Taco dip rarely delivers on its promise of big Tex‐Mex flavor. We set out to develop a hearty, meaty taco dip worthy of eating while watching the big game. We wanted our dip to include plenty of flavorful ground beef, but when we simply stirred raw ground beef into the slow cooker, the dip was a watery, greasy mess. So we partially cooked the ground beef in the microwave to remove moisture and render excess fat. A packet of taco seasoning and a little garlic made quick work of seasoning the beef and helped us to shorten our ingredient list. To bulk up the meat, we added lots of hearty black beans. Mashing half of the beans and stirring in some shredded Monterey Jack cheese helped to bind everything together into a cohesive dip. Ro‐tel tomatoes added bright acidity and a spicy kick. To finish, we topped the dip with more gooey Monterey Jack and a sprinkling of scallions.

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SLOW-COOKER BEEF AND BLACK BEAN TACO DIP

Get this recipe and 200+ more in Slow Cooker Revolution Volume 2: The Easy-Prep Edition

Makes about 5 cups
Serves 6 to 8
Cooking Time 1 to 2 hours on Low
Slow Cooker Size 1 1/2 to 7 quarts

Serve with tortilla chips and/or pita chips.

1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef
1 (1-ounce) packet taco seasoning
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 (10-ounce) cans Ro-tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 scallions, sliced thin

1. Microwave ground beef, taco seasoning, and garlic in bowl, stirring occasionally, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Break up any large pieces of beef with spoon, then drain off fat.

2. Drain tomatoes, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Using potato masher, mash half of beans with reserved tomato juice in large bowl until mostly smooth. Stir in beef mixture, remaining beans, tomatoes, and 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack until well combined.

3a. FOR A 1 1/2- TO 5-QUART SLOW COOKER: Transfer mixture to slow cooker, cover, and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 hours on low. Stir dip to recombine and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack. Cover and continue to cook on low until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

3b. FOR A 5 1/2- TO 7-QUART SLOW COOKER: Transfer mixture to 1 1/2‐quart soufflé dish. Set dish in slow cooker and pour water into slow cooker until it reaches about one‐third up sides of dish (about 2 cups water). Cover and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 hours on low. Stir dip to recombine and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack. Cover and continue to cook on low until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove dish from slow cooker.

4. Sprinkle dip with scallions and serve. (Dip can be held on warm or low setting for up to 2 hours.)