Want a crowd-pleasing dip that no party-goer can deny? Just add taco meat. This made-from-scratch Seven Layer Taco Dip is next-level party food that's both easy to make and absolutely irresistible!
In this souped-up dip recipe, a few of those layers get special treatment and it makes all the difference in the world!
The sour cream gets a facelift, that can of refried beans gets traded out for a far superior product, and the guacamole? Well, you'll see just how easy it is to make and why a homemade rendition is so much better than that store-bought stuff!
Looking for more awesome Mexican recipes to try? Bookmark Mexican Corn Dip in your internet browser for next time!
HOW TO MAKE SEVEN LAYER TACO DIP
- Brown the meat.
- Mix the sour cream layer.
- Make the guacamole.
- Assemble the dip!
SEVEN LAYER TACO DIP MEAT OPTIONS
To make Seven Layer Taco Dip, you'll begin with the taco meat! You can use either ground beef or ground turkey for this recipe.
If using ground turkey, add a tablespoon or two of oil to the pan before the cooking begins. Beef has enough fat in it, and does not require the extra oil!
To cook the taco meat, place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and allow it to come to temperature. Then add the meat and break it apart. To season the meat, use either homemade or store-bought taco seasoning.
If using store-bought taco seasoning, you'll need two packets. If using homemade taco seasoning, use 4 tablespoons of seasoning total.
This is a good time to note that the taco seasoning will be used both on the ground meat and also in the sour cream layer. Because of this, you'll need to take 2 teaspoons of the seasoning and set it aside in a small mixing bowl. Then, take the rest of the seasoning and sprinkle it over the meat cooking in the pan.
Stir and continue to break apart the meat for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the taco seasoned meat is fully cooked through. Set the pan aside, and move on to making that delicious sour cream layer!
SPRUCE UP THAT SOUR CREAM LAYER
The sour cream layer could be considered a dip in and of itself. It's one of the things that makes this Seven Layer Taco Dip so extraordinarily special!
For this layer, you'll need sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, and the 2 teaspoons of reserved taco seasoning.
Mix all of those ingredients together, set the bowl aside and it's time to make some guacamole!
HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE ONLY, PLEASE.
Store-bought, vacuum-sealed guacamole is heavily equipped with citric acid to keep them from browning, which negatively affects the taste. Like, a lot. This is why I highly recommend making that prized guacamole layer from scratch!
To make the guacamole, and another mixing bowl, combine the flesh of two avocados, lime juice, and kosher salt. Mash the avocado until it is smooth to your liking and set the bowl aside.
ASSEMBLY TIME!
Now, all of the prep work is just about done, and it's time to assemble your Seven Layer Taco Dip!
The assembly process begins with the heaviest item and work its way up to the lightest item. The beans are the heaviest and most dense item amongst the seven. Therefore, we will start there!
Rather than using canned, refried beans, I've found it's much better to use canned bean dip! Bean dip has more flavor and a smoother, more dippable consistency.
Add the bean dip to a serving dish, a pie plate, or a small casserole dish with a 4-cup capacity. Spread it across the bottom and to the edges of the dish.
Next, add the guacamole layer followed by the ground taco meat, then goes on the sour cream layer, and next, freshly grated Cheddar cheese!
Once you've got the shredded cheese sprinkled over the top of the sour cream layer, finish it off with diced tomatoes and green onions.
If using tomatoes, be sure that the seeds and the pulp are removed before you add them on top of your Seven Layer Taco Dip, otherwise, they'll leak water onto the cheese and make it soggy.
Sliced black olives or another popular topping for Seven Layer Taco Dip, so feel free to add that on if you'd like!
Once the dip is assembled, serve right away with tortilla chips or cover and chill for up to 24 hours before serving!
SEVEN LAYER TACO DIP INGREDIENT SWAPS
Many of the ingredients of Seven Layer Taco Dip are optional/interchangeable, and you should feel free to swap and/or omit whatever you like!
Other common ingredients in a Mexican layered dip are black beans, salsa, and shredded lettuce. As you swap ingredients out, just keep in mind that for the best, most dippable layered dip, the lighter items should go toward the top!
6 MORE DIP RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
- Cream Cheese Dip With Salsa
- Velveeta Cheese Dip
- Rotel Dip With Ground Beef
- Refried Bean Dip
- Cream Cheese Crab Dip
- Jalapeno Artichoke Dip
Rotel Dip Recipe
Cream Cheese Dip
Velveeta Cheese Dip
Refried Bean Dip with Cream Cheese
Hot Crab Dip with Cream Cheese
Artichoke Jalapeño Dip
Seven Layer Taco Dip
Ingredients
- 2 (1-ounce) packages taco seasoning, separated
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20) or turkey (85/15)
- ¾ cup sour cream
- â…“ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon vinegar or rice wine vinegar
- 2 large, ripe avocados
- Juice of 1 lime
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 (9 ounce) cans bean dip (i.e. Fritos Bean Dip)
- 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced small
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 ¼ cup freshly grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Have ready a 4-cup capacity, rimmed serving dish. You could also use a pie dish or a small casserole dish.
- Reserve 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning in a small mixing bowl and set it aside.
- Bring a large sauté pan to temperature over medium-high heat. If using turkey, you will need to add a tablespoon of oil (olive, vegetable, canola, or avocado) to the pan and allow it to come to temperature before you add the meat.
- Add the beef or turkey to the pan and break apart. Sprinkle all of the remaining taco seasoning over the meat and cook, stirring often for about 8-10 minutes, or until the meat is fully cooked through. Set aside to cool.
- Add sour cream, mayonnaise, and vinegar to the small bowl with the reserved taco seasoning, mix, and set aside.
- To make the guacamole, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash together the flesh of avocados, lime juice, and Kosher salt using a fork or potato masher until smooth.
- To assemble the seven layers of the dip, spread the bean dip evenly across the bottom of the dish using either an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Then, add the guacamole and spread evenly across the beans, and add the taco-seasoned meat.
- Next, add a layer of the sour cream, followed by the Cheddar, olives, tomatoes, and green onions. Serve and enjoy!
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