Name: One-Pan Hatch Chili-Cheese Dip
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium onion (chopped); 1 jalapeno pepper (chopped); 2 cloves garlic (chopped); 1 pound ground beef; 6 ounces roasted Hatch chili peppers; 14- ounce can chopped tomatoes; 1 teaspoon red chili powder; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoon cumin; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese; Chopped fresh herbs and chips for serving

A zesty, super cheesy dip recipe made with roasted Hatch chili peppers, cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheeses and plenty of seasoning. Bust out the chips! It’s party time!

So, there is this crazy AMAZING thing in my house now, and it’s called Hatch Chili-Cheese Dip. It’s freaking tasty and I’m prepared to go on and on about how much I love this stuff, but I won’t go TOO crazy, so no worries.

It’s just that it was sort of an unexpected recipe that came together on a moment’s notice, and now that I’ve had it, I just want more and more, and I can’t understand why I didn’t put this fairly simple combination together before, because, end of day, it’s pretty perfect.

Yeah. THIS!

Why Hatch Chili Cheese Dip?

The story is that I had some roasted Hatch chili peppers in my freezer, along with some ground beef that I knew I had to use up soon. Hatch chilies are wildly good.

If you’ve never had them, you owe it to yourself to order some up as quickly as possible directly from New Mexico.

The thing is, Hatch chilies are regional only to New Mexico and because of the unique and ideal soil conditions in that area, you won’t get chilies like them anywhere else.

Let’s talk about how we make the recipe, shall we?

Ingredients Needed

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 jalapeno pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 pound ground beef
6 ounces roasted Hatch chili peppers chopped – I used a medium-hot variety (Sub in a variety of serrano, jalapeno, and bell peppers if you can’t obtain Hatch peppers)
14- ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Chopped fresh herbs and chips for serving

How to Make Hatch Chile Cheese Dip – the Recipe Method

First, heat the oil in a cast iron pan and add the onion and jalapeno. Cook them down about 6-7 minutes, until softened.
Add the garlic and stir. Cook another minute until fragrant.
Add the ground beef and break it apart with a spoon. Brown it on each side about 5 minutes.
Add the Hatch chiles and chopped tomatoes and stir.
Add red chili powder, basil, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook another 5 minutes until the meat is mostly cooked through.
Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
Top with fresh herbs and serve with tortilla chips!

I mean, just look at it. DANG! BOOM!

If ever there was such as thing as BOOM FOOD, this is it. For sure.

What you’ll end up with is a slightly meaty, extra cheesy, slightly spicy dip with just the right amount of tomato that will essentially beg for you to dip a chip right in there.

Like so.

I do not feel guilty about this. In fact, I feel fortunate that I listened to my gut here and followed serendipity, because otherwise, I would have not discovered this new favorite dip of mine.

About this Hatch Chili Cheese Dip

It’s somewhat similar to the world famous Queso Fundido Recipe that everyone loves, but the flavors are different. We’re using different seasonings here, ground beef instead of chorizo, Hatch peppers. YUM. We have some good spice in there.

I have to say that while it is freaking AWESOME on a crispy tortilla chip, you absolutely need to try this on a warmed flour tortilla. After noshing half the pan with chips, I had the idea that, hey, what if this was served up as a taco?

You know what? YES! BOOM again!

I realize I’m being a bit ridiculous here, but trust me. This is some good stuff here. Give it a go for your next party. Or just make it for yourself and don’t feel bad about it. You have my permission to do this guilt free. Enjoy it!

I’ll just be over here making another pan… Shhh…

Where Can You Buy Hatch Chili Peppers? Here are my recommendations.

Learn more about Hatch Chili Peppers.

Here are some answers to questions I’ve received about this recipe.

What Cheese is Best with Chili?

I love both cheddar and Monterrey jack cheeses because they are nice and melty, and they offer up the best flavor. They compliment the robust flavors of a good chili, complimenting it quite nicely. A good pepper jack cheese works as well. Go for either flavorful melty cheeses, or a hard crumbly Mexican cheese, like Queso Blanco, as a garnish.

How Do You Thicken Chili Cheese Dip?

If your chili cheese dip is too thin and falling off, the best way to thicken it is to let it cool. The cheeses will solidify a bit and it will be easier to stick to a tortilla chip. You can also try to incorporate more meat, cheese, or bring in extra beans for a thicker chili cheese dip. Another option is to add crumbled tortilla chips to thicken it up.

Check Out Some of My Other Popular Spicy Dip Recipes

If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes