Seven-Layer Taco Dip
Every single summer since about 1988, this dip has shown up at every Sullivan cookout, every Fourth of July, every Super Bowl Sunday, and every graduation party in Maple Grove. My daughter Katie started requesting it for her birthday parties when she was about nine years old, and honestly that tradition has never stopped — she called me just last month asking me to bring it to her neighborhood block party. It's one of those recipes that just lives in your hands after a while; you don't even need to look at the recipe anymore.
The beauty of this dip is that it's completely no-cook and you can assemble it up to a day ahead, which makes it a lifesaver when you're juggling a whole spread of party food. I like to pair it with my Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip — one hot, one cold, and everybody's happy. Just grab a big 9x13 dish, pile up your layers in order, and you've got the prettiest, most colorful thing on the whole table. 💛
Seven-Layer Taco Dip
Ingredients
- 2 (16 oz) cans refried beans
- 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning, divided
- 8 oz sour cream
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 ripe avocados
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup prepared salsa (your favorite jarred or homemade)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes (about 2 medium Roma tomatoes, seeded)
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- Tortilla chips for serving
Directions
- In a bowl, stir together the refried beans with half the taco seasoning packet until well combined. Spread this in an even layer across the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish.
- Beat together the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and remaining half of the taco seasoning until smooth and creamy. Spread this over the bean layer.
- Mash the avocados in a small bowl with the lime juice, garlic powder, and a good pinch of salt. Spread the guacamole evenly over the cream cheese layer.
- Spoon the salsa over the guacamole layer, spreading gently so you don't mix the layers together.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese in an even layer over the salsa.
- Top with the chopped tomatoes, spreading them across the cheese layer.
- Scatter the sliced black olives evenly over the tomatoes, then finish with the sliced green onions.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving, or up to overnight. Serve cold with plenty of tortilla chips.
Now, you can absolutely customize the layers to suit your family — my Danny loads extra jalapeños on his half, and Sam picks out the olives every single time (some things never change!). This travels beautifully in its dish covered with foil, and it never, ever comes home with any leftovers. If you're feeding a crowd, consider making two — I learned that lesson the hard way at Danny's graduation party in 2003. Trust me on that one, friends. 💛
Comments (3)
Margie, I've been making a version of this for years but mixing the sour cream and cream cheese together is GENIUS. It's so much richer than plain sour cream. Making this for the Super Bowl for sure!
My kids absolutely demolished this. I made it the night before and it was perfect the next day. Thank you for the tip about seeding the tomatoes — I always skip that and then wonder why it gets watery lol!
Patty, isn't that cream cheese trick the best? My neighbor Ruthanne taught me that years ago and I've never gone back! Jeanette — yes, those tomato seeds are sneaky little troublemakers! So glad it was a hit with your crew. 💛
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