This easy Taco Layer Dip is truly homemade – meaning less processed and more deliciousness! It’s the perfect appetizer for taco night as well as holiday get-togethers.
Whether you cook pinto beans from scratch or open a can, opting out of canned, commercial bean dip is a great way to go for more flavor and less fluff. Add a Greek yogurt crema with your traditional taco toppings and you’ve got a delicious vegetarian taco layer dip or taco filling.
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Do you get weirded out when you realize that a favorite childhood recipe is over 40 years old? Or that it was actually hip and trendy when your mom first made it? Or that it’s so darned expensive when made according to its original incarnation?
Yeah, me, too.
Okay, you probably don’t have that same reaction to Taco Layer Dip that I do, but those things are all true. The recipe for Seven Layer Dip has been around since the early 80s. I had no idea that it was super popular back when my mom made it. Only she called it Traveling Taco.
I did, however, know that it was expensive to make.
This Taco Layer Dip was a favorite of mine in my teen years (aka the 80s), and I well remember my shock the first time I purchased all its ingredients. The bill was over 20 bucks! A lot of its cost is attributed to the canned and commercial ingredients: bean dip, taco seasoning, jarred salsa, guacamole, etc.
Since then when I have a craving for this classic taco layer dip, I dial down the expense — and the preservatives! — by making it more homemade.
Why Make This
It’s delicious. Taco Layer Dip is super tasty and a great accompaniment to a Mexican Food Buffet Dinner.
It’s affordable. When you make this taco layer dip with homemade beans, crema, and and taco seasoning, you shave the price down tremendously.
Ingredients
I think you’ll be surprised at how yummy this minimally processed version of taco layer dip is. Here’s what you’ll need:
pinto beans – You can use canned refried beans, mash canned pinto beans or make these Instant Pot Refried Beans. It’s a lower-sodium alternative to canned bean dip.
taco seasoning mix – To season the bean layer and save money, make a batch of homemade taco seasoning mix. It’s really easy!
crema – The homemade cream layer includes sour cream, greek yogurt, and more of the taco seasoning. Feel free to use all Greek yogurt or all sour cream if you prefer. You can even work in some cream cheese if you like.
cheese – I use shredded cheddar but you can use your favorite cheese for tacos, such as jack, pepper jack, or even cotija.
veggies – Chopped tomatoes, jalapeño pepper, cilantro, and olives finish off the plate.
tortilla chips – These are a must for serving with taco layer dip. You can even make homemade tortilla chips if you like.
Additional add-ons – Feel free to add guacamole, diced avocado, chopped onions, , cooked taco meat, and shredded lettuce.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Start with combining the beans and taco seasoning. In a small bowl, combine the refried beans with the taco seasoning. If you want, you can mash whole cooked pinto beans until only a few chunks remain. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the taco seasoning mix.
- Prepare the crema layer. In another small bowl, combine the sour cream, greek yogurt, and remaining tablespoon taco seasoning.
- Assemble the layers – On a small plate, spread the beans almost to the edge. Spread the sour cream mixture over the beans. Sprinkle the cheese over the sour cream. Continue sprinkling the remaining layers: cheese, tomatoes, peppers, olives, and cilantro. Serve with chips.
FAQs
Seven Layer Dip, of course, has 7 layers to it, and is known by a number of names, including Taco Layer Dip, Layered Bean Dip, and Tex-Mex Dip. The layers vary from recipe to recipe but can feature but are not limited to: bean dip, commercial taco seasonings, jarred salsa, guacamole, sour cream, chopped onions, sliced olives, cooked taco meat, shredded cheese, jalapeños, and shredded lettuce.
Seven layer dip is a cold appetizer of beans, crema, cheese, and salsa ingredients.
This dip will last about 3-4 days in the fridge. Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You may find that the longer it sits, water accumulates. Just simply drain off the extra liquid and dig in!
Since the layers include sour cream, yogurt, and/or fresh tomatoes, this really isn’t a freezer-friendly dish. Better to make it fresh a day before serving.
Recipe Costs
Anytime you’re making homemade, it’s important to determine if you’re really saving money. Let’s crunch the numbers on this recipe:
- canned refried pinto beans – $0.44
- taco seasoning mix – $0.25 ($1.00/batch)
- Greek yogurt – $0.30 ($4.79/32 oz)
- sour cream – $0.15 ($1.20/pt)
- shredded cheese – $0.42 ($3.36/16 oz)
- tomatoes – $0.60
- jalapenos – $0.30
- cilantro – $0.15
- black olives – $0.15
- chips – $1.00/10 oz
Total spent for a large batch of Taco Layer Dip with chips is only $4.18 or about 52 cents a serving.
How to Save Even More
Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:
- Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. For instance, when I see a great price on cheese, I buy several packages. Same goes for greek yogurt. It’s a great way to save money on your groceries.
- Do a price comparison. I know that ALDI is the best place to buy ingredients like greek yogurt and cream cheese when there isn’t a great sale elsewhere. I keep track of prices so that I know who has the best deal where.
- Buy spices in bulk. Buying spices is cheapest in bulk at your local health food store. You aren’t committed to buying a large container. You can actually buy just what you need.
- Cook your own beans. Cooking dry pintos and mashing them yourself will cost less than a can. Plus, you can add the seasonings and salt you prefer.
- Grow your own. Jalapeños, tomatoes, and cilantro are easy to grow yourself.
More Homemade Appetizers
Really Homemade Seven Layer Dip
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce refried beans or cooked pinto beans, mashed
- 4 tsp taco seasoning mix
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 oz cheddar cheese (shredded) (1/2 cup)
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 jalapeno finely chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped)
- 2 tbsp sliced black olives
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the refried beans and 1 teaspoon of the taco seasoning mix. Stir well to combine.
- In another small bowl, combine the sour cream, greek yogurt, and remaining tablespoon taco seasoning. Stir well to combine.
- On a small plate, spread the beans almost to the edge.
- Spread the sour cream mixture over the beans.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the sour cream. Continue sprinkling the remaining layers: jalapenos, tomatoes, olives, and cilantro. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Serve with tortilla chips.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published November 1, 2012. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Becky
Two things:
1. I think the turkey is the easy part of the T-giving meal but here in PA Dutch country, we go food wild at the holidays 😀 so if you don’t love roasting it T-giving day, I have several friends who roast it ahead of time and stick the meat in the crockpot with the broth. They say it’s very moist and yummy.
2. Your dip is missing one key ingredient for layered dips- Guacamole!
deseray yeo-jones
My husbands fries our turkey every year. We think it tastes great, and it frees me up to take care of the sides. Plus, I make some things ahead of time. I’ve made mashed potatoes, sweet potatoe casserole and pies the day before.
Jeanine
I understand your pain at not wanting to cook a turkey, but as we live far away from relatives, last year was the first year that I cooked my own turkey. I am going to do it again this year, but I am going to need your post on how to cook a turkey, which saved me last year. Can you repost? Or would it be easier for me to just search for it? (or do you have it in a certain spot?) Thanks!
I wish I’d pinned it! (I sure will this time!)
Jessica Fisher
Here’s the link: https://goodcheapeats.com/2011/11/how-to-cook-a-turkey/ Glad it was so helpful!
Jeanine
Thank you!
jan
I’m the one you see in the store grabbing all the 11 pound birds … we fry about 6 each year … one for us, one for our friend, one for Hubby’s office (he takes to work on Friday) one for leftovers (freezer) and another for a friend. As much hassle as it is to fry ONE bird, we figured it’s just as easy to fry 6 or so 🙂 I don’t like turkey any other way so if we decided NOT to fry, I’d probably just say lets do something unconventional, like grill some super burgers or something 🙂 Not a ‘big’ Thanksgiving foodie fan.
karen
My family doesn’t like turkey very much. They like the idea of having a turkey but not the actuality of it. So, I always used to make a small turkey and a ham. Then last year I decided to make cornish game hen. They are small enough for everyone to have their own and it is quite novel for the (5) kids. Not something that necessarily saves any money but as you mentioned, it goes with all the fixings!
Heather B
I am fairly sure the Earth will in fact STOP TURNING if you forgo Thanksgiving turkey. I’ve used this recipe the last 4 years: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html. I use William Sonoma brine bags because they are worth the extra cost. The bird cooks FAST and then I cover it in tinfoil while I make the other stuff…2 hours later it’s still HOT for carving.
Laura C
Ever since I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving (about 6 years now) we’ve done chicken. That was the husband’s family tradition since some didnt like turkey and my side didnt care. Fine with me, its easier! I do have a turkey in the freezer I got for $0.59/lb so I will make that at some point.
Alyson
The roasted turkey is my least favorite part of the Thanksgiving dinner. I could definitely do without it. In fact, there have been a few years when it was just my immediate family that we had turkey and noodle soup with mashed potatoes (a family favorite!) instead.
Diana
I always have my Mother In Law make the turkey- she always makes a beautiful bird! And I do all the rest, she has one of her sons carry it over (we live next door) and we eat here since all the rest of the food is here and our house is babyproof and hers is not. It has worked well for us!
Paula Wells
I just picked up my (4) Turkey Breast today and we will put 1 in the rotisserie, 2 on the BBQ pit and 1 in the roaster. Those are the easiest methods for me to put them to cook and forget about them. We eat a lot of turkey all year long (like 1 breast a week) but they stay .99 lb. at Target so it is very economical for my family.
Tina
We have not had a whole turkey on thanksgiving for a few years. I ususally do a turkey breast and sometimes I add a drumstick or two. I do a whole turkey at some other time to make stock and freeze meat. It is just TOO MUCH WORK on thanksgiving. I spend the entire day in the kitchen and dont enjoy myself at all. :o)
Julia Melatis
When I am cooking the main courses I often do a turkey and ham. One year I got a small enough whole turkey that it fit into my 6 qt oval crockpot. I have also done my sweet potato casserole in a crockpot. Crockpots make a great time saver especially for holiday & party get togethers. =)
Julia Melatis
I’ve also done my bone in spiral cut ham in the crockpot.
Julia Melatis
One year I was determined to not spend the day in the kitchen and I did an all cold Thanksgiving dinner: deli turkey breast (the good all natural stuff), a raw sweet potato salad, potato salad….not very traditional and haven’t done it again. Wish I could find the recipe for the sweet potato salad. All I rremember was Catalina dressing and shredded, raw sweet potatoes. Haven’t been able to find the recipe even in a Google search. =(