Creamy Corn Jalapeño Dip (Printable)
Warm, cheesy baked dip loaded with sweet corn and spicy jalapeños, perfect for parties and gatherings.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
02 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
03 - ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
04 - ¼ cup sour cream
→ Vegetables
05 - 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen and thawed, or canned and drained)
06 - 2 to 3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely diced
07 - 1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
→ Spices and Seasonings
09 - 1 garlic clove, minced
10 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
11 - ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Optional Garnish
13 - Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, Monterey Jack cheese, and half of the cheddar cheese. Stir until smooth and well blended.
03 - Gently fold in the corn kernels, diced jalapeños, red bell pepper, green onions, minced garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper until evenly distributed throughout the cheese mixture.
04 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
05 - Bake on the center rack for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the dip is bubbling vigorously and the edges have turned a deep golden brown.
06 - Remove from the oven and allow the dip to rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro if desired.
07 - Serve warm accompanied by tortilla chips, crusty baguette slices, or fresh vegetable sticks such as celery and carrot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It uses simple pantry staples and comes together in ten minutes before the oven does the rest.
- The contrast of sweet corn and smoky heat keeps people scooping until the dish is scraped clean.
02 -
- Cold cream cheese will leave you with lumpy pockets so patience at room temperature really matters here.
- If you make this ahead and refrigerate it before baking add about five extra minutes to the baking time to account for the chill.
03 -
- Drain canned corn thoroughly because excess liquid will make the dip watery and prevent it from setting properly.
- Shred your own cheese from a block rather than using pre shredded bags because the anti caking additives actually interfere with melting.