Smoky cheese dip is cheesy and gooey, and will be your new favorite leftover shredded beef recipe! This recipe requires only three ingredients, making it one of my favorite 5-minute meals. It’s decadent, flavorful, and delicious, and it works with any leftover protein. Any excuse to eat chips, right?
We start with leftover shredded beef from my 2-ingredient crockpot roast, which is one of the simplest meals you’ll ever make. The chewy, crispy beef adds amazing texture and flavor to the dip. And because we load it with meat, this is a high-protein dip recipe you can add to your repertoire.
The only thing better than white queso dip is beef queso dip! It’s savory, hearty, and addictive. Make this the time you have some leftover beef, and then let me know how you like it!
One of my goals for 2025 is to normalize semi-homemade cooking. Complicated recipes with numerous ingredients have their place, but most people don’t have time for that. My easy, smoky cheese dip can be made with leftover shredded beef or any cooked protein of your choice!
I’m working on a list of store-bought items that I always keep on hand and hope to post soon. Fire-roasted salsa and queso will be on it. Rather than dicing onions, chilies, and peppers and using a bunch of seasoning, salsa provides all of that, and all you have to do is open a jar.
Homemade queso is easy enough, but sometimes you don’t feel like it. Store-bought queso can be used in obvious ways, such as tacos, burritos, and nachos, but I also use it in casseroles, Mexican creamy rice, and it’s my secret ingredient in white chicken chili. It makes it gloriously cheesy without using cream and/or cheese!
Smoky Cheese Dip
Using leftover beef prevents food waste, and buying the salsa and queso when they were on sale makes this a win for both flavor and budget-friendly, frugal meals! If you struggle with ways to use leftovers, it’s one of the things I share the most on Instagram stories. Be sure to find me on Instagram to follow along!
Football season starts this week! What screams game-day food more than a hearty, cheesy hot dip and chips? I’m a sucker for a good smoked cheese dip, and this one checks all the boxes! Add it to your collection of quick meals, high-protein meals, leftover roast ideas, and more!
Ingredients You’ll Need
It seems silly to write this recipe out because it’s so simple. You only need three ingredients to make this smoky cheese dip recipe, but I’ve included some variations below.
- Shredded beef. I used shredded beef from an easy chuck roast I had made the day before. It added a rich, savory flavor while transforming the meat into something completely different. It also adds amazing texture! Use any meat you want. Cooked sausage is delish, too.
- Queso. Store-bought queso makes this quick and easy. The brand I buy has clean ingredients and tastes great. I suggest reading labels because some of them have a very long list of questionable and unnecessary ingredients, while others have ingredients similar to what you’d use if you made it from scratch.
- Fire-roasted salsa. I always have fire-roasted salsa in my pantry. I love the smoky flavor, and it’s a total flavor bomb. Use any salsa you like, but keep in mind that the flavors in the salsa will impact the taste of your dip. This isn’t a situation where you would want to use a pineapple salsa, lol!
This dip is perfect exactly as written above, but sometimes I like to jazz it up with Aleppo pepper and stretch it with a can of black beans.
 | Fire Roasted Salsa Family-Owned | Fire-Roasted Smoky Flavor | Low Calorie | Gluten Free | No High-Fructose Corn Syrup |
Smoky Cheese Dip With Shredded Beef Steps
The instructions are self-explanatory and straightforward. As always, the recipe card below includes exact measurements you can print out.
- The first step is optional. If you want smaller pieces of beef, start by chopping it. I like mine to be a mixture of smaller pieces and large ones for a variety of textures.
- While not necessary to the recipe, if you plan to garnish the dip, prepare the garnishes next. I’ll provide some ideas below, but I prefer a generous sprinkling of thinly sliced scallions. They give a pop of freshness as well as crunch.
- In a microwave-safe bowl large enough to mix the dip, combine the queso, salsa, and shredded beef.
- Microwave at full power for 60 seconds. The outside edges will get hot before the middle does, so I microwave for 60 seconds, give it a good stir, and repeat that process until it is evenly heated.
- Once the dip is evenly heated, transfer it to a serving bowl and top with your desired garnishes.
 | Premium Aleppo Pepper Flakes Premium Aleppo Pepper Flakes | Authentic Turkish Chili Spice | Bright, Savory, Fruity, Mild Heat |
Helpful Tips
- I prefer to prepare this in the microwave, but if you’re not comfortable with that, you can also prepare it on the stove or in a slow cooker. On the stove, I suggest heating it at the lowest possible heat so the bottom doesn’t scorch. In a crockpot, combine all three ingredients and let it go on low heat until hot and bubbly.
- Having pre-cooked protein in your freezer allows you to make meals like this quickly and easily. When doing my weekly ingredient prep, I like to cook up extra protein and freeze it into single-serve and meal-size portions. My favorite freezer containers are perfect for this!
- Seasoning is your friend, and don’t be afraid of it, especially when making simple recipes with minimal ingredients. While this dip certainly does not lack flavor, feel free to add additional seasonings and some extra spice to jazz it up!
- When serving this smoky cheese dip to a crowd, don’t skip the garnish. Garnishing truly elevates a dish. Fresh herbs, such as cilantro and scallions, and finely diced bell peppers, would add flavor, color, and texture.
 | Silicone Freezer Containers Silicone Freezer Containers For Meal Prep | Oven & Dishwasher Safe |
Variations and Ingredient Substitutions
- You can use any salsa you like to change the flavor entirely. I love a fire-roasted salsa because of its complexity and smokiness, but I’ve also made this with salsa verde, which gave the dip a delightful pop-up tanginess and freshness.
- Speaking of smokiness, if you don’t have a fire-roasted salsa, a little smoked paprika can achieve the same effect. It’s one of my most frequently used seasonings, and it’s hugely underrated! Add a little at a time, as you can easily overdo it.
- The salsa adds plenty of flavor, but adding additional garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, hot sauce, and/or Cayenne will jazz it up even more.
If you’ve tried my Smoky Cheese Dip recipe or any recipe on my site, please leave a comment below!
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Smoky Cheese Dip With Shredded Beef
Equipment
- Aleppo Pepper (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded beef
- 1 cup queso cheese dip
- 1 cup fire-roasted salsa
Instructions
- Chop the beef, if necessary.
- If using them, prep the garnishes.
- Add the beef, queso, and salsa to a bowl.
- Cover and microwave for 60 seconds.
- Stir well and repeat the step above until hot.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning.
- Transfer to a serving bowl.
- Garnish, serve with chips, and enjoy!
Nutrition
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