Lightened-Up Chili Cheese Dip
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This chili cheese dip is a magnet for good times. Set it out on game day, at an afternoon BBQ, or bring it to a potluck, and it’s guaranteed to disappear fast. It’s packed with bold flavor from sharp cheddar, chili, salsa, and fresh lime juice — plus there’s a secret ingredient tucked inside… any guesses?
This chili cheese dip is everything you want in an appetizer — melty, cheesy, a little spicy, and completely irresistible. The twist is a not-so-obvious ingredient: a cauliflower béchamel that quietly works behind the scenes to make the dip extra silky and rich.
Before you side-eye the cauliflower, hear me out. Once cooked and blended, it turns incredibly smooth and acts as a natural thickener, giving the dip a luscious, creamy texture that rivals melted cheese. It also takes on the flavor of everything around it, so you’d never guess it’s there, and as a bonus, it sneaks a bit of veg into a dish that’s usually all about indulgence.
The base starts with cauliflower simmered in chicken stock for extra depth, then blended and stirred together with cream cheese and plenty of sharp cheddar. From there, chili adds heartiness, salsa brings a tangy tomato pop, and a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice wakes everything up. Finished with optional garnishes like cilantro, jalapeño, or minced onion, this is the kind of warm, bubbling cheese dip that disappears fast — and has everyone asking what your secret is.
What to serve with chili cheese dip
Don’t feel limited to tortilla chips with this dip — it’s great with so much more. Here are a few delicious ways to serve your homemade chili cheese dip:
- Chips: A classic for a reason. Salty tortilla chips pair perfectly with the warm, cheesy dip.
- Fries: Drizzle it over fries or use them for dunking — both are excellent options.
- Veggies: Carrots, celery, or bell peppers become surprisingly irresistible once there’s chili cheese dip involved.
- Bread: Warm cubes of hearty bread make another great, scoopable option.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make chili cheese dip in advance?
You can make this dip up to a couple of days in advance of serving. Just make sure to store it in the fridge and reheat it on the stove or microwave before digging in.
How should I store chili cheese dip?
It will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days if stored in a covered container.
Lightened-Up Chili Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 3 cups chopped cauliflower
- 1 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (can be light)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups homemade or storebought chili
- ⅓ cup salsa
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (fresh is best)
- Cherry tomatoes, minced onion, cilantro, and jalapeño (to serve)
- Corn chips or tortillas (for dipping)
Instructions
- Place the cauliflower and chicken stock in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is very soft.3 cups chopped cauliflower, 1 cup chicken stock
- Transfer the cauliflower to your blender and blend on high speed until smooth. If needed, add a little of the stock from the pot to get it to blend well. Don't add too much though as you don't want runny cheese sauce.
- Discard any stock left in the pot then pour in the pureed cauliflower. Add the cream cheese, shredded cheese, chili, and salsa and then heat the cheese sauce over medium heat until the cheese is melted and bubbly.4 ounces cream cheese, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 ½ cups homemade or storebought chili, ⅓ cup salsa
- Stir in the lime juice and top with any or all of the toppings. Serve with chips on the side for dipping.1 tablespoon lime juice, Cherry tomatoes, minced onion, cilantro, and jalapeño, Corn chips or tortillas
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our dip recipes!
Cauliflower 🤯
Definitely trying this one!
Hi Kristen, I love your recipes but need to clarify an ingredient in this dip. You refer to chilli – are you referring to chilli con carne (minus the beans?) or veg chiili?
Thank you
You can use either! I personally prefer chili con carne, but veggie chili will also work. If you go the veggie chili route, just make sure it’s not too chunky with vegetables. Usually from a can it’s not.
Making this tomorrow for company coming. I will roast the Cauliflower in my air fryer. I love the roasted texture and taste. Such a nice dip dor us watching our waistline. I wondered about altering the recipe just a tad with a bit of light cream cheese and a bit less of the cheddar? Experimenting with guests is ill-advised, so I will change it next time. So excited to find this, and you, Kristen.
I bet some cream cheese in here would be lovely! I hope you have a great dinner party tonight!!
It turned out great! I used my food processor for the cauliflower and couldn’t quite get it fluid enough – at least how yours looked. I didn’t want to add too much water, but maybe chicken broth might have been OK. In any event, I added it to the skillet and included my spices. I didn’t have cayenne, so I used Ancho Chile Powder along with the chili. I also added to the top – some salsa fresca I made earlier, some thin sliced radishes and a couple of grates of Mexican Queso Panela cheese. My company went nuts. We had fun hearing them guess the secret ingredient.. lol.
I’m so happy it turned out! So fun to “trick” people into eating good food, isn’t it?!
Haha thank you so much, girl! Cauliflower is my fav!
Love !!! Love!!! All kristens reclpes and l will be making this one for sure!!!
Awww … thanks so much, Debbie!
Oh wowww, looks AMAZING. Definitely making this to our house warming party on Sat! I was just wondering if it has to be super hot when served. I mean, it might be sitting on the table for a few hours before being entirely consumed. Do you recommend re-heating in that case?
Hi Essi,
Happy housewarming!!
It actually handles being away from the heat fairly well, much better than dips that are only melty cheese. But … it is better warm so it might be a good idea to serve it in a microwavable dish so you can quickly reheat it if necessary. 🙂
Hope you have a great party!
Wow. This was so good!
Thanks, Jamie!
Thank you so much! I I love sneaking in extra veggies to dishes. 🙂
Thank you so much, Liz! You just put a big smile on my face. 🙂
I made this last weekend when I had some friends over and everyone asked for the recipe. I’m craving it again so I’m going to make it tonight!