Chili Bean Dip
Cream cheese, chili beans, velveeta slices, and pickled jalapeños. Are you ready for some football? This vegetarian, gluten free chili bean dip is waiting!
Have I mentioned before how much I love football parties? I love football parties. The food, the friends, the food, the football, the food, the socializing, the food… did I mention the food? I love football food.
Dips. Nachos. More dips. Beer. Salsa and guacamole. Cheese and crackers. Yes, please!
I always like to try new things, but this chili bean dip makes an appearance at every football party. It’s my husband’s favorite. His aunt always makes it for family events, and shortly after we started dating, he asked me to make it for a football gathering.
I’ll be honest – I definitely turned my nose up at this at first. It has Velveeta! I’m fairly certain Velveeta isn’t even real food.
Buuuuut…. it’s grown on me over the years. I’m almost embarassed to admit this… almost. Now it’s just not a football party without a scoop of chili bean dip!
This dip hits the required dip trifecta: a creamy base, a cheesy layer, and a little spice. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser – you won’t have any leftovers after you make this! Melty, rich cream cheese, sweet and spicy chili beans, cheesy Velveeta. Jalapenos baked on top, so the juice makes the cheesy layer spicy.
Siiiiigh. Chili bean dip, I like you.
A note on chili beans: chili beans are pinto beans in chili sauce – no actual chili involved. When we lived in DC, every supermarket carried them. I use Bush’s Best brand chili beans, which are gluten free. Now that we’re in Philly, they are a little harder to locate. Sometimes I’ll use baked beans instead, which sweetens up the dip – pile on some extra jalapenos to compensate!
If you’re making this for a gluten-intolerant friend, just keep an eye on the brand of beans you use (Bush’s Best is gluten free). Also check the jalapenos – if you can’t find certified gluten free, stay on the safe side and used sliced fresh jalapenos. Love the spicy zing!

Chili Bean Dip
Cream cheese, chili beans, velveeta slices, and pickled jalapeños. Are you ready for some football? This vegetarian, gluten free chili bean dip is waiting!
Ingredients:
- 16 ounces (2 bricks) of cream cheese, softened
- 2 15-ounce cans of chili beans
- 6 squares of Velveeta sliced cheese
- pickled jalapenos, to taste
Directions:
- Spread cream cheese along the bottom of a 9×11 inch glass baking dish. If cream cheese is too hard to spread, microwave in the dish for ~15 seconds, and then spread. Slightly drain excess liquid from both cans of chili beans, and layer on top of the cream cheese. Top with the slices of Velveeta, and finally add pickled jalapenos to taste.
- Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes, until hot and cheese starts to bubble.
- Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, or celery.
I’m a HUGE football party fan, and I have NEVER had this dip. For shame! Clearly, I need to fix this next weekend. Also, this sounds incredible and perfect for a crowd. So happy you were introduced to this recipe and shared it here!