Mexican Layer Dip

Mexican Layer Dip is an easy appetizer perfect for feeding any crowd. Whether you're looking to serve one up at this year's Super Bowl party, holiday gathering, or contribute the best potluck dish in the house, you can count on this Seven Layered Dip to win over any room!

It comes together quickly and features layer-upon-layer of savory goodness like bean dip, guacamole, and more. Quickly find out what makes this the ultimate Mexican Layer Dip, along with make-ahead tips and more!

Want more delicious dips to serve alongside your 7-Layer Dip? Try our flawless, seriously addictive Velveeta Cheese Dip made with fresh pico de gallo (or Rotel)!

WHAT IS 7-LAYER MEXICAN LAYER DIP?

Mexican Layer Dip is a Tex-Mex inspired, gluten-free party dip featuring individual layers of bean dip, guacamole, sour cream, grated cheese, and a variety of fresh vegetable toppings. Each vegetable topping is considered its own "layer."

It's great for entertaining as it can be served cold or at room temperature, and is served best alongside tortilla chips and/or Fritos. Mexican Layer Dip soars in popularity come Super Bowl time, but it is a wonderful dip for feeding a crowd any time of year.

THE 7 LAYERS OF MEXICAN LAYER DIP

1. LAYER 1: Bean Dip
2. LAYER 2: Guacamole
3. LAYER 3: Sour Cream
4. LAYER 4: Cheddar Cheese
5. LAYER 5: Black Olives
6. LAYER 6: Tomatoes
7. LAYER 7: Green Onions

This particular Mexican Layer Dip soars high above the rest thanks to an easy, homemade guacamole, a sour cream layer loaded with flavor, and good quality grated Cheddar cheese.

Some Seven Layer Dips will call for salsa, but oftentimes, a layer of salsa will bleed into the other layers of your dip, making for a messy presentation and a muddied flavor profile. Diced Roma tomatoes are a much better option for Mexican Layer Dip as they add a bright and refreshing note to the dip.

If this is your kind of recipe, be sure to check out our Queso Blanco next!

HOW TO MAKE MEXICAN LAYER DIP

The main layers of Mexican Layer Dip (which are technically the only true "layers") are the bean dip, the guacamole, the sour cream, and the Cheddar cheese. The rest of the ingredients are really more like toppings.

You might have noticed the layers in Seven Layer Dip go heaviest (or most dense) to lightest. This helps each new layer to spread properly on top of the former.

1. Mash together avocado, lime juice, and salt.
2. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, and taco seasoning.
3. Spread bean dip across the bottom of the dish, followed by guacamole, then sour cream mixture.
4. Add a layer of Cheddar, and sprinkle top with olives, tomatoes, and green onions.

LAYER 1: THE BEAN DIP

For extra flavor, use ready-made bean dip rather than just plain refried beans. I used two cans of Frito's Bean Dip for this recipe.

LAYER 2: THE GUACAMOLE

You might have noticed this recipe calls for making your own guacamole rather than using a store-bought version. While a store-bought version could be subbed in, I highly recommend you make your own. Homemade guacamole is quick and easy to make and requires minimal effort. If you need help picking out avocados, cutting into them, or just working with them in general, you'll find plenty of useful tips and guidance in this article on making Authentic Guacamole.

In addition to guacamole being a cinch to make, you'll likely find store-bought guacamole is loaded with citric acid that tickles the tongue almost like a carbonated beverage. I don't know about you, but I prefer my guacamole without the bubble effect.

LAYER 3: THE SOUR CREAM

This layer sets this recipe apart from the rest. Rather than just slathering on a layer of plain Jane sour cream, the sour cream layer in this recipe is loaded with flavor. It comes together almost like a dip in itself consisting mostly of sour cream, but with the addition of mayonnaise for extra creaminess, vinegar for a little tang, and taco seasoning for a great big punch of flavor.

This mixture comes together in a matter of minutes and gives a major upgrade to your standard Seven Layer Dip. However, if time is of the essence, you can skip the mixing and omit the mayonnaise, vinegar, and taco seasoning altogether, and use solely sour cream. If so, use a total of 1 cup of sour cream for instead.

LAYER 4: THE CHEESE

When it comes to grated cheese, you'll find the flavor and texture of freshly grated cheese far superior to anything you'll find in a bag. However, if time does not allow, you can always sub in a package of good, quality shredded cheese.

LAYERS 5, 6 & 7: THE TOPPINGS

The last items to go on your Mexican Layer Dip are the olives, tomatoes, and green onions. Be sure to drain the olives well (and maybe even pat them dry) before adding them to your dip.

Extra water content from the olives will seep into and affect the texture of the cheese. The same goes for the diced tomatoes, so you'll want to make sure they are properly seeded before you begin dicing them. For tips on quickly and easily removing the seeds from tomatoes, see this article on working with tomatoes and making Homemade Fresh Salsa.

Green onions are the perfect choice for adding a just the right amount of onion flavor to your Mexican Layer Dip. They are mild and not overpowering in the slightest, but as mentioned earlier, when it comes to the toppings, feel free to eliminate those you don't particularly care for.

SHELF-LIFE AND MAKE-AHEAD TIPS

Mexican Layer Dip will last for about 3 days in the refrigerator. Anything beyond this and the cheese and toppings will start to lose their freshness and texture. Do not attempt to freeze Seven Layer Dip.

MAKE-AHEAD MEXICAN LAYER DIP

You can make Seven Layer Dip the night before you intend to serve it. To do this, assemble the bottom three layers (i.e. the bean dip, guacamole, and the sour cream mixture) in the serving dish. Then, prepare and store the remaining ingredients in separate containers. Make sure to seal everything properly and keep refrigerated. Assemble the dip just before serving.

We last served this dip for a crowd of friends at a game day party. Everyone (and I mean e-ver-y-one) complemented this dip as they scooped it up, chip after chip. Most of them asking what was different about it while simultaneously raving about its addictive nature.

The difference lies in a perfect combination of fresh ingredients and a sour cream layer good enough to eat on its own. True to its name, this is the Ultimate Mexican Layer Dip and you can count on it to be the first to go at any given party spread. 

5 MORE DIP RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE!

• Mexican Shrimp Cocktail is a crowd-pleasing dip loaded with shrimp, avocado, cucumber and more, soaked in a spicy tomato juice and absolutely to die for served alongside tortilla chips!
• Crockpot Queso with Taco Meat is an easy, hearty dip featuring Velveeta cheese spruced up with taco-seasoned ground beef and Rotel.
• Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip is savory, cheesy and baked to bubbly perfection. Loaded with spinach and marinated artichokes, this dip always wins over the crowd!
• Easy Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip comes together in a cinch and features crispy bacon and Cheddar cheese speckled throughout a creamy homemade ranch dip.
• Tomatillo Avocado Salsa is a 5-minute dip that comes together crazy easy in a blender! A few ingredients and a few minutes is all you need for this stellar Tex-Mex dip.