Home Kitchen 7-Layer Taco Dip

This is one of the most unfussy of all the dips to pull together.

Seven layers of taco goodness, piled on top of each other and enjoyed with crispy tortilla chips. I could make meal out of this easily. My dear friend Heidi first introduced me to this taco dip years ago, in fact I adapted my recipe from hers. In my dip, the base is taco seasoned whipped cream cheese topped with taco meat, finely shredded lettuce, cheddar jack cheese and a plethora of our go-to taco toppings (even some that are optional!). In all reality, there most likely isn’t a wrong way to layer this taco dip, but of course, I have a go-to.

If you find your self looking for an appetizer to serve or bring to your next get-together, let this be it. It’s so simple to throw together and once it’s finished all you need to do is grab a bag of your go-to tortilla chips and dip, eat and repeat.

For this 7-Layer Taco Dip Set out:

• lean ground beef – I like to use 90/10 for this dish.
• taco seasoning – Use from-scratch or store-bought. See notes on taco seasoning below.
• whipped cream cheese – Can use regular but allow to soften a bit at room temperature.
• cherry tomatoes – Can substitue with grape or seeded and diced roma tomatoes.
• cheddar jack cheese – Or use a cheese you prefer.
• iceberg or romaine lettuce – Particularly thinly shredded/sliced.
• avocado – Lends richness and creaminess to the dip.
• green onions – Adds a mild yet bright onion flavor.
• tortilla chips – Used for serving.

Optional Add-Ons:

• black olives
• red onion
• jalapeno
• cilantro
• diced bell peppers

A Note About Taco Seasoning:

If using my from-scratch taco seasoning you’ll want to double the recipe but DO NOT double the salt, otherwise this dish will be way too salty. You can make the beef mixture saucy by adding a little cornstarch 1 to 2 teaspoons to your from-scratch taco seasoning. Then, once your meat mixture is cooked though and seasoned, pour in 1/2 cup of water and stir until thickened – increasing the heat if needed.

If using store-bought, I highly recommend Siete brand as you would only need 1 packet (if you’re using another brand, you may need 2). There’s no need to add cornstarch if using store-bought seasoning, simply follow the package directions.

Make The Seasoned Ground Beef:

To a 10-inch skillet, add 1 pound of lean ground beef.

Use a spatula to break it up into small crumbles, cook until no longer pink. Drain and discard any accumulating fat from the pan.

Add in 4 tablespoons taco seasoning.

Stirring well until combined.

Make The Cream Cheese Layer:

In a small bowl add 8 ounces of whipped cream cheese and 3 tablespoons taco seasoning.

Use a rubber spatula to scrape the edges of the bowl and stir until combined.

Build The Taco Dip:

Spread cream cheese mixture into the bottom of your serving dish, then top with the cooked ground beef in an even layer.

Next, top with 1 generous cup of finely shredded iceberg lettuce, 1 generous cup of shredded cheddar jack cheese, 1 cup cherry tomato halves and 1/4 cup sliced black olives.

Lastly, top with 1/2 of a finely diced avocado, 1 to 2 thinly sliced jalapeños, 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion, 2 to 3 green onions that have been sliced and 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro.

That’s it. So simple. And so quite, quite flavor-packed!

I recommend making this right before serving. However if making it in advance, prep the cream cheese layer, seasoned ground beef and individual toppings with the exception of the avocado the day before and store separately. Then build the dip before serving.

Enjoy! And if you give this 7-Layer Taco Dip recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!