Ingredients
Scale
For the Beef Layer:
- 4 strips bacon, diced
- 1 lb lean ground beef (I like 90/10 for this)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Cream Cheese Layer:
- 1 (8-oz) block cream cheese, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt (I like 2%)
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For Assembly:
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
- ½ cup halved grape tomatoes
- ¼ cup diced dill pickles
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- Few tablespoons of ranch dressing, for drizzling
Optional Dippers for Serving:
- Slider buns, warmed and halved
- Tortilla chips
- Crackers
- Cubed baguette
Instructions
For the Beef Layer:
- Place the bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until crispy and rendered. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- To the same skillet, add the beef. Break up with a spoon and cook until crumbly and browned, about 2 minutes. Add in the other ingredients and stir to combine. Cook for another minute and then season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
For the Cream Cheese Layer:
- Whisk together the ingredients until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
To Assemble:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the cream cheese layer on the bottom of an 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
- Top with the cooked beef layer.
- Top with the shredded cheeses and crisped bacon. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until everything is gooey and the cheese is melted and bubbling in spots.
- Remove from the oven and carefully top the hot dip with the lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions. Season the fresh ingredients with a pinch of salt.
- Drizzle the ranch dressing over the top and serve immediately with preferred dippers.