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Snacks · Tex-Mex

Bean Dip

Three cans and a bag of cheese, bubbling in fifteen minutes.

Hands-on
5 min
Hands-off
15 min
Oven preheat
10 min
Total
20 min
Makes
8 servings
Serves
8

Oven 200 °C · 180 °C fan (400 °F)

Pan 20 cm cast-iron skillet or pie plate (US: 8 in cast-iron skillet or pie plate)

  • easy
  • game-day
  • party-food
  • dip
  • pantry

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Bean Dip
Amount
Units
Oven

Ingredients

You need: 20 cm (8 in) cast-iron skillet or pie plate · spoon · oven mitts · trivet · instant-read thermometer (optional)

Contains: milk

Method

  1. Heat the oven

    Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan, 400°F).

    Ready when: The oven's ready light or display shows it has reached temperature.

  2. Mix beans and chiles

    Straight in the skillet or pie plate, stir the 454 g (16 oz) refried beans and both cans (226 g / 8 oz total) of green chiles together and spread them out evenly.

  3. Cover with cheese

    Sprinkle the 226 g (2 cups) cheese evenly over the top.

  4. Bake

    Bake for about 15 minutes.

    Ready when: Cheese melted and bubbling, and the beans steaming hot in the middle. A thermometer in the center should read 74°C (165°F).

  5. Serve right away

    Set the dish on a trivet, add cilantro, tomatoes or salsa if you like, and serve immediately with chips.

    Otto tried this firstOtto reaches for the cast-iron handle bare-handed and freezes just in time. Cast iron stays scorching long after it leaves the oven, so he wraps the handle in a mitt.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Storage
Get leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours (1 hour if the room is above 32°C / 90°F), in a covered container, and eat them within 3-4 days.
Reheat
Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, 74°C (165°F).

Good to know

  • Microwave method (from a slightly different recipe): spread beans and chiles in a 23 cm (9 in) microwave-safe pie pan, cover with waxed paper and microwave on High for 2-2 1/2 minutes until warm. Uncover, add cheese, re-cover and microwave on Medium for 3-4 minutes until almost melted. Let stand 2 minutes, then lift the paper slowly away from you to release the steam.
  • At a party, warm dip must stay at 60°C (140°F) or hotter, or be thrown away after 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F). Some warmers only reach 43-49°C (110-120°F), so check yours. Swap in a fresh dish rather than topping up a half-eaten one.

Safety

  • Cast iron holds heat for a long time. Keep a mitt on the handle, set it on a trivet, and keep it out of kids' reach on the table.
  • Can lids are sharp: an adult should open and discard them.
  • Some refried beans contain lard, and some chips contain allergens. Check the labels.