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Easy Slow Cooker Queso Dip with Ground Beef: Perfect Party Appetizer

slow cooker queso dip with ground beef - featured image
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A creamy, hearty slow cooker queso dip with seasoned ground beef, melted cheeses, and a gentle kick of green chiles. Perfect for game day, potlucks, or any gathering, this foolproof recipe stays smooth and dippable for hours.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 works best)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 can (10 ounces) Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
  • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
  • 1 pound block Velveeta, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 8 ounces block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
  • Optional: 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and finely diced
  • Optional: 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until fully browned (6-8 minutes). Drain excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan.
  2. Cook the aromatics: Add diced onion to the skillet and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute to toast spices.
  3. Transfer to slow cooker: Spoon beef mixture into slow cooker. Add undrained Rotel, evaporated milk, and cubed Velveeta. Stir to combine.
  4. Cook on low: Cover and cook on low for 1 hour. Stir after 1 hour; Velveeta should be mostly melted.
  5. Add cheddar and cream cheese: Stir in shredded cheddar and cubed cream cheese. Cover and cook on low for another 20-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until cheeses are fully melted and dip is smooth.
  6. Stir and adjust: Give final stir. Taste and adjust seasoning. For more heat, stir in diced jalapeño. If too thick, stir in a splash of milk or evaporated milk.
  7. Keep warm: Switch slow cooker to ‘warm’ setting. Stir every 30 minutes to maintain texture.

Notes

Shred your own cheese from blocks for smooth melting. Use evaporated milk instead of regular milk to prevent graininess. Keep heat on low to avoid cheese breaking. If queso becomes too thick, stir in a splash of milk. For spicier queso, use hot Rotel or add extra jalapeño.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker queso, queso dip, ground beef queso, party appetizer, game day dip, cheesy dip, Velveeta queso, creamy queso

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