Hot Taco Dip
Recipe and photo courtesy of HowtoBurnWater.com
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ lbs lean ground beef
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsps oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 1 oz packet Taco seasoning
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups Mexican cheese, half for the mixture & half for the top of the dip
- 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- Cooking spray
- Garnish: Diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, sliced pickled jalapeno, avocado, or shredded lettuce (optional)
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Scrub onion and garlic with a clean vegetable brush under running water. Gently rub red bell pepper, jalapeno, tomatoes and any fresh garnishes under cold, running water.
- Lightly spray an oven-proof skillet or an 8x8” baking dish.
- In a medium pan over medium-high heat, add the oil. Season the ground beef with salt and add to the pan. Cook the beef until it reaches 160°F on a food thermometer.
- Wash hands with soap and water after handling raw ground beef.
- Once the ground beef is browned, reduce the heat to medium. Then add the onions, red bell pepper, and jalapeno.
- When the onions and peppers have started to soften (about 5-7 minutes), add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat mixture and stir together. Cook 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup of the Mexican cheese mix.
- Transfer to the greased baking dish. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese, chili powder, and paprika.
- Cook in the oven for about 20-30 minutes until the dip reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Garnish as desired and serve with chips.
- *You can add other ingredients to the meat mixture, like black or pinto beans or frozen corn.
- * This mixture also makes a great filling for quesadillas.