Cheesy Black Bean Dip is one of those appetizers that always gets rave reviews whenever we serve it.

Warm bean dip mixed with pico de gallo and spices, laced with cheese. The dish is finished with more cheese and pico de gallo and, optionally but highly recommended, a good dose sour cream.

The dip also works well as an ingredient as other dishes, such as burritos, tacos, enchiladas, taco salad, or nachos! You can also add some chicken stock to leftover bean dip with some corn and or rice and you’ll have a nice black bean soup.

A Word about Cilantro

I suggest using a small bunch of cilantro in the bean dip recipe. Some unfortunate folks possess a variation of olfactory-receptor genes that allows them to detect aldehydes, which are present in cilantro.

People who can detect aldehydes can experience the taste of cilantro as soapy or like tinfoil. Not pleasant, and happily not a problem for most of us.

The cilantro can be added as a garnish or omitted without sacrificing the dish – there are plenty of other flavors and the black bean dip will still taste wonderful.

Bean Dips

I use whole black beans for this recipe for the texture. Using prepared refried black beans is also an option. Refried or whole Pinto beans can also be substituted.

For those who love bean dips, here are a few additional recipes to try!

Buffalo Blue Cheese Hummus Dip

Hummus with Chipotles in Adobo Sauce

Fasole Batatu – Romanian White Bean Dip

Pin or bookmark the recipe for later!

Hint: this bean dip goes perfectly with a cold margarita and our Barbacoa Beef Tacos!

Yield: 3 Cups

Black Bean Dip

Name: Black Bean Dip
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 3
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 - 12 ounces (510 g) Black Beans, drained; ½ Small Onion, diced; 1 Roma or Plum Tomato, diced; ½ Jalapeño pepper, finely diced (or other pepper of your choice); Juice ½ Lime; 2 Teaspoons (4 g) Ground Cumin; 1 Teaspoon (2 g) Garlic Powder; 2 Dashes Hot Sauce; 1 Small Bunch Cilantro, Roughly Chopped; 3 Ounces (85 g) Cheese, such as Gouda or Cheddar, grated; Sour Cream as an optional topping; Tortilla chips for dipping

Spicy Black Bean Dip, topped with cheese and pico de gallo. Delicious with tortilla chips, or as part of a recipe for a bean burrito or taco salad.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 - 12 ounces (510 g) Black Beans, drained
½ Small Onion, diced
1 Roma or Plum Tomato, diced
½ Jalapeño pepper, finely diced (or other pepper of your choice)
Juice ½ Lime
2 Teaspoons (4 g) Ground Cumin
1 Teaspoon (2 g) Garlic Powder
2 Dashes Hot Sauce
1 Small Bunch Cilantro, Roughly Chopped
3 Ounces (85 g) Cheese, such as Gouda or Cheddar, grated
Sour Cream as an optional topping
Tortilla chips for dipping

Instructions

Make the Pico de Gallo adding the onions, tomato, lime juice, jalapeño and half of the cilantro in bowl. Mix and set aside
Mash ½ of the beans (you can use a blender or food processor for this). Mashing ½ of the beans and leaving the other ½ whole will give smoothness to the dip while maintaining a nice texture.
Add all of the beans to a sauce pan over medium heat.
Add the cumin, hot sauce, garlic powder and ½ of the pico de gallo, the remaining cilantro and most of the shredded cheese to the beans.
Heat until the cheese is melted.
Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Place the dip in a serving bowl. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, and the remaining pico de gallo.
Serve with tortilla chips