Are you in need of a quick party dip that’ll knock your guests’ socks off? This spicy salsa and cream cheese dip is about as fast a recipe as they come. It’s as simple as unwrap, pour, microwave, chop, and combine.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Creamy, tangy and savory, with whatever chili and tomato your salsa brings and a fresh green bite from jalapeño. |
| Primary heat source | Your salsa, plus an optional jalapeño (2,500 to 8,000 SHU). |
| Heat level | Mild to hot, depending on the salsa you pick and the fresh pepper you add. |
| Texture | Warm, smooth and creamy, with bits of tomato and pepper. |
| Best uses | A party dip with tortilla chips, or spooned over nachos, tacos and baked potatoes. |
| Customization ideas | Hot salsa, a serrano or habanero, salsa verde, shredded cheese or crumbled chorizo. |
| Before you start | About 10 minutes. Cube the cream cheese so it melts evenly. |
Flavor notes
The spicy beauty of it all: you can control the heat through both the salsa jar choice and by adding a fresh pepper to the mix. Jalapeño and serrano chilies both work great in this dip, but you could go even hotter, if you dare. Just make sure your guests know what’s in store for their taste buds!
Jalapeños run 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units, and serranos run about three times that, so a diced serrano gives this dip a noticeably bigger kick. Trim out the ribs and seeds if you want the pepper’s flavor with less of its heat.
Cut the cream cheese into cubes before it goes in. A cold block straight from the fridge won’t melt through in a minute, but cubes melt faster and more evenly, so you’re not left with a cold lump in the middle of the bowl.
Stir between each burst in the microwave. Cream cheese can turn grainy or separate if it overheats. So short bursts with a stir in between are what keep it smooth.
The salsa does most of the seasoning here, so pick one you like on its own. A chunky salsa leaves pieces of tomato and onion through the dip, and a smooth, restaurant-style salsa makes it silkier.
Adaptation ideas
Most of these change the heat or make the dip heartier.
- Want more heat? Use a hot salsa and a diced serrano, or a little minced habanero if your crowd can take it.
- Want it green? Use a tomatillo salsa verde and top it with extra cilantro.
- Want it cheesier? Stir in half a cup of shredded pepper jack or cheddar along with the salsa.
- Want it heartier? Stir in cooked, crumbled chorizo or seasoned ground beef.
- Want it lighter? Use reduced-fat cream cheese, sometimes sold as Neufchâtel.
Serving ideas
It’s a party dip first, but it’s good on plenty more than chips.
- With chips. Tortilla chips, pita chips or crackers.
- With vegetables. Bell pepper strips, celery sticks and cucumber slices.
- On nachos. Spooned over chips and topped with sliced jalapeños and green onion.
- On tacos and potatoes. A dollop on tacos, burritos or a baked potato.
Storage notes
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge and use them within three to four days. The dip firms up as it chills, so it’ll need a quick reheat before it’s scoopable again.
Reheat it in short bursts in the microwave, stirring in between, and add a splash of salsa if it’s too thick. But skip the freezer, since cream cheese dips can turn grainy once they’re thawed.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Jalapeño Popper Dip: Bacon, jalapeños and plenty of cheese in one warm dip.
- Jalapeño Artichoke Dip: The classic artichoke dip, brought to life with a little jalapeño.
- Spicy Guacamole: Guacamole with a bit more heat for the spicy food lovers.
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Spicy Salsa And Cream Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 1 package cream cheese 8 ounces, cut into cubes
- 1 to 2 cups salsa half to a full 16-ounce jar, as spicy as you like
- 1 jalapeño pepper optional, seeded and finely diced
- fresh cilantro optional, chopped
Instructions
- Put the cubed cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl and pour the salsa over it. Use 1 cup for a thick, scoopable dip, or up to 2 cups for a looser one.
- Microwave on high for 1 minute, then stir. Keep heating in 30-second bursts, stirring each time, until the cream cheese has melted and the dip is smooth and hot, about 2 to 3 minutes total.
- Stir in the diced jalapeño (or serrano), if using.
- Top with chopped cilantro if you like, and serve warm with tortilla chips.
