Best Taco Dip Recipe [video]

Taco Dip is every party’s show-stopping appetizer! It got vegetables on top of a creamy, cheesy, and fluffy layer that is oozing with Mexican flavors!

You can have this as an appetizer for your next movie night or as an easy snack for guests and family. I had good feedback on this recipe just like my other party favorites such as the Oven Baked Chicken Tenders, Tater Tot Casserole, and the Classic Waldorf Chicken Salad.

Taco Dip Recipe

Taco Dip is a great appetizer to serve to a crowd. You simply have to serve it with some chips, and it is good to go! Scooping through one layer of ingredients will not have the same impact as scooping through many. It is that rich and fun to eat!

Not only is it exciting, but each layer presents different textures and flavors that complement each other. And each ingredient also adds color that makes this appetizer even more appealing.

The Mexican flavors will make you want to gobble on forever and not move onto the main dish. This is not just an appetizer, but could very well be a snack or dinner. Give it a try at your next party!

What is taco dip?

As it is named after the popular Mexican dish, this appetizer has layers of Mexican-inspired staple ingredients. The taco seasoning is one key element in this whole thing as it brings all the flavors of the other ingredients together.

Also sometimes called the seven-layer dip, it typically has the following ingredients: refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, tomatoes, cheese, black olives, and either ground beef or shredded lettuce.

However, the original recipe has been revised to suit the American taste and what you will usually encounter are no longer authentic.

What do you need to make taco dip?

For this recipe, prepare the following:

cream cheese
sour cream
mayonnaise
taco seasoning – one packet of the commercially available kind or use homemade
iceberg lettuce
Roma tomatoes
sliced olives
jalapenos – this is optional, you can lessen or add more
shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican cheese
cotija cheese
green onions – to garnish
Corn chips – to serve with

How do you make taco dip:

Prepare the cream mixture: Use an electric mixer to combine the mayo, sour cream, and cream cheese in a large bowl. Season with the taco seasoning.
Assemble: Put the cream mixture as the first layer in the pie dish. Then, add the rest of the ingredients in layers with the cheeses on top.
Serve: Garnish with the green onions and then, serve immediately or chill first if preferred.

How do you make taco dip with ground beef:

The recipe shown here has a layer of lettuce. Meanwhile, you can make this meaty with the addition of ground beef.

The first step is to brown the meat in a skillet. Then, add water and the taco seasoning. The flour in the taco seasoning allows the meat to be coated with the seasoning.

Place this layer of beef on top of the cream mixture before stacking the rest of the other ingredients on top.

How do you make homemade taco seasoning:

Simply mix the following spices in a bowl:

2 teaspoons cumin
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon each: salt, garlic powder, dried onion powder, oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
cayenne pepper, to taste

If there will be excess, you can store the remaining spices in an airtight container to last a long time in your pantry. Step by step taco seasoning recipe can be found here.

How to store:

In the rare case that your guests will not devour this appetizer in two hours, then, you must refrigerate it. Put it in an airtight container in the fridge continuously and keep it for 3 to 4 days.

This is cream-based so it will not freeze well. The texture will be different. The good news is that since this recipe is easy to make, you can always make another batch.

More easy dip recipes:

Recipe Tips:

To make the dip less dense, use an electric mixer in combining the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo. The mixing will aerate the mixture resulting in a softer mixture that will be easier to dip into.
Also, you can adjust the level of spiciness by adding more jalapenos or chili peppers.
Instead of ground beef, you can also use ground turkey.