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–+ servings
Hand scooping Nacho Skillet Dip with a tortilla chip.
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Nacho Skillet Dip

This delicious nacho dip is made and served right in a cast iron skillet - it's perfect for Cinco de Mayo, or anytime that you want to add a little Mexican flare to game night or any other gathering.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Ground Beef Cheese Dip Recipe
Servings 6
Author Ang Paris

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion minced
  • 1 medium green pepper diced small
  • 1 large jalapeno pepper minced
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
  • 3 roma tomatoes diced small
  • 1 lb lean ground hamburg
  • 1 tablespoon cumin divided
  • 1 tablespoon coriander divided
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder optional
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 oz manchego cheese cubed
  • 8 oz monterey jack cheese cubed

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 450-degrees.
  • Heat the olive oil over medium heat in the cast iron skillet. Add the onion and peppers and cook until tender.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 1 medium green pepper, 1 large jalapeno pepper
  • Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic.
    1 large clove garlic, 3 roma tomatoes
  • Push the vegetable mixture to the outside of the pan and add the ground beef to the center.
    1 lb lean ground hamburg
  • Brown the beef and season with cumin, coriander, pepper and salt. Ground beef should always be cooked to an internal temperature of 160-degrees F according to FoodSafety.gov.
    1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon coriander, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Add the cheese cubes to the top of the pan, and sprinkle with the remaining cumin and coriander.
    8 oz manchego cheese, 8 oz monterey jack cheese
  • Slide the skillet into the oven and cook until the cheeses are melted. Remove from the oven and stir gently.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

Cast Iron Skillet

I love that this recipe is one-pan because it means less mess to clean up later! A cast-iron skillet is perfect for this dip recipe because it can withstand high heat. If you are using a different kind of pan, be sure to check if it can go from the stovetop to the oven without any problem.

What kind of cheeses melts best?

In this recipe, I am using a block of firm manchego which is a Spanish cheese that's perfect with the Mexican spices. Because Monterrey jack cheese melts so well, I'm also using that, Pepper jack would also be good if you like more spicy heat.
Here are some other good melting cheeses for making this dip:
  • smoked gouda
  • Munster
  • fontina
  • provolone
  • gruyere
You could also use cheddar but I suggest that you grate it instead of cutting it into cubes. And yes, if you really want to, you can use that yellow block of processed cheese. 😊

What to Serve with Beef and Cheese Dip

  • I love the whole wheat tortilla chips that are shaped like scoops for loading up my chip with the maximum cheesy dip goodness. However, you can also try blue corn chips, crackers or even bagel chips!
  • Add more veggies to the mix by serving a mixture of broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and celery for dipping.