CrockPot Taco Dip

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This is a game day favorite that tends to show up at parties, BBQs and by request over and over again. My CrockPot Turkey Taco Dip is always a hit and incredibly easy to make. I’ve seen lots of versions of this dip, but for mine I used quality spices, a little extra heat and serve it with homemade chips and mini-bell peppers cut in half so they act like little scoops! Fun for the whole gang to dig into.

TACO DIPS INGREDIENTS

Let’s talk about the ingredients in this dip. Meat. I used lean ground turkey. The dip gets plenty of moisture from the tomatoes and cheese so the lean turkey does well in this dip. Feel free to use ground beef or a fattier turkey meat. You could also use spicy chorizo sausage. Be sure to check out my Chorizo Queso Stuffed Bread for another variation. Ground chicken versus ground turkey you ask? Ground chicken is even leaner than most ground turkey and would work just fine in this recipe too. You really have a lot of choices, so choose your favorite or what you have on hand. Cheese. I use the old standby processed cheese found in a loaf – Velveeta. It doesn’t have any of the class of great cheeses and it is processed but to be honest, it is perfect when making this dip. It does not have any redeeming qualities other than it melts beautifully and when added to the other ingredients, tastes great. You certainly could use other more expensive cheeses, you just won’t get the texture and “meltiness” of this cheese.

Seasoning. You can use any of your favorite taco seasoning for ground turkey or make up your own mix. However, right now, I’m loving the Shawhan Taco Seasoning. It is packed with flavor and really tastes delish! I’ve also used the seasoning for ground turkey pizza so check out my Ground Turkey Taco Pizza recipe too.

I add this to a mix of olive oil and fresh lime juice and zest. Please, no bottled lime juice. It is absolutely “not the same thing”. Use fresh. Be sure to zest as much of the lime as you can. That is where all the flavor is.

You’ll note I used serrano pepper when cooking up the turkey taco meat. This pepper is much spicier than the basic jalapeno and a little goes a long way. You can always substitute jalapenos and you can always adjust the amount of fresh peppers you use. Use your own tolerance of heat as your guide. I have friends that love the heat and add a ton of the. I tend to error on the mild side. You could also serve slice pepper or hot sauce on the side if you have those that like that.

Bell Peppers. I love the mini-bell peppers. You can buy a bag in multiple colors, slice them in half and remove the seeds. Pile them on a plate and they are nature’s little scoops. Perfect for dipping. You could also have other cutup veggies like celery, carrots and regular bell pepper strips. Jicama sticks would also be great with this.

Chips. Feel free to buy a bag of tortilla chips to make this easy. One tip is to warm them up in the oven on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Set the oven to 300-degrees F. The difference between cold and warm chips is amazing…your guests will notice.

Otherwise, make your own. Cut small tortillas (your choice of regular corn or flour, whole wheat, whole grain, tomato or spinach) into small wedges. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and add the cut tortillas. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 10-15 minutes until golden. Flip once. Pile into a basket for your own baked version of chips.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CROCKPOT AND SLOW COOKER?

Simple answer: there isn’t any difference. The words are interchangeable. But having one is a great investment for making batches of stew and chili and having a small crockpot is perfect for making dips like this one.

You can simply put all the ingredients in the pot, set to low for one hour and let it do its thing. You can serve the dip right in the crockpot on a buffet. I like to put out small dishes and a spoon next to the crockpot so people can take their own portion. Eliminates the “double-dip” problem and allows you to keep the dip warm.

That is another great feature of crockpots, you can lower the temperature to warm once the dip is made and it will stay warm through the entire sporting event. Perfect for game day spreads.

HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT TACO DIP

It doesn’t get easier than this recipe. You start by browning your meat with the onion, garlic, serrano pepper and seasoning. Once cooked through, add to the crockpot.

Add the tomatoes and the cubed cheese. Set the crockpot to 1 hour on low and let heat through. Stir a couple of times to make sure everything is incorporated. Once done, serve with the chips and cut veggies. Enjoy.