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This Spicy Mexican Street Style JalapeƱo Dip incorporates spicy, smoky flavors into the creamiest dip. Roasted jalapeƱos and poblano peppers, mixed with chili powder, cream cheese, and mayo. Then served up dip-style with chili butter and salty crumbled Mexican cotija cheese on top. This easy dip recipe is quick to make and totally delicious, especially with tortillas, chips, and crackers on the side for scooping. A wonderful appetizer for spring and summertime!
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As far as appetizers go, I tend to sway toward a warm cheesy recipe or my staple cheese board. If you look through our recipe archives youāll see that Iāve shared very few dips.
Some of you may remember a Mexican Street Corn Dip that I shared last summer. Itās one of the only dips Iāve made over and over. Everyone loves it.
Since corn is not in season, I started making the dip with charred, fire-roasted jalapeƱos and poblano peppers. Itās similar, but the peppers give off such a spicy, smoky flavor. I might just like the peppers even more than the corn!
Ingredients
- Chili powderĀ
- Smoked paprikaĀ
- Cayenne pepperĀ
- Extra virgin olive oilĀ
- Yellow onionĀ
- Poblano pepperĀ
- jalapeƱosĀ
- GarlicĀ
- Kosher salt and black pepperĀ
- Cream cheeseĀ
- Sour creamĀ
- Salted butterĀ
- Olive oil mayo or plain Greek yogurtĀ
- Fresh lime juiceĀ
- Crumbled cortija cheeseĀ
- Fresh cilantro choppedĀ
- tortilla chips
Kitchen Supplies
- cast iron skilletĀ
- Sheet panĀ
- TeaspoonsĀ
- Serving bowlĀ
Here are details
This is really pretty easy to do. I like to start with roasting the peppers. I have a gas cooktop, so I always roast my peppers over an open flame. If you have a gas range, Iād highly recommend this method. The open flame creates the best flavor.
If you donāt have gas burners, roast the peppers in the oven, under the broiler. This works pretty much the same. The roasted peppers are used for topping, so just set these aside until serving.
Onto to creating this yummy dip!
Everything starts with the spice mix, I love to use chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. I wanted to add a little smokiness and a little more kick to the flavors. I actually use the spice mix both in the dip and for topping.
From here, simply cook the raw peppers with onions and garlic, then add a dash of the spice mix. Stir in cream cheese and sour cream for major creaminess and cook everything together until warmed. Having the dip warm is key, so keep this over low heat or warm in a crockpot (on the low setting) until ready to serve.
If youāre looking to make this ahead of time, I recommend spooning the dip into a baking dish, then rewarming at 350Ā° for 15 minutes. That will work great too!
Next, melt half of a stick of butter together with the spices. Do not skip this step. The butter really, really flavors the dip in a wonderfully delicious way.
Finally, mix the mayo with lime juice.
Now, put the jalapeƱo dip all together. Spoon the dip into a wide, shallow bowl. Then add the sliced roasted jalapeƱos and spoon over dollops of the mayo. The mayo melts into the dip creating even more creaminess. Drizzle the butter overtop and sprinkle on the cheese. The cheese and butter on top only make the dip even more delicious, really completing the dip experience. I just love this cheesy dip! Itās a warming, homemade snack everyone will enjoy.
I know this process may seem like a lot, but it actually comes together quickly and easily. Promise it will be so great for entertaining this summer!
And most importantly, this is just really good! The dip is so creamy with a spicy flavor, but not too much spiciness. Plus, you can adjust the heat to your own personal taste. If you love a spicy dip, use all 4 peppers. If you want just a little heat, use 1 or 2 peppers. Pair with some homemade salsas and you have a great appetizer spread. Itās up to you, use what you enjoy most!
Looking for other easy appetizer recipes? Here are a few ideas:Ā
Hot Chicken Enchilada Bean Dip
Easy Creamy White Chicken Chili Corn Dip
Crumbled Feta and Tomato Basil Vinaigrette Dip
Roasted Lemon Spinach and Artichoke Dip
10 Minute Garden Herb Avocado Dip
Lastly, if you make this Mexican Street Style JalapeƱo Dip, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donāt forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Mexican Street Style JalapeƱo Dip
IngredientsĀ
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, to your taste
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, chopped
- 2-4 jalapeƱos
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/3 cup olive oil mayo or plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
InstructionsĀ
- 1. Roast the jalapeƱos. Preheat the broiler to high. Place 1 or 2 whole jalapeƱos on a small sheet pan. Broil for 3-5 minutes, rotating the peppers 2-3 times, until charred all over. Let cool, then thinly slice/chop. Set aside until serving.2. Mix the spices. In a bowl, combine the chili powder, paprika, cayenne, and a pinch of salt.3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add the poblano pepper, 1-2 chopped jalapeƱos (seeded if desired), garlic, 1 teaspoon of the spice mix, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the peppers are softened, 5 minutes.4. Reduce the heat to low. Mix in the cream cheese until melted and creamy. Stir in the sour cream. Cook until warmed throughout. If desired, thin the dip with milk.5. In a separate skillet, melt the butter until golden. Mix in 3 teaspoons of the spice mix, plus a pinch of chili flakes and salt. Cook another minute, then remove from the heat.6. Mix the mayo and lime juice with a pinch of salt. Spoon the dip into a bowl. Top with roasted jalapeƱos and drizzle the mayo and spicy butter over the peppers. Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Serve with chips for scooping!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Sounds good , but the recipe is a bit confusing to me. You roasted the jalapenos, but not he poblano? Then added jalapenos again, or the ones you roasted. Everything gets mixed together ? then topping. The most confusing recipe I’ve ever read. And I’ve been cooking and baking my entire life.
Hi Mark,
Yes, I roasted half of the jalapeƱos and not the poblanos. The recipe calls for 2-4 jalapeƱos, just depends how spicy you want them. So roast 1-2 which you will use to top the dip in step 6. The 1-2 jalapeƱos that you do not roast are added in step 3. Please let me know if I can help in any other way!
Great party dip, very flavorful. Next time I would skip the spice butter sauce. We added some salsa and a small can of green chilis to decrease the dairy ratio will definitely make again!
Hey Jamie,
Awesome! Thanks for making this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it was a hit!
Happy New Year!š„š
Can I replace the sour cream with nonfat Greek yogurt instead?
Hi Aiva,
Sure, that will work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe!
This is my go to party dip! So so good! Everyone always asks me for the recipe, best dip hands down.
Hey Taylor,
Fantastic! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe so often and your feedback, I’m so glad to hear it always turns out well!
Whyyyyyy is this recipe sooooo fattening?! Sour cream, mayo, butter, and cream cheese? Like most HBH recipes, itās decadent. It felt like it didnāt need to be as rich. Also, we found this too spicy. It was a bit of a miss for us.
This dip was SO good!!! Absolutely loved it. Wouldnāt change a thing about it but would also be so good with corn in the summer! Will definitely be making again.
Hi Julie,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well! Have a beautiful Sunday! xx
Can this be made the day before a party and then reheated the next day and then the cold ingredients be added?
Hey Maria,
Sure, I don’t see why that wouldn’t work for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Just a question! Is this still good after it sits for a while, or does it need to be served warm/hot?
Hey Tiff,
This is okay to have at room temp as well:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Could this recipe be combined with the street corn dip recipe?
Hi there,
Sorry, what do you mean combined with? Let me know how I can help! xx
I made this appetizer last night for a Mexican dinner party and it was a HUGE hit! I made it a few hours ahead of time (kept the cotija cheese, greek yogurt/lime topping and cilantro off of it). I reheated in the oven at 350 until warmed throughout then added the cold toppings! Highly recommend trying this recipe!
Hey Christine,
Wonderful! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well! x
I’ve notice quite a few of your recipes adding butter when there is really no apparent need for it. I’ve never seen melted butter stirred into mayo and cream cheese. I have a cooking background and have been reading cookbooks for over 30 years, this is not a technique. Any good recipe needs an element of fat, salt, acid, texture etc, but I would recommend you re-evaluate how you develope your recipes. Our country has an obesity epidemic and if you would try your recipes before you post them, you would agree that this recipe is not balanced in multiple ways.
Planning to make this for thanksgiving next week. It sounds like the melted butter is not mixed into the dip, itās drizzled over the peppers on top of the dip for a little extra buttery spicy flavor. Consult your doc for medical advice, internet for recipes š
Can this recipe be made ahead of time?
Hi! Yes, this recipe can definitely be made ahead of time! xT
This dip is delicious – in my opinion you donāt need to add the toppings (mayo and/or butter) and itās just as good! I also did another version using salsa verde and jarred diced jalapeƱos and it was also good!
Thank you so much Abby! xT
Is olive oil Mayo super necessary? Or Will regular Mayo work in a pinch?
Regular mayo will work just fine! xT
Made this for tailgating the Ole Miss game today and it was a huge hit. Everyone asked me for the recipe. Will definitely be making again! Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you for taking the time to try out this recipe! So glad to hear you enjoyed it! xT
I made this dip for football Sunday and everyone LOVED it!!!! It was gone so fast!!! Will share recipe and make again!! Thank you!!
Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! Glad to hear you enjoyed it! xT