Say hello to your new party favorite: a slow cooker taco dip with refried beans and all your favorite taco ingredients! This slow cooker appetizer is perfect for parties, potlucks, and family dinners – and comes with an Instant Pot variation. Don’t let its five ingredient simplicity fool you; it’s guaranteed to become a favorite and crowd pleaser!

Looking for more easy appetizers? Try my 5 Minute Goat Cheese Appetizer with Dried Tomatoes & Roasted Red Peppers here, Quick Cheesy Chicken Artichoke Skillet Dip here, or these Maple Mustard Bacon Chicken Bites!

taco dip with toppings in black bowl of a slow cooker from above

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Don’t you love slow cooker appetizers when hosting parties? They make it so easy to focus on the other foods, knowing you have good things going in the background that will be ready when everyone has arrived.

And when that appetizer is this slow cooker taco dip it’s even better because this is a recipe you’ll find that everyone loves – huddled around the pot and scooping away!

When served with the optional toppings, each person can make their own version of the classic layered taco dip, but a nice warm and melty version instead of cold.

Which also makes this an easy and fun family dinner idea, too – simply serve the dip with toppings like lettuce, salsa, guacamole, pickled corn or onions, and sour cream and let everyone build their own layers.

What’s great about this recipe

Only 5 Simple Ingredients – you probably already have these ingredients in your pantry and freezer right now!
Fix it and Forget it – perfect for parties as you can make it hours ahead and have one thing checked off your list early!
Feeds a Crowd (or just your family!) Cheaply – these ingredients don’t break the bank and everyone happily cleans the pot.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this amazing slow cooker dip:

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Ground Meat – Use either ground beef, ground turkey (shown), or ground chicken. You can also change it up by using leftover shredded beef or chicken.
Salsa – Use any salsa you have. This is a great time to use one of your home canned salsas like Perfect Thick Canned Salsa or Roasted Chipotle Salsa. You can also vary the flavor by using green Salsa Verde.
Refried Beans – Use quality canned refried beans or make yours quickly from cooked beans.
Cheese – Sharp cheddar cheese gives the most flavor and pepper jack is a nice alternative, as is a Mexican blend cheese. This recipe doesn’t call for cream cheese as some recipes do, but you could add about a 1/4 block, chopped, if you wanted.
Taco Seasoning – You can use either store bought or homemade taco seasoning. Here’s a recipe if you’d like to mix together your own taco seasoning:

Quick Homemade Taco Seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all spices together well in a bowl. (Note: This makes a bit more than the 2 tablespoons needed for the recipe – I just add it all to the recipe. You can store the remainder if you don’t want to add the extra.)

How to Make Slow Cooker Taco Dip: Step by Step

Here are a few helpful visual instructions for using a slow cooker – the full instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the printable recipe card below, as well as the instructions for using an Instant Pot.

browning ground meat with taco seasoning in cast iron skillet

Step 1: Brown the meat. Start browning the ground meat in a large skillet over medium heat with a little water. When it’s halfway done, add the taco seasoning and mix well, cooking the beef mixture a few minutes more until done.

adding remaining ingredients to slow cooker insert

Step 2: Add remaining ingredients. Scrape the seasoned meat into the bowl of a slow cooker along with the remaining three ingredients.

Step 3: Cook taco dip. Stir well, cover, and cook on low for a couple hours. Remove lid and stir to combine.

Step 4: Add toppings and serve. You can serve the taco dip as is, but it’s great to top with whatever you have: here I’ve used shredded lettuce, corn relish, and salsa.

Pro Tip: For a crowd, layer the toppings so it’s easy for everyone to dish it up quickly, but for a smaller group or just a family dinner, serve the toppings separately and let everyone top theirs as they like (perfect for picky eaters and guests you’re not sure about!).

Taco Dip Topping Ideas

Here are some toppings that go great with this crock pot taco dip – pick a few or try all for a full-on taco bar:

Shredded lettuce
Shredded cabbage
Salsa
Sour cream
Mexican crema
Diced tomatoes
Chopped onion, regular or green onions
Nacho cheese sauce
Pickled corn relish
Pickled onions
Spicy hot sauce

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Store this in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Reheating: Portion out a serving in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, stir and microwave for 30 seconds more. Reheat a larger portion in a toaster oven or regular oven at 325 degrees until warmed though, stirring halfway, about 8 to 15 minutes, depending on amount.

taco dip in small white bowl with chips above

More Party Dip Recipes

I hope you love this slow cooker taco dip! If you make it, be sure to leave a recipe rating so I know how you liked it!

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