Slow Cooker Cottage Cheese Taco Dip is a cheesy, beefy, flavorful treat that is secretly packed with protein. It is everything you could want in a taco dip, with a lighter twist thanks to the blended cottage cheese. And the best part? You just pop it all in your slow cooker and walk away!
Like cottage cheese pizza dip and cottage cheese queso, this lightened-up recipe has all the goodness without sacrificing flavor!
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📝Shopping list
To make this amazing whipped cottage cheese dip, you will need these simple ingredients. For quantities and full preparation instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Whipped cottage cheese - you can buy it whipped, or use a food processor or, immersion blender. The smoother you whip it, the creamier the final dish will be.
- Extra lean ground beef - any ground beef that is greater than 95% lean.
- Mexican blend cheese - Cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese would both work as well
- Salsa - your favorite kind. Store-bought or homemade both work.
- Chopped green chiles - I use the canned kind
- Taco seasoning - You can use either homemade or packaged. If you prefer a cleaner, homemade taco seasoning, see the recipe in the recipe card below.
- Your Favorite taco toppings - chopped tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc.
Tip
Cottage cheese with 4% milk fat will give you the creamiest version of this healthier queso dip.
💜Why use your slow cooker for this recipe
- Hands-free cooking - Just pop the ingredients into your crockpot and walk away. Everything cooks together slowly, gently, and evenly for a perfectly smooth finished dish.
- Taco cottage cheese dip is Great for Entertaining! Serve it straight out of your crockpot. Just turn it to the warm setting, and your creamy dip will stay gooey and melted throughout your get-together.
- Minimal Cleanup - Cooking and serving from the same crock pot means fewer dishes to wash (my kind of lazy!!)!
If you are already of a fan of slow cooker Texas trash dip or slow cooker dirty martini dip, this one is a must-try!
🎥Watch how to make it
Preparing Your Slow Cooker
Prepare your slow cooker by coating it with a non-stick agent. Any nonstick cooking spray or oil will work. Olive oil and avocado oil are my go-to coatings.
NOTE: Some slow cooker inserts come with a nonstick surface. Use of a non-stick agent is still suggested. However, oil is sometimes recommended rather than spray to protect the longevity of the non-stick surface. Check your slow cooker's manual if you have any concerns.
Alternatively, you can choose to use a slow cooker liner.
Get Cooking
- Blend or whip cottage cheese to remove all the lumps (or be extra lazy and buy already whipped cottage cheese). The creamier your cottage cheese, the creamier your taco dip will be.
- Place ground beef into your greased slow cooker. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to break apart the meat fully. No need to brown the meat first*
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to fully combine. It is really important that all ingredients be fully mixed and any chunks of ground beef be broken apart. Otherwise, your dip will have flavorless chunks of ground beef in it.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3 - 4 hours. Ground beef is considered safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 160℉. Place the probe of a meat thermometer into the center-most point of the slow cooker to test
- Stir again after all the cheese is melted and your meat is cooked all the way through. When you first remove the lid of your slow cooker, you may see some pools of liquid. That is ok! It will blend in when you start to stir.
- Optional: Top with more shredded cheese, sliced green onion, Diced tomatoes, and some chopped cilantro
Should I brown the beef first?
If you buy very lean beef, you can make this crockpot recipe without browning it first.
If you use raw ground beef that has a higher fat content, your dish will be greasy. Ground beef with a fat content greater than 6% is best when browned and drained before adding to your crockpot.
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🔁Substitution suggestions
- Looking to keep the cost down? Use ground beef with a higher fat content and brown it first. Drain off all fat before adding it to your slow cooker.
- Do you like it hot? Use diced jalapenos in place of diced chilis. Use a spicy salsa and substitute Mexican blend cheese with pepper Jack cheese.
- Swap ground beef with ground turkey or ground chicken for a lighter, delicious option.
Why Cottage Cheese?
Cottage cheese is having a moment right now - and for good reason! It is packed with protein and becomes surprisingly creamy when it is blended or whipped. It is a great way to lighten up dips that are traditionally made with processed cheeses.
Taco Dip without Velveeta is a win in my book!
Storing
Store leftovers of this easy slow cooker taco dip in an airtight container for up to four days. It can also be frozen for 2 - 3 months.
Allow frozen portions of your easy cottage cheese taco dip to defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in a microwave.
😉Hints & hacks
- I like to buy my cottage cheese in bulk and use an immersion blender to blend a bunch at a time. I use it in a ton of different recipes.
- To prep in advance, mix all ingredients in a large bowl and cover. You can store prepped dip in the refrigerator for a day or two before adding it to your slow cooker.
- Each crockpot is different. The first time you make this crowd-pleaser, watch closely to ensure nothing is burning. This is especially important if you choose to cook it on high. I have not experienced any burning issues using the published cooking time, but better safe than sorry.
- I generally recommend using a slow cooker liner for easy clean-up! They are not overly pretty, though, so I skip them when serving guests.
- In the market for a casserole slow cooker?? I love mine!
- Always double-check that your slow cooker is plugged in and turned on! Nothing is worse than a cold crockpot when you are ready to eat! 🤪
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📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Cottage Cheese Taco Dip Recipe
(Click on the stars to leave a rating)
Print Pin Rate SaveAll nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
Equipment
- 3 quart slow cooker or larger
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef 95% lean or leaner
- 2 cups whipped cottage cheese
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese Cheddar or Mozzarella are also great options
- 1 cup salsa
- 7 oz can diced chiles Use jalapenos instead if you want to spice it up
- ¼ cup taco seasoning homemade or store bought (see below for homemade recipe)
- your favorite taco toppings such as more shredded cheese, sliced green onion, jalapeno slices, diced tomatoes, etc
Instructions
- Place 1 lb extra lean ground beef into a greased slow cooker. Use a rubber spatula to break it apart.
- Add 2 cups whipped cottage cheese, 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, 1 cup salsa, 7 oz can diced chiles, and ¼ cup taco seasoning to slow cooker
- Use a rubber or wooden spoon to mix all ingredients really well. Make sure that the beef is fully broken apart and well mixed with other ingredients.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Dip is safe to serve one the centermost spot reaches 160℉.
- Top with your favorite taco toppings and enjoy!
Final Step
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Video
Notes
Taco Seasoning Recipe
Note: this makes more seasoning than you will need for this recipe- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 1.5 tablespoons cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
- optional (if you like it hot): 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Nutrition
All nutrition information shown here is automatically generated and should be considered an estimate. If you follow a specific diet, please calculate your own values to ensure accuracy.
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