This quick and easy jalapeño cream cheese dip is perfect for parties, served warm with tortilla chips and veggies for dipping. Adjust the spiciness to your liking and get ready to dig in!
Hi friends! I had to pop in with just one more recipe this week that would be perfect for any weekend plans, or for Labor Day next weekend or for all the tailgating coming up!
I also wanted to tell you that my husband and I had SO much fun at the Beyonce and Jay Z concert earlier this week. We drove down to see them at a college football stadium in South Carolina and wow, it was such a crazy awesome production!
Great music, great dancing and so much energy in the crowd. It was a really fun mid-week getaway and date night! 💕
But let’s focus now… does it get much better than a slightly spicy, ooey gooey cheese dip?
(Answer: no, not really.)
Today’s jalapeño cream cheese dip celebrates this in the best way possible.
It’s full of creamy, melty cheeses made just a tad bit spicy (which you can adjust to your liking) with the jalapeños.
I started making this when I started growing jalapeños in my garden.
I love adding them to veggie scrambles, salsas, even some scrambled eggs. But if you’ve grown jalapeño peppers, you know that sometimes you can’t keep up! I’ll go out and have 5 or 6 ripe jalapeños every few days for a few weeks at a time. That’s a lot of jalapeños to use up!
So, this dip.
(And also my chicken breasts with jalapeño cheese sauce, quick and easy Mexican shrimp skillet and Mississippi caviar recipes that use jalapeños.)
I mean, who can resist a cheesy dip? If I’ve got friends or family coming over, this is definitely one of my favorites to make. Everyone goes crazy for it!
Plus, this easy recipe comes together in less than 20 minutes – a few minutes to chop the veggies and just 10 minutes to make the jalapeño sauce. 🙌
It goes great with tortilla chips, as well as mini sweet peppers and other veggies for dipping. It also works as a sauce for nachos. 👍
You may just want to take a spoon to it too. #nojudgement
(Oh, and if you love cheesy, my queso chicken skillet with vegetables is another favorite cheesy recipe that’s a full meal. Definitely worth checking out.)
A few notes on this easy jalapeño cream cheese dip:
- You can adjust how spicy this is with the jalapeños. If you remove all the seeds and membranes, it won’t be very spicy at all. Or you can leave some or all of them in to give it a bit of a kick. You can also add a splash of hot sauce if you want a different type of spicy flavor in this dish.
- I use a 1/3-reduced fat cream cheese for this recipe but you could substitute regular cream cheese. Fat-free would work fine here too, though it will be a little less rich.
- I use a regular medium chunky-style salsa for this recipe, as that’s what we tend to keep on hand. You could also try a fruity or flavored salsa for a different twist.
- If you have leftovers, you can keep this in the fridge and then reheat it on the stove over medium-low heat in a small pot or you can reheat it in the microwave. Start with 45 seconds and then add 30 second intervals as needed, stirring in between, until it’s warmed through.
And of course, you know I have some topping ideas for you!
Cooked, crumbled bacon, sliced green onions, chopped fresh cilantro or some diced tomatoes would all be great with this easy jalapeño cheese dip.
So invite your friends, neighbors or family over and get ready to dig into some deliciousness with this cheesy dip.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Jalapeño cream cheese dip
This quick and easy jalapeño cream cheese dip is perfect for parties, served warm with tortilla chips and veggies for dipping.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
- 4 medium jalapeños, finely diced (remove seeds and membranes for less heat)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and jalapeños and sauté for 5-6 minutes, until tender. Add garlic and sauté for 30 more seconds.
Add remaining ingredients (cream cheese through cumin), reduce heat to medium low and stir until warmed through and cheese is melted.
Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve warm.
Recipe Notes
You can adjust how spicy this is with the jalapeños. If you remove all the seeds and membranes, it won’t be very spicy at all. Or you can leave some or all of them in to give it a bit of a kick. You can also add a splash of hot sauce if you want a different type of spicy in this dish.
I use a 1/3-reduced fat cream cheese for this recipe but you could substitute regular cream cheese. I think fat-free would work fine here too.
If you have leftovers, you can keep it in the fridge and then reheat on the stove over medium low heat in a small pot or reheat in the microwave. Start with 45 seconds and then add 30 second intervals as needed, stirring in between, until it’s warmed through.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 246kcal Calories from fat 194 | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 22g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat 12g | 60% |
| Cholesterol 61mg | 20% |
| Sodium 422mg | 18% |
| Carbohydrate 4g | 1% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 4% |
| Sugars 2g | |
| Protein 10g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
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