it’s done cooking.

Toppings for My Crockpot Taco Dip

homemade sour cream
chopped cilantro or cilantro cream sauce
sliced black olives
chopped tomatoes (yellow tomatoes in the picture, love the color of them!)
green onions
jalapeño slices
hot sauce
chopped avocado or guacamole

You can also top with salsa or any other of your favorite toppings/garnishes!

I can’t eat/don’t like spicy foods – can I still make this?

Yes! You can leave out the jalapeno completely. Poblano peppers are also used in this recipe but they are only mildly spicy and sometimes not even mildly.

I honestly can’t taste the heat at all in a poblano. You can opt to just use one poblano pepper instead of two – or you can leave them out completely if you can’t eat peppers at all.

How to Make Crockpot Taco Dip

It’s so easy to make this crockpot taco dip recipe! Deliciously easy 😉

In a large skillet over medium heat, add your ground beef and break apart. I love this tool to break up my ground meat in the pan. I usually season my meat with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder when browning it.
Let it cook for a couple of minutes and then add your onion, jalapeño (if using), and poblanos. Cook until the meat is cooked through and drain the grease from the meat and onion/pepper mixture.
To your crockpot – add your cooked beef and onion mixture, beef broth, cornstarch, taco seasoning, and diced tomatoes with green chilies (un-drained) and stir to combine.
Cook in your crockpot on high for 3 hours OR on low for about 5 hours. Remove the lid and give it a good stir, then top it with 1-3/4 cups of shredded cheese and stir it in. I like to use sharp cheddar but Mexican blend is good and so is pepper jack and Monterey Jack cheese. Queso is delicious as well! Sprinkle on about 1/4 cup more over top. Put the lid back on the slow cooker and let it cook for another 10 or so minutes, or until the cheese is melted over top.

Now, top the dip with your toppings. I used sour cream, chopped cilantro, chopped yellow tomatoes, and sliced black olives.

Variations and Add-ins

Black Beans: Add a can of black beans to make the dip heartier.
Cream Cheese: Add a block of cream cheese for a creamier, richer dip.
Refried Beans: Stir in a can of refried beans to thicken the dip.
Corn: Mix in a can of drained corn kernels for added sweetness and crunch.
Hot Sauce: For a little bit of extra heat, add your favorite hot sauce to the mix.
Queso: If you want it even cheesier, you can make a queso using my homemade cheese sauce recipe as a base.

Can I make this taco dip in the oven?

Yes! Here’s how:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cook your beef, onion, and pepper mixture as in the steps above. Use an oven safe skillet to save on dirty dishes.
After draining, return the beef mixture to the skillet (or a casserole dish). Add beef broth, cornstarch, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and half of the cheese – stirring to combine.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and cover loosely with foil. You can spray the inside of the foil with a little nonstick cooking spray if you like to keep the cheese from sticking to it. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Garnish and serve.

Ways to Serve Crockpot Taco Dip

This stuff is so good, you could even eat it with a spoon. It actually even makes a really good burrito or burrito casserole filling too.

Here are some great ways to serve up my delicious dip:

With Tortilla Chips: This is the classic way to enjoy your cheesy dip.
As a Taco Filling: Spoon the slow cooker taco dip into soft tortillas for a fun version of taco night.
Over Nachos: Spread corn chips on a baking sheet, top with the taco dip, and sprinkle with extra cheese. Bake until the cheese melts for a cheesy, gooey, and amazingly delicious plate of nachos.
As a Topping for Baked Potatoes: Use the taco dip as a topping for baked potatoes. You’ll enjoy the best loaded baked potato ever this way!
In Quesadillas: Spread the taco dip between two tortillas, add extra cheese, and cook in a skillet until golden and crispy.
As a Dip for Potato Wedges: Serve this cheesy dip alongside crispy potato wedges.
On Top of a Taco Salad: Use the dip as a warm topping for a taco salad.
As a Burrito Filling: Roll up the mixture in a large tortilla with rice, beans, and a little bit of hot sauce to create an awesome burrito.

My personal favorite to dip with this though? That would be Fritos scoops. Yum!

How to Store Leftovers

Cool the Dip: Cool your taco dip down to room temperature.
Use Airtight Containers: Transfer the leftover dip into an airtight container.
Refrigerate: Store the container in the refrigerator. The dip will stay good for up to 3-4 days.
Reheat When Ready: When you’re ready to eat the leftovers, reheat the dip in the microwave or on the warm setting of your crock pot.
Freeze for Longer Storage: If you have a lot of leftovers, you can also freeze the dip. Use a freezer-safe airtight container. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the crock pot or on the stove.

Other Great Appetizers

Print Pin

Crockpot Taco Dip

This Crockpot Taco Dip is the ULTIMATE taco dip! It’s cheesy, full of flavor, and super simple. It can be made in the oven as well.

Ingredients

1 lb ground chuck
1 medium to large yellow or red onion diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers de-seeded and minced (Optional)
2 poblano peppers de-seeded and minced
1/2 C reduced sodium beef broth
1 1oz packet of taco seasoning
2 10oz cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained like Rotel
2 C shredded cheddar cheese or use mexican blend, pepper jack, or Monterey jack

For the toppings:

chopped cilantro
chopped fresh tomatoes
sliced black olives
sour cream
or whatever else you want to top it with!

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat, add your ground beef and break apart. Let it cook for a couple of minutes and then add your onion, jalapeño (if using), and poblanos. Cook until the meat is cooked through and drain the grease from the meat and onion/pepper mixture.
To your crockpot - add your cooked ground beef and onion mixture, beef broth, cornstarch, taco seasoning, and diced tomatoes with green chilies (un-drained) and stir to combine.
Cook in your crockpot on high for 3 hours OR on low for about 5 hours. Remove the lid and give it a good stir, then top it with 2 cups of shredded cheese. I like to use sharp cheddar but Mexican blend is good and so is pepper jack and Monterey Jack cheese. Queso is delicious as well! Put the lid back on the slow cooker and let it cook for another 10 or so minutes, or until the cheese is melted over top.
Garnish and serve.

For oven preparation:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook your beef, onion, and pepper mixture as in the steps above. Use an oven safe skillet to save on dirty dishes. After draining, return the beef mixture to the skillet (or a casserole dish). Add beef broth, cornstarch, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and half of the cheese - stirring to combine.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and cover loosely with foil. You can spray the inside of the foil with a little nonstick cooking spray if you like to keep the cheese from sticking to it. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Garnish and serve.

Crockpot Taco Dip

Crock Pot Taco Dip

Why You’ll Love My Crockpot Taco Dip