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This 7 Layer Dip is made with beans, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, tomatoes, olives, and scallions. Nothing fancy and no cooking required, but together the whole combination tastes amazing when scooped up with a sturdy tortilla chip.ย
As a long-time entertainer with plenty of huge parties under my belt, I know the best parties are the ones where the host is relaxed, happy, and mingling. Guests love to imagine you prepared the food with ease right before they arrived, and this Seven Layer Dip recipe is just such a recipe.
The secret to the best 7-layer taco dip is to have a variety of colors, textures, and flavors. I infuse the refried beans with taco seasoning, the guacamole is flavored with lime and salt, and the remaining layers draw from classic taco toppings like shredded cheese, tomatoes, and onions.
Since every layer of the dip is soft, crunchy tortilla chips make the perfect balanced dippers. You can also easily customize your dip based on your favorite ingredients. If you hate olives, just leave them out. If youโre craving heat, add sliced serranos on top. Thereโs no wrong way to dip!
Table of Contents
7 Layer Dip Recipe Ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Taco seasoning: A store-bought packet works great. To DIY a packetโs worth of homemade taco seasoning, whisk together 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 ยฝ teaspoons ground cumin, ยพ teaspoon paprika, ยฝ teaspoon ground coriander, ยผ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like ยฝ teaspoon). Add 1 teaspoon cornstarch if you prefer a thickener in your taco seasoning.
- Avocados:ย I stripped down guacamole down to its essence for this recipe, but feel free to make full-blownย guacamoleย if you prefer.
- Olives: I love the flavor of canned black olives in this dip, but itโs the easiest thing in the world to omit if you donโt like them.
How to make Seven Layer Dip
- In a small bowl, mix the beans and taco seasoning mix.ย Spread in the bottom of a medium glass bowl or baking dish, then top with the sour cream.
- Halve avocados, remove the pits, and scoop out the flesh. Mash the avocados with the lime juice and salt to taste (I like ยฝ teaspoon), then spread on top of the sour cream layer.
- On top of the guacamole layer, add the shredded cheese, tomatoes, olives, and scallions in that order.
- Serve immediately with tortilla chips or cover and chill until serving time.
7 Layer Dip Recipe Tips and Variations
- Yield: One batch of this 7 Layer Dip should feed 12 people as a snack or appetizer. But the recipe is easy to scale up or down to fit the group.
- Delicious add-ins: Use your favorite guacamole in place of the avocado layer. Spread a layer of pico de gallo on the dip instead of raw tomatoes. Try crumbled queso fresco in place of shredded cheddar. Or, add some chopped cilantro along with the scallions.
Storing 7 Layer Dip
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Make ahead: You can definitely make this recipe a few hours ahead, but any longer and the avocado layer may begin to brown.
More Tex-Mex party favorites
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Taco Dip Recipe
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Dorito Taco Salad
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Stews and Soups
Taco Soup Recipe With Ranch Seasoning
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7 Layer Dip Recipe
Ingredientsย
- 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
- 1 packet taco seasoning (see note 1)
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 2 avocados (see note 2)
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- Salt
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1 (3.8-ounce) can sliced olives drained (see note 3)
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- tortilla chips for serving
Instructionsย
- In a small bowl, mix the beans and taco seasoning mix.ย Spread in the bottom of a medium glass bowl or baking dish, then top with the sour cream.
- Halve avocados, remove the pits, and scoop out the flesh. Mash the avocados with the lime juice and salt to taste (I like ยฝ teaspoon), then spread on top of the sour cream layer.
- On top of the guacamole layer, add the shredded cheese, tomatoes, olives, and scallions in that order. Serve immediately with tortilla chips or cover and chill until serving time.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Taco seasoning: To DIY a packetโs worth of homemade taco seasoning, whisk together 1 Tbsp. chili powder, 1 ยฝ tsp. ground cumin, ยพ tsp. paprika, ยฝ tsp. ground coriander, ยผ tsp. cayenne pepper, and salt to taste (I like ยฝ tsp.). Add 1 tsp. cornstarch if you prefer a thickener in your taco seasoning.
- Avocados: I stripped down guacamole down to its essence for this recipe, but feel free to make full-blown guacamole if you prefer.
- Olives: I love the flavor of canned black olives in this dip, but itโs the easiest thing in the world to omit if you donโt like them.
- Yield: One batch of this recipe should feed 12 people as a snack or appetizer. But, the recipe is easy to scale up or down to fit the group.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Made this recently for a small get-together and it was the first food to go!
Hi Peyton, Iโm so happy to hear! Iโm glad they enjoyed it! โ Meggan