7 Layer Taco Dip is the perfect appetizer that everyone will love! Easy to prepare and assemble, this iconic recipe is an instant crowd pleaser. This dip has not five, not six, but seven layers of delicious ingredients that you won’t be able to wait to dunk your tortilla chip into.
This recipe is, without hesitation, one of the best dips you’ll ever eat. Why, you ask? You get 7 dips in one cup! The refried beans, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream mixture pack a punch of flavor and work wonders together!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:
Handheld and Portable – These taco dips are made in individual little cups making it the perfect dish for parties, tailgates, or even after school snacks!
Simple and Fun – Not only are these Mexican layer dips incredibly easy to prepare and assemble, they look adorable and are fun to eat!
No Cooking Necessary – You don’t need a stovetop, or even a microwave for this 7 layer taco dip recipe! Heat free, but still oh-so yummy!
Crowd Pleaser – Seven Layer Dip is the perfect dish to serve to crowds, so if you’re looking for a top tier appetizer to serve to your guests, keep scrolling!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This is an overview of the ingredients you will need to make this easy Seven Layer Dip. Important notes and substitutions for certain ingredients are discussed. The full printable recipe, with amounts and specific details, can be found at the bottom of the page.
Salsa – Grab a jar of chunky salsa for this recipe because you’ll want to strain out most of the juice and use that delicious “chunky” part!
Can of Refried Beans – You can’t make a 7 layer bean dip without beans! There is no need to heat the refried beans because they already come cooked, but if they’re hard to spread, you can stir in a little bit of the strained salsa juice! This recipe calls for a can of beans, but if you’re feeling fancy, you can make your own refried beans from scratch!
Taco Seasoning – If you don’t have taco seasoning on hand, you can use the following spices to make some: 1 Tablespoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon paprika and ground cumin, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. (Ranch seasoning also tastes good mixed in with the sour cream.)
Guacamole – Store bought or fresh homemade guacamole both work great with this recipe!
Tomatoes, Green Onions, Black Olives – You’ll sprinkle these ingredients on the top, but feel free to switch up any of the ingredients with something else. The possibilities are endless, but you could add taco meat, Rotel, jalapeno peppers, or some pico de gallo!
How To Make 7 Layer Taco Dip
Let’s discuss the steps you’ll take to make this seven layer dip. If you want to skip my discussion, tips, information and answers to frequently asked questions, just scroll to the bottom of this post for the printable recipe.
Begin by prepping all your ingredients. Using a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning then set aside.
- When ready to assemble the cups, start with the refried beans, and spread them all over the bottom of the cup.
- Double check to make sure the salsa is drained well, then spread it over the layer of refried beans.
- Next, spread the guacamole layer over the salsa layer.
- Take the sour cream mixture and spread it on top of the salsa layer.
- Grab your shredded cheese and sprinkle it over the sour cream layer.
- Sprinkle the diced tomatoes on top of the cheese, then add green onions and black olives on top of the tomatoes. Chill these cups in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. These dips serve well with tortilla chips or corn chips.
Recipe Tips and Advice
Storage – These little dips make great leftovers! Just cover the tops of the cups and keep them in the fridge for up to 2 days. Take note that guacamole can lose it’s green color and take on a more brown hue over time.
One Dip Wonder – If you don’t have little party cups to use, or just want one big 7 layer dip to yourself, you can follow this recipe the exact same way, but layer the dip in an 8×8 baking dish.
Layering – There’s no exact science to how you layer your seven layer dip, or what you put in it. Just make sure you don’t layer the guacamole on the top because avocados tend to brown when they touch the air.
Materials – For this recipe you’ll need a baking dish or clear bowl for the sour cream mixture as well as a hand mixer, strainer for the salsa, and a sharp knife for cutting the ingredients. When it comes to the cups, I find that these disposable clear cups are a great option.
This dip recipe is usually served chilled because of the guacamole and sour cream layers.
This may be happening because the salsa was not drained thoroughly! Try pressing the chunky part of the salsa up against the strainer with a spoon to get most of the juice out before layering it onto the beans.
What To Serve With 7 Layer Taco Dip?
It’s common to serve this recipe with some tortilla or corn chips. If you’re really wanting to wow your guests with some other fun party foods that pair well with 7 layer taco dip, try out some of these delicious Mexican Food recipes!
- Taco Pinwheels
- Rotel Dip
- Mexican Spanish Rice
- Easy Nachos
- Crockpot Fajitas
- Cowboy Caviar
- Frozen Margaritas
- Cheese Enchiladas
- Churros
- Fried Ice Cream
7 Layer Taco Dip
Ingredients
- 16 ounces refried beans
- 1 cup chunky salsa well drained
- 1 cup guacamole
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning or a standard size packet
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1/2 cup black olives sliced
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning. Mix until creamy.
- Spread the refried beans all over the bottom of each cup.
- Make sure that the salsa is well drained, then spread this over the refried bean layer.
- Spread the guacamole layer on as smooth as possible over the salsa.
- Spread the cream cheese/sour cream mixture over the guacamole layer.
- Sprinkle on the shredded cheese. Sprinkle the diced tomatoes as the next layer. Sprinkle the sliced green onions and black olives as the last layer.
- Chill for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or corn chips.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Megan says
This was such a hit at my party!! Didn’t have any leftovers! Thanks for sharing. 🙂