Southwest Sloppy Joe Dip

Southwest Sloppy Joe Dip is a super easy sloppy joe dip recipe that doubles easily, keeps well in the slow cooker, and is perfect for tailgating during the big game!

Sloppy Joe Dip Recipe

I’ve been making this smoky and savory sloppy joe dip recipe for some time now.

It makes a great tailgating dish when prepared in a cast iron skillet since cast iron can be warmed on a grill.

And it is just as easy to prepare on a cook top or in an oven.

I assumed it would be like most other Sloppy Joe recipes….boy, was I wrong.

It’s also very versatile since you can serve it as a sandwich, a slider, or even as a bowl.

Ingredients

• Ground beef: I try to use a lean ground beef for this dish, but use what you have on hand.
  
• Shoe peg corn: You can substitute drained whole kernel canned corn.
  
• Black beans: We prefer black beans in this dip, but you could also use chili beans or pinto beans. If you want this dip to go further, add an extra can of beans.
  
• Tomato sauce and ketchup: Ketchup gives this dip some sweet zing. If you’re big into sweet sauces, you could double the ketchup and eliminate the tomato sauce in this dip.
  
• Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce: Add these to taste since they add some definite HEAT to this dish. You can also use chipotle sauce in place of the minced chipotles.
  
• Cilantro
  
• Seasonings: onion powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper
  
• Serve with tortilla chips

Recipe Tips

If you want this dip to feed more people on the cheap, you can always add an extra can of drained beans or even an extra can of drained corn. Still super delicious and it adds more fiber.

Preheat your skillet before adding the ground beef.
When the ground beef hits the hot skillet, you want to hear some sizzle! This means you’ll get some nice browning and caramelization on the meat and that means added FLAVOR.

You can use any type of ground meat in this ground beef dip.

I typically use ground beef, but have sometimes used ground venison since my boys are hunters; it works great.

Other ground meat options would be ground turkey or ground bison.

Customize this taco dip to your family’s liking.

Substitute chili beans for the black beans or even use pinto beans if you want something more mild.

You can turn this dip into sloppy joe sandwiches or sliders. Just serve it on buns instead of with tortilla chips.

How to Make Sloppy Joe Chip Dip

Preheat a 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet (I prefer cast iron) over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes until nicely hot.

When the skillet is well preheated, add the ground beef.

Leave the ground beef alone to cook until well browned on the bottom, then use a meat crumbler or wooden spoon to crumble the ground beef well.

Cook the ground beef until no pink remains the beef is fully cooked throughout.

Tip the pan to one side and move the ground beef to the higher side of the pan, allowing the fats to drain down to the lower side of the pan; use a paper towel to absorb the fats, then toss it away.

Add the cumin, onion powder, ketchup, drained corn, drained beans, tomato sauce, and chipotle peppers to the pan.

Stir the ingredients to combine. Bring the dip to a high simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cooking the dip 10-15 minutes longer to let the flavors meld, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the cilantro; season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Garnish the dip with scallions and shredded cheese, as desired.

Serve at once with your favorite tortilla chips.

Southwest Sloppy Joe Dip ahead of time

This ground beef sloppy joe mixture can be made a day or two ahead of time.

Let the dip cool before covering it and placing it in your refrigerator after cooking.

Reheat on your stovetop, in your oven, or on the grill for 15-20 minutes on medium heat or until the dip is heated throughout.

Does this dip freeze well

Yes, this ground beef sloppy joe mixture freezes great.

It will freeze for up to six months in a good freezer container.

Thaw in your refrigerator.

Reheat on your stovetop, in your oven, or on the grill for 15-20 minutes on medium heat or until the dip is heated throughout.

Can other ground meats be substituted

Yes, I’ve substituted ground venison before, since we always have quite a bit of that in the freezer since my sons are hunters.

You can also make it with ground pork, turkey, or chicken too.

Can I double this recipe to make more sloppy joe dip?

Yes! Just use a 12-inch skillet if you double this recipe so you’ve got room to stir it without the contents of the pan spilling over.

Other Family Favorite Recipes to Enjoy

Loaded BBQ Pulled Pork Sweet Potatoes 

Twisted Mexican Hot Tot Skillet 

Taco Tater Tot Casserole

Instant Pot Lazy-Butt Beef Subs with Caramelized Onions and BBQ Mayo