This crowd-pleasing 7 Layer Taco Dip can be prepared in just 5 minutes. It also tends to be the first thing to be eaten when I host parties. This cold dip is the perfect appetizer to serve on game day.
My 7 Layer Taco Dip recipe brings together 9 simple ingredients to create 7 delicious layers of taco goodness: refried black beans, a taco seasoning mix and sour cream mixture, salsa, avocado, chopped lettuce, Mexican cheese, and chopped tomatoes.
The only steps to prepare the dip are mixing sour cream with taco seasoning, mashing avocado with some lime juice, chopping, and assembly.
The hardest part of making 7 layer taco dip is not eating it all yourself.
I made a little video showing how to make 7 layer taco dip – but heads up – I am making a half batch in this video. I had to make a half batch simply because I know myself… and I probably shouldn’t be eating an entire tray of taco dip.
I ate so much of this that I called it dinner, and I am ok with that life choice.
One of the reasons why I love this 7-layer taco dip so much is that this recipe is so easy to customize. There are many variations of this recipe. Many people like to add a layer of black olives. I am not a fan, so I leave them off. I add a layer of mashed avocado, but you could add fresh guacamole instead. You could use fresh pico de gallo or taco sauce instead of the salsa. Plain Greek yogurt, light sour cream, or cream cheese can be used instead of full-fat sour cream – and it can be seasoned if your own homemade taco seasoning or chili powder instead of a taco seasoning mix.
There are no rules here. You can add all of your favorite taco toppings to this dip. It can even have more than 7 layers!
If you don’t want to stop at 7 layers, you could certainly opt to add ingredients like ground beef taco meat, green onions, green chiles, corn salsa, or jalapenos.
One of my favorite things about this layer dip recipe is that it can be made a few hours in advance. Since mashed avocado is one of the ingredients, you don’t want to make it too far in advance or you will risk the avocado turning brown. Just make sure that the avocado is completely covered by the other layers so that no air can get to it, and it should stay nice and green.
Every last bit of this taco dip was eaten, and I think that it will be making an appearance at my parties going forward.
More party dip recipes:
Having a party? Need some more recipes? I have got you covered. Here are some of my best party appetizers. These are crowd pleasers that I make again and again:
Corn Queso is cheesy and delicious and the corn adds an extra burst of flavor and texture.
Sweet Peppers Stuffed with a Cheesy Spinach Dip are a personal favorite.
Homemade Roasted Garlic and Lemon Hummus tastes far better than anything you could buy in a store.
Roast Beef Sandwich Sliders are a hearty appetizer that takes just minutes to prepare.
Save and share this recipe for 7 Layer Taco Dip on Pinterest:
How to make 7 Layer Taco Dip:
Ingredients
- 1 can of Refried Beans
- 2 cups Sour Cream
- 1 Taco Seasoning Packet
- 1 jar of Salsa (16 ounces)
- 3 Ripe Avocados
- 1 Lime
- 2 cups Shredded Lettuce (they sell it already shredded!)
- 2 cups Shredded Cheese (I recommend a Mexican cheese mix or sharp cheddar cheese)
- 3-4 Tomatoes (I used Roma tomatoes)
- *I used a 9×13 dish
- Serve with Tortilla Chips
Instructions
- For the first layer, spread the refried beans out evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 inch (or similarly sized) dish.
- To prepare the next layer, mix the taco seasoning and the sour cream in a small bowl. Spread the seasoned sour cream over the refried beans.
- Spread the salsa layer over the sour cream.
- Half, pit, and scoop the avocados into a bowl. Squeeze the lime over and then mash the avocado, mixing in the lime juice. Then layer the mashed avocado on top of the salsa.
- Continue layering the lettuce, Mexican cheese, and, finally, the tomatoes.
- Seal in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour before serving. Serve with tortilla chips.
Karen Carter
Tuesday 12th of November 2019
I always add thinly sliced green onions to the top of my dip. I drain the taco sauce to get rid of the "wet" problem. By the way, we love the black olives.
thekittchen
Wednesday 13th of November 2019
I love how everyone makes this recipe their own!
Alyssa Giunta
Monday 28th of October 2019
Hello I was just wondering if the recipe is for a full batch of the dip
thekittchen
Monday 28th of October 2019
Yes! This is a full batch!
dennbro
Tuesday 21st of May 2019
In reference to the black olive dilemma, you don't see refried beans on tacos either, burritos maybe, but yet your recipe has beans. As a dip recipe, I would add both beans and olives, but that's just me.
thekittchen
Wednesday 22nd of May 2019
I totally think that people should make their recipes the way they want to. Yeah refried beans on tacos are a little weird, but I love it! And if you love olives, please add them :)
Cherryl Rahn Ehlenburg
Friday 27th of April 2018
I will definitely be trying this! I have a simple recipe I've used for years, but sometimes it's fun to try something a little different!
thekittchen
Monday 30th of April 2018
I hope you love it!
At Rivercrest Cottage
Tuesday 17th of April 2018
Had to laugh at the olive remark. Must be a California-Mex thing. I grew up in CA in the 50's and 60's and we always had sliced olives on our tacos. Also, our taco shells were always tortillas fried with a little oil to make them soft and crispy, not the hard shells like Taco Bell makes and now all the restaurants have copied.
thekittchen
Tuesday 17th of April 2018
Those shells sound delicious!