Dried Beef Dip

Dried beef dip is a creamy, savory dip that is made with only a few simple ingredients. This old-fashioned favorite pairs well with everything from fresh veggies to toasted baguette and will be the surprise hit of your next party!

The first time I had dried beef dip was at Elle’s first birthday party. Even though we had everything taken care of, my step-brother’s girlfriend brought a vegetable tray with the most amazing dip. It was whipped, creamy and the perfect companion to a load of fresh vegetables.

That dip — this very dried beef dip recipe — turned out to be the hit of the food spread, so of course I had to ask her for the recipe. I couldn’t believe that it was made with only three ingredients!

And let me tell you, I’m a dip lover and this one definitely ranks up there with recipes like my loaded baked potato dip and pizza dip — it’s that delish!

What is dried beef?

If you’re like me, you might be thinking, “What the heck is dried beef and why is it in a dip?”
Trust me, I thought the same exact thing when she emailed me the recipe. 

First off, dried beef is not the same thing as beef jerky, even though that’s immediately what came to mind for me.

Dried beef, sometimes known as chipped beef, is a salted, pressed, and dried beef cut into very thin slices. Unlike beef jerky, which is marinated and preserved through drying, dried beef is also salt cured and sometimes smoked for additional flavor.

Dried beef became popular in the US Military in the 20th century, but is still used in a number of old-school recipes especially in the Midwest. You might have grown up eating dried beef cheese ball, creamed chipped beef on toast, or dried beef dip.

You can find dried beef in jars or packets at the grocery store (Armour is a popular brand, and probably the one your mom or grandma used). Some speciality delis or butchers also make and sell their own dried beef.

How to make this dried beef dip

You know how much I love having good dip recipes up my sleeve — and this is one of the easiest ones you could possibly make!

Ingredients you’ll need

You only need 3 ingredients (with an optional 4th ingredient) to make this dried beef dip:

• Whipped-style cream cheese: Even though most of my recipes call for blocks of cream cheese, you want to use whipped cream cheese for this one.
• Dried beef, chopped into small pieces: Be sure to cut the beef into small squares or pieces before mixing it into the dip.
• Sliced green onions: These add flavor and a nice, slight crunch to the dip.

If you prefer a thinner dip, you can also add sour cream to get it to your desired consistency, but this is totally optional.

Some recipes also call for garlic powder or Worcestershire sauce. If you choose to add these, be careful not to add too much Worcestershire sauce. Since the beef is already salty, you don’t want to make the dip taste too salty!

For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Making this recipe

To make dried beef dip, add the cream cheese to a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in the chopped dried beef and green onions and mix until smooth.

Cover the dip and chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight. This will allow the flavors to meld before serving. Be patient! I promise your patience will be rewarded.

If the dip is thicker than you’d like, feel free to mix in up to 1/4 cup of sour cream to thin it out a bit.

Serving suggestions

You can really serve this dried beef dip with just about anything! It’s delicious with a fresh veggies platter, crackers, or toasted slices of baguette. Bagel chips or pretzel thins would also be delicious dippers for this one!

I think it would be so fun to have a whole dip party and include this dip in the mix! After all, everyone knows that appetizers are the best part of any gathering. So why not have a whole party around them?

You could make avocado dip and fiesta ranch dip as two more cold dips. Hot dips could include easy chili cheese dip, spicy sausage dip, and jalapeño popper dip.

And don’t forget dessert! S’mores dip, cherry cheesecake dip, and nutella fruit dip are some of my favorites.