This is a great party dip because it's best served at room temperature. You can set it out on the table early and finish cooking the rest of your meal.
I recently had a party with some people who enjoy good Mexican food...and they DEVOURED this! The key that made this 7-layer dip so successful is the LACK of taco seasoning in the refried beans. I've used that in the past, called for in other recipes, and it's just not good to me. I asked my sisters about it, and they've said they just leave it out because there's a strange after-taste. We grew up near the border and had alot of great Tex-Mex, and this recipe SHINES above any other I've tried. I prefer not to use canned refried beans, rather to go to one of the local Mexican restaurants and get a pint of their beans--they're just better if you want to WOW your guests...something different about the texture. Texans close to a Pancho's know what I mean. If you don't have time to make your own guacamole, Walmart sells a good one put out by AvoClassic, plain or spicy in a box with two 8 ounce packages that you can mash a little more, or not. I took a Mexican cooking class while a student in Mexico, but many of these recipes are just as good...including this one.
Read More I recently had a party with some people who enjoy good Mexican food...and they DEVOURED this! The key that made this 7-layer dip so successful is the LACK of taco seasoning in the refried beans. I've used that in the past, called for in other recipes, and it's just not good to me. I asked my sisters about it, and they've said they just leave it out because there's a strange after-taste. We grew up near the border and had alot of great Tex-Mex, and this recipe SHINES above any other I've tried. I prefer not to use canned refried beans, rather to go to one of the local Mexican restaurants and get a pint of their beans--they're just better if you want to WOW your guests...something different about the texture. Texans close to a Pancho's know what I mean. If you don't have time to make your own guacamole, Walmart sells a good one put out by AvoClassic, plain or spicy in a box with two 8 ounce packages that you can mash a little more, or not. I took a Mexican cooking class while a student in Mexico, but many of these recipes are just as good...including this one.
Seven Layer Dip is a classic that you just can't go wrong with. You can leave out any ingredient that you don't like, so it is easy to adjust for any taste. I add taco seasoning to the meat after browning. Warning though, if you add the water it will make the dip hard to scoop. Just add enough water to disolve the seasoning. I also add a jar of nacho cheese sauce to my beans. I like them better that way.
This recipe deserves nothing less than five stars! I used homemade guacamole from another recipe on this site, replaced the salsa with taco sauce (we don’t like chunks of veggies), omitted the black olives and chopped tomatoes, and I added a can of seasoned black beans for more texture. This dip is excellent served hot – if you don't like the thought of eating cold food right out of the can, you can assemble the dip, minus the sour cream and guacamole, and pop it in the oven at 400 degrees for about ten minutes, then top individual servings with sour cream and guacamole. Delicious! I served mine up with guacamole flavored Doritos, it was a hit! I’m making it again this weekend!
Excellent. I omitted the guacamole and upped the sour cream to 16 oz. Added 2 TBS of taco seasoning to sour cream. Thanks!
This dip was incredible! There were only 4 of us so I cut the recipe in half and served it in an 8" square glass dish. I used the same amount of sour cream though and instead of using guacamole, I mashed 2 advocados with 1 tbsp lime juice. Also I added half a package of taco seasoning to the ground beef and mixed the other half of the package with the sour cream. My only complaint is that because this dip is so heavy, the nacho chips kept breaking when they were dipped in (and we even used the scoops ones) so it might be a good idea to keep a spoon handy. And don't forget the margaritas!
I have made this dip many, many times :) Everyone loves it....it goes really fast!!!!I follow the recipe exactly and it turns out perfectly everytime! Great for any party!!!
This is a great and easy recipe. My family loved it, and always asks for it during family gatherings and holidays. It's a little messy to prepare (especially for klutzes like me) but after assembly it is great.
To me, this recipe needs something else to give it more flavor and "depth." I thought it was a bit bland when made as directed. Update: Today I made this again but with a few additions which did the trick for us. Though this recipe is not designed to be a "taco" dip, it really does need something more. Therefore, like many other reviewers, I added a pkt of Taco Seasoning mix (no water) & 1 tsp of garlic bits to the ground meat as I browned it. I kept everything else the same (except omitted guacamole since we don't like it) and then baked it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. It was great served warm with Frito Scoops! I think the secret ingredient (besides the taco mix) is the blend of Cheddar and Jack cheeses. This dish makes a "pretty" presentation for the table. BTW, if you do add Taco seasoning, do not add salt. It will be too salty for most people. Thanks DPerez7 for the recipe.
To me the qty of some of the ingrediants for a 9 X 13 pan were not enough. I changed/used the following: 2 pounds ground beef, I browned the ground beef and then added Taco Seasoning like the previous reviews. 2 (16 ounce) can refried beans with jalapenos 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream 1 (16 ounce) container guacamole 2 cup salsa 1 cup chopped tomatoes 1 cup chopped green onions I did not change the other ingrediants quantities. All in all a good recipie...Thanks
Wow is all I can say. . . Apply the meat while its still hot so it melts into the first cheese layer and really meshes. I also agree that seasoning the meat is the best way to go whether it be with taco seasoning or your own personal spices. Only other thing I love to do is to take all the veggies (tomatoes, olives, and green onions) and dice together well to create a beautiful and tasty mixed layer. You can either take it and apply it on top as instructed or what I like to do sometimes is whisk it into the sour cream to create a more creamy vegetable layer to use underneath top top cheese layer. . .
This is an excellent taco dip! I had a favorite taco dip recipe, however this is now my new one! I omit the guacamole and green onions, put the olives in a dish on the side for people who would like them, and use 16 oz of sour cream. In addition, after I brown and drain the meat , I add one package of taco seasoning and a half cup of water and mix, with heating, until meat is coated. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT DIP, but it doesn't last long :)!
I made two platters of this last night for a baby shower, and I had probably 10 people say something about the dip, and some didn't even know I made it so it made me feel so good. Everyone ate it right up!! I made one with homemade salsa/pico sauce which was fast and easy since I already had the processor out. (I just blended up a quarter of a purple onion, quarter of a white onion, a half of lime juice, about 2 shakes of salt, garlic salt, and garlic powder and a handful of cilantro...it was pretty fast.) It tasted so good and fresh that way. Make sure you add taco seasoning to the beans as well and I added a few drops of water to make the spreading easier. For faster assembly, buy already chopped fresh green onions if your grocer has it and canned chopped olives, not diced. Roma tomatoes are more of a deep red so they look prettier. This was a definite repeater!! Thanks! Priscilla
I served this at room temp for my 8 year old sons birthday party. It was a huge hit! I put out tortilla chips and corn chips and everything was gone. Will make again and again!
This is always a big hit whenever I serve it. I do add a packet of Taco-Bell brand seasoning to the ground beef (as directed on packet). I also use Dean's brand quacamole dip (in the dairy case) instead of true quacamole. I also use sliced black olives rather than chopped. I like the presentation better. I also use fat-free refried beans ~ MUCH easier to spread than the traditional ones. I have made this so often, that I've learned to adjust the quantities of sour cream, salsa & guacamole (dip) to taste. You really would have to try hard to mess this up. In my book, it's a tried & true hit!
Made it according to the recipe except added a little taco seasoning to the meat. Yum!
Delicious, however I prefer to add taco seasoning to the meat but not the water called for when you make taco meat. You can also make this with cooked chicken breast meat instead of ground beef. I doubled all the ingredients except the meat for my son's baseball party and the dish came home empty. Even the kids like it! I serve it with the scoopable tortilla chips.
This dip was so good. I left out the guacamole. My husband ate most of it by himself.
I just made this dip and thought it tasted great. I added a little bit of salsa to the browned ground beef and also added a small package of softened cream cheese to the refried beans. I used black beans instead of the black olives and included diced jalapenos to the top. I will definitely make this again.
I made this for Superbowl Sunday and everyone is still asking me for it again. It was so easy and so good. Best at room temperature!
Excellent, easy recipe. I used taco sauce instead of salsa. Chop small bright red cherry tomatoes for a very pretty finish. I was more liberal with the thickness of the layers, everyone loved it!
You can't go wrong with a recipe like this, because you can vary it according to your tastes. This is a crowd-pleaser and easy to put together.
Absolutely the best 7 layered dip I have made. I add taco seasoning to the meat and it makes it even spicer. This recipe is so easy!
Wow! Great dip. I found that 8 ounces of sour cream was definitely not enough to spread across a 9 x 13 pan, so I used an entire 16-ounce container of sour cream. Also, I used just 1 pound of ground meat and mixed it with a can of drained pinto beans. On top, along with the chopped olives, I put chopped canned stewed tomatoes and a small can of diced green chilies (I didn't have fresh tomatoes or green onions on hand). I used shredded sharp cheddar cheese, since it packs more flavor than Monterey Jack cheese. Great with Fritos corn chips and plain tortilla chips!
Awesome!!! Was even better a couple of hours later after we all had a couple of beers in us.
This was so good. The only change I made was adding a packet of taco seasoning to the ground beef- it seemed too plain without it. Otherwise, this was totally awesome.
There are so many recipes for 7 layer dip here, I was really torn. But I am SO GLAD I chose this one. It is really delicious. We used ground turkey instead of ground beef and I was nervous about not seasoning it at all, but you know what? It didn't need it. The salsa and guacamole both had a kick so that the meat needed to be mild. I think the middle layer of cheese is especially important, as most dips just have cheese on top and it always falls off the chip. Be sure to smush down each layer as you add them, and don't be shy on amounts, we used more like 1.5-2 cups of guac, sour cream and more like 1.5 cans of refried beans. No need to really measure since you're just layering it. This is a great recipe.
This is the best layer that i have tried lately..and i definately will use it for our get togethers. I didnt think any one would like it. But i was wrong..it was gone within minutes. Thanks for the recipe. Everyone loves it. Aloha 2 u. I also think it should be in a cool are because the salsa is a bit runny.
This was a huge hit when I brought this as an appetizer to a party. I only used about half the amount of ground beef and prepared the dip in an 8x8 pan. I also heated the dip for a few minutes in the oven because I thought the cheese would be better melted. I served the dip with Fritos Scoops. Everyone enjoyed it!
Very good. I added shredded lettuce then sprinkled the tomatoes and olives on top.
Oh wow...this beats my previous 7 layer dip hands down! The hallmark of a GREAT recipe is one that allows you to make minor variations to suit your taste and still comes out delicious! Since all of the items I bought seemed to come is just a bit larger size than needed...I simply adjusted the recipe up a bit, and put most of it in a 9x13 pyrex baking dish to take to a party (where it was a hit!) and the rest of it in a 9" deep dish pie plate to eat the next day at home. It is definitely better at room temperature and easier to scoop out with those neat Tostitos "scoop" tortilla chips. I loved it! Thanks Dee Dee for sharing!
I made this for an office pot luck and everyone ranted and raved over it. They scraped the dish clean and I had to email the recipe to many co-workers. I did make my own guacamole using 5 avacados and a dash of lemon juice. I also left out the salsa. I think the secret is to use taco seasoning and mix with the sour cream. I heated the refried beans and added a few dashes of Louisiana hot sauce. Excellent and I will make again.
I served this at a potluck and it was a favorite. I did omit the beef as I didn't think it was wise to leave it out buffet style with it. Also I made my own guacamole which is extremely simple (2 avacados, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 crushed cloves garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. Mash all together. Add some chopped peppers for extra flavor. So good!)
This was so easy to make and everyone raved about how good it was. I made it the night before and warmed in the oven before serving. I added taco seasoning to ground beef. I also mixed sour cream with cream cheese and added a little more taco seasoning.
This is great. I used the ChefNan idea of soft cream cheese with the refried beans for a more solid base and used a packet of taco seasoning in the ground beef. This is a do over for sure.
loved the recipe however I added a diced onion and 2 cloves of crushed garlic to the ground beef with a sachet of taco seasoning and it was delicious. also I heated the dip in the oven till the cheese was bubbling and served it with a bread stick cut into slices as well as corn chips.
This recipe sounded so promising but just didn't deliver! The cold beef was not enjoyable. And I also found it VERY bland, even after adding extra chili powder, salt and pepper to the meat. Brought it to a get-together and brought most of it back home. We did put some in the microwave for a few seconds and that seemed to "wake up the flavour" a bit. But overall, not a winner. I'll be deleting this one from my recipe box.
If you dont like to add the meat it is really good without it, just add some taco seasoning to your sour cream and it adds a really zesty taste!!! This is my favorite way to make it.
WOW! Terrific quick and easy recipe. The kids and dults loved it. This will be a regular around our house. As others suggested, I added taco seasoning to the beef (no water) and I also added chopped jalapenos in the layers. I served it later that evening rolled up in a soft tortilla...Awesome!
To spice it up a bit: *add taco seasoning to the ground meat *thin out refired beans with water and season with 1/4 cup onion and 2 strips of bacon *Use fresh pico de gallo in place of salsa and up the amount to 2 cups *use 16 oz of sour cream *make a hearty guacamole with 5 ripe avacados, juice of 2 limes, salt and a few chopped tomatoes, dont puree the avacado just mash it *I like to layer it this way too: 1seasoned meat,2refried beans mixture, 3fresh pico de gallo, 4guacamole, 5sour cream, 6cheese, 7black olives and green onion. Serve with hearty tortilla chips!
I thought this could use a little more pizzazz. Next time I'll add taco seasoning to the ground beef.
This was a crowd pleaser. I made this for a family gathering and it pleased everyone including my neice who wont eat anything! Thanks for sharing!!!
I have 4 teenagers in my house, so I took this recipe from an apetizer to meal by adding a little more refried beans and ground beef. A couple of bags of tortilla chips and a tossed salad to go along with it and it was a hit. This is definitely my kids favorite weekend meal.
Great to bring to a Mexican potluck -- but a bit expensive. Including the price of the disposable aluminum pan and two bags of chips (Fritos Scoops and tortilla), it cost $30, but I used some premium ingredients and I'm sure I could have cut that price in half. I was in a super big hurry so I bought Marie's Guacamole and used canned diced tomatoes. I used chopped black olives like the recipe called for but next time I'll use sliced too, it would have been prettier. Also, the Marie's was this very unnatural mint green color - kind of scary. Definitely fresh guac next time. The sour cream WAS hard to spread evenly, I may try using a piping bag in the future. As per the other reviews, I used a bag of taco seasoning added to the ground beef while it was browning - great idea! I also heated the refried beans to make them "less solid" and easier to spread. Everyone commented on the dip and it went pretty quickly. Thanks Dee Dee!
I brought this in to our carry-in at work today and it was a great hit!! Everyone wanted the recipe! Yum! A great "do-ahead" recipe.
An easy dip to make that is good. I used a can of rotel tomatoes drained to make it spicy. Everyone loved it watching the football game.
Another easy recipe that will save you time and money - instead of ordering it at a restaurant!
I have made this recipe numerous times. Seven layer dip is way better with ground beef. I leave out the beans altogether and sub a can of sliced jalapenos for the olives. Every time I make this dip it is completely gone in minutes and everyone says it is better with beef.
YUMMMMMY....I made this recipe for a fight party and it was gone wayyyy before the fight began. I seasoned my ground beef with Nature's Seasoning, Lawry's seasoned salt and garlic powder. Since I did this I only needed to add about 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning to the beef and 1 tablespoon to the sour cream. I left the guacomole out and it was still delicious. I was asked for the recipe about 5 times....definitely a keeper. Thanks Dee Dee Tisha
Delicious...at least that's what they told me on Sunday. I replaced the guacamole with lettuce (putting it 2nd to top) and used a 15 oz. can of chili with beans (to save time).
Great dip for parties or get togethers. The only thing I changed was I added taco seasoning when cooking the meat...it gave it a little zip! You can also use ground turkey and reduced fat refried beans for a lighter dish.
Perfect party dip! Very easy to make and very easy to reheat if you do not want it at room temp!
Very good! Made it for my husband's Birthday Party and everyone gobbled it up. That speaks for itself!! Thank you for sharing.
It was very easy to prepare and looked awesome, but I didn't care for beef very much at room temperature. However, my guests seemed to like it as most of it was gone at the end of the night. What was left, I heated up in the microwave and loved it! Next time, I will either serve it warm or leave the beef off, but it is definitely staying in my recipe box.
This is a great recipe, fairly easy to make, and delicious to eat. My husband ate half of it in one sitting. I will make it again!
I served this appetizer at a book club meeting and got rave reviews! The whole 9 x 13 pan was gone in 15 minutes flat. Perfect. . .I didn't have to change a thing!
This was good. I added taco seasoning to the meat when I cooked it and then mixed some taco seasoning in with the sour cream. I mixed some of the salsa with the beans and some with the guacamole. I didn't follow the order given though as we have our own way by starting with beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, and then the rest. I didn't have green onion so I used dried chives and no tomato so I put salsa on top instead. We turned this into a meal instead of just a "dip". I've never put meat in before and I didn't much care for the cold meat, but my family loved it.
This was a big hit! Definitely, definitely add taco seasoning to the ground beef. Very easy to make.
I have never made 7 layer dip before. This was tasty and very easy to make.
Great, easy recipe. Didn't add guacamole b/c not many people care for it. But it was yummy, and even better heated up the next day! I'm using the leftovers for taco salad.
As is, this recipe was not that great but it is a great base for a great recipe! The way I now make this dip is as follows: I make the beef as if I were making regular tacos, I "drain" some of the salsa "juice" into the sour cream and mix it together so it's not just tartness. I throw it under the broiler for 5minutes, then I top it with lettuce, tomatoes, and olives and leave out the green onions since I hate them. I used Kraft shredded mexican cheese blend, and old el paso fat free spicy refried beans. I like a bit of spice and this way was a good balance of spicy without overpoweringly hot. Do like Taco Bell - Let Sour Cream sit out for a few minutes to soften (Not room temp just 5 minutes or so) then put it in a pastry/zip bag and squeeze it out for easy spreading!
I thought it was very bland. The refried beans needs shakes of hot sauce added and taco sauce... also very difficult to spread the cream cheese on ground beef!!!!!! wow!!! need to spread the cream cheese mixed with the guacamole first then sprinkle the ground beef!!! also needs some garlic powder mixed with the cream cheese..... 1 star for this dip. wonder if people have never made taco dip before...... made it for a birthday party and no rave reviews on this one................ oh well. i am sure that i am not the only one who thought this recipe needed help.
Very good! We aren't big guacamole fans, so next time I'll leave that out (per a request from the hubby). I fixed it as the "main dish" for supper and it was a nice for a change of pace on a hot summer evening when I didn't feel like cooking.
awesome I make this all the time.
Absolutely Fabulous!!!! Made it for a Baseball Picnic and everyone raved, asked me for recipe and where I found it. Thanks for a great recipe!!!!
I made this without the ground beef for a party and it was a huge hit, there was none left at the end of the night.
This was excellent. I made it for Super Bowl and sent the left overs to work with my husband. I have ended up making it several more times for my husband to take to work as the guys love it.
Great recipe, only change, add taco seasoning while browning beef. Definite recommended recipe!
I used taco seasoning mix with the groud beef. It was a big hit for the Super Bowl party.
I added homemade taco seasoning and a small can of V-8 instead of water to the ground beef to give it some flavor. I also folded in one small can of mild green chilies to the refried beans. The boys loved it, GREAT for Superbowl Sunday.
My family loved this at Christmas as an appetizer! I made it the night before and pulled it out when everyone was getting hungry before Christmas dinner was done. Room temperature has a better flavor, I agree. Everyone loved it! They raved over it! I forgot the salsa, but it was still wonderful! Thank you!
I made this for our July 4 cookout and it was a hit. I did make a few changes. I added taco seasoning to the beef, left out the guacamole and olives and added shredded lettuce. This makes a huge dish, but the leftovers were great - we just made a huge taco salad. This is a great recipe that you can change to accomodate anyone's taste.
Very good. I sauteed (1 lb was plenty!) the beef with some garlic salt, cumin and chili powder for more flavor and eliminated the salsa. Use fresh chopped tomatoes in place of salsa and add more on top for garnish - so much better. Serve with blue chips -always a hit.
Excellent! Excluded the green onions. Everyone at our 4th of July picnic raved about this dip!
Great recipe! It's a crowd favorite! I had to modify it a little to appease my picky eaters. Instead of salsa, I used enchilada sauce. I also added salt, garlic and onion to the ground beef to intensify the flavor. Also, before topping it with the tomatoes, green onions and olives, I toss it under the broiler for a couple minutes to melt the cheese.
Great. I only changed it by adding taco seasoning to the meat and I made homemade guacamole.
I added 1 pouch of Taco Seasonings to ground beef, and anothe pouch to the sour cream. Instead of the guacamole, I chopped 2 avacados with 1 teaspoon lime juice. The firt time I did the recipe, it was too bland.
Yes it is mild but then again you can kick it up a notch easily for personal taste. This was a hit for my company as not every one is a fan of anything overly spicy. I used a lot more guacamole cause we really like it, used more sour cream, salsa and more olives also. This was hit for our Christmas Party.
i dont like guacamole i was very suprised how good this is we love it was a hit with the teenagers at my daughters sleep over.
I have made this dish several times, sometimes with ground turkey, ground beef or no meat at all. Either way it is always a hit. I do add some taco seasoning to my meat when browning it so it has a little more flavor. I add the taco seasoning to the vegetarian refried beans if I am making this with no meat.
My husband always requests that I make this for when he has buddies over. I do make a few changes. I make my own guac. I also add half a packet of taco mix to the sour cream. On top, I omit the olives and add sprinkle cilantro. Its always a hit!!
Delicious! I made this for a tailgate party and everyone loved it! We were hoping for leftovers but there was nothing left!
I made this for the Seahawk vs. Packers game on Saturday, Jan 12th. We had a few people over and it was a huge hit. There was a little leftover after the game, which I placed in a bowl in the fridge. The next day I didn't want to eat it cold so I microwaved a little on top of my chips for less then a minute to warm it slightly. It was delicious! I will make this again for Super Bowl XLII!
I prepared this dish for a friendly get together. I added taco seasoning to the ground beef and used a hot salsa. Everyone said it was delicious and asked for the recipe. I will definitely make it again.
Cost me about $25.00 to make and that was using generic brands...I added taco mix to the meat and it really helped the flavor. The cheese was an overkill and you could easily make this with 2 cups of cheese total. Great tasting recipe
This is a really wonderful dip. I took the advice of previous "reviewers" and added a package of taco seasoning to the ground beef and another package to the sour cream. This was a big hit with my family. Spreading the sour cream and the guacamole is a bit of a pain though. As others have suggested, I would recommend doubling the sour cream and guacamole so that you have more to spread and stirring the sour cream up a little bit to make it a little more fluid.
Heaven...I'm in heaven...That was the song of choice when this was served up!
this is amazing!!!!!!! i brought it to my school 4 mi class, they loved it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very easy to make, the second time I made this dish, I didn't put as much ground beef, and did add a little more sour cream and salsa.. I agree this dish is best at room temperature. This is something easy to make and feeds plenty.
Add spiciness to this by blending in a packet of taco seasoning mix into the refried beans before laying them in to the dip!
Finally an awsome dip I can make and everyone loves. Once you start you can't stop eating it
I recently brought this dip to a cookout and it was a big hit! I did not add the ground beef since some people were vegetarians...it was just as good without! Also, I mixed one package of taco seasoning into the sour cream layer for added flavor. VERY YUMMY!
Yummy! This was tasty and oh so easy to prepare. I made this for SuperBowl and I was able to just put it together before I had to cook my other foods and it worked out great. I agree, this is best served at room temp. I prepared it about 2 hours before guests arrived, and when they did, it was just right. It was almost completely gone and got lots of compliments. Thank you for sharing!
