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Seven-Layer Dip
![Seven-Layer Dip](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2020/12/29/dining/as-seven-layer-dip/as-seven-layer-dip-articleLarge.jpg?width=1280&quality=75&auto=webp)
- Total Time
- 20 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- ¾cup sour cream
- 1jalapeño, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2medium ripe avocados
- 2tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 lime)
- 1(16-ounce) can refried beans
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- 1cup freshly grated Cheddar (about 4 ounces)
- 1cup sliced black olives (about 4 ounces)
- ¾cup good-quality, store-bought red salsa, fresh or jarred and any heat level (drained if watery)
- ½cup Fritos or corn nuts, crumbled
- ¼cup thinly sliced scallions (about 2 scallions)
- ¼cup tightly packed cilantro leaves
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Preparation
- Step 1
In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and half the jalapeño (about 1 tablespoon). Season with salt and pepper. In another small bowl, coarsely mash the avocado, lime juice and remaining 1 tablespoon jalapeño, then season with salt and pepper.
- Step 2
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat or in a microwave, warm the refried beans with the cumin. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 3
Spread the beans on a platter with a rim or lip. Top evenly with the cheese, followed by the olives, avocado mixture and salsa. Top with dollops of jalapeño-sour cream and sprinkle with crumbled Fritos, scallions and cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
Our tastes are all a bit different....some love jalapeños, some not so much. Cindy’s changes appeal to ME, but not to everyone. I read all the cooking notes when I am planning to cook a new recipe. It is always helpful to get lots of cooks ideas and opinions. When we are kind about it, as Cindy is, it is certainly helpful and not in any way offensive.
I omit the cumin and season the refried beans with garlic salt & pepper. Also, I omit the jalapeño and don’t miss it. Tastes great!
I have no notes, but appreciate people in the comments that offer their tweaks and comments. For a novice cook like myself, it's really helpful to have that information. Thank you Cindy for your tweaks.
Two words to describe this: brilliant, and permanent replacement for taco night. OK, that's more than two, but this is a way to deliver a bit of everything you would want in a standard grade-school taco without all the assembly. For a party use a 1/4 sheet pan, spread hot beans, top with cheese and toss in a hot oven to melt. 10 minutes later, take it out and top with cool ingredients. Stays hot longer and chips on the side (and Fritos on top) bring fresh crunch to each bite. Super great!
A pie plate was the perfect size for this dish - very tasty! I left out jalapeños as we are not fans, and used chopped red peppers instead for crunch. If all ingredients are ready to go, it takes no time to assemble - if not, add extra time to prepare (chop/slice) ingredients.
Why change the recipe?
I really love this recipe. I’ve made it several times and always get a request for the recipe. If taking it to a party, add the crunchy bits and scallions upon arrival. Developing the flavor to each layer is essential. Don’t skip flavoring the sour cream or the beans... it really makes all the difference!
I prefer to season the sour cream with taco seasoning. It’s something I grew up eating and I just love. It’s super easy to make this recipe your very own by adding, subtracting, or tweaking amounts of seasoning in the layers.
I’ve been making a similar, far less fussy version for years. Spread refried beans in a pie plate. Scatter with chopped red onion and Mexican blend cheese. Bake until cheese is melted. Top with chopped scallions, tomatoes, olives, and/or jalapeños, dollops of sour cream, salsa, guacamole, sliced avocado - whatever you like. Devour.
Roughly 115 calories in 1/2 cup of Fritos. If you compare the fat/salt in the fritos with the fat in the sour cream, avocado, and cheddar.... I wouldn't worry about the de minimis qty of Fritos.
For a COVID times outdoor gathering, I put this dip in small individual containers so folks could eat without worrying about cross-contamination. It looks very appetizing that way.
This went over very well! Skipped the jalapeño, scallions, and Fritos. Sautéed diced onion, added a can of slightly mashed pinto beans (plus refries), a little water, and ancho chile powder and coriander. Added juice of 1/2 a lime to the sour cream (better spreadin’). Added on top, to the side: minced cilantro, minced pickled jalapeños, and quick-pickled red onions. Next time will add the drained salsa juice to the beans. Happy to have a new potluck recipe in my back pocket, thanks!
If you want to make it today for an event tomorrow (y'know, like the Super Bowl?) leave off the Fritos and make sure the salsa and sour cream layers completely cover the guacamole layer so it doesn't brown. Even better, sprinkle lettuce shreds on top instead of Fritos, then the scallions and cilantro. You've got plenty of crunch with tortilla chips.
I subbed plain whole milk yogurt for the sour cream and added garlic to the avocados. Everyone LOVED it. Huge hit!
My boyfriend is an all star cook and the chef of the house. He said this is the best dip he has ever had and I agree! The cumin really adds to the dish and changes the flavor. I don’t like cold dips so I baked this and it was great! Will def be making again.
A Mexican restaurant owner in Jackson, MS, told me years ago that the secret to his refried beans was pouring a bit of the liquid from pickled jalapeños into them while they heated. (We LOVE jalapeños in all their forms so this was an instant add in this household and remains part of the ‘standard’ recipe now.). This dip is great to make after Taco Tuesday if you happen to have leftover ground beef mixture, chicken, steak, or even shrimp to make a layer after the beans.
Great recipe! I liked that the warm beans with melted cheese, contrasting with the cooler ingredients on top. And the modicum of sour cream was also a good idea - sometimes a thick layer of it is too much in this style of dip. My canned beans were super dry/still so I mixed them with enchilada sauce, which turned out great. No fritos, crushed up some Takis!
The fresh pico de gallo salsa I bought at HEB includes minced fresh Jalapenos, so I seasoned my light sour cream with Penzey's bold taco seasoning. Putting Mexican blend shredded cheese on the warm seasoned refried beans was definitely a winner! I've been making layered dip for years, but this recipe and tips took it to a new level. Will definitely make again.
A real crowd pleaser.
I made this for a recent dip party and it was a hit! I mixed the refried beans with a dollop of sour cream and cumin, spread it in a pie plate and topped with shredded cheese. I baked for a few minutes until the cheese was melted, then added the remaining toppings and served immediately. I added pickled jalapenos as well! Will be making again for a gathering this weekend!
I wish thinning the refried beans was in the recipe. The canned beans I used were so stiff they made it hard to dip. Will try again with the beans thinned with about 1/3 cup sour cream.
the salsa i like to buy for my seven layer dip is a bit watery, so i strain it and use the salsa water to thin the refried beans :)
This was a perfect super bowl dip to share. Provided just enough heat to make it interesting. I used Amy's Vegan Refried Beans. It was a hit!
This is a healthy & inspiring recipe & I tried to make it more so. Taking cues from others: used Plain yogurt (not sour cream - to lower fat content); added chopped green cabbage on top (not Fritos)- really a fresh, clean crunch; really missed the Taco flavor usually in these dips & added it to a 2nd layer of yogurt on top of the cabbage. Next time I want to add the texture of ground beef… might use walnuts or lentils in a taco-tomato sauce.
2/12/2023 made this with black beans, cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheeses, and Greek yogurt
7 layer "blast from the past" dips included enough "what we were THINKING?" bad creations that I didn't expect to be making one in the present. But this is a great rendition. Used refried beans from local Mexican food eatery rather than using canned and green olives not black. Otherwise, per recipe. Fritos can get soggy added too soon if you're making ahead to refrigerate so you might wait until service to add those and cilantro. Recipe cut in half for trial run was dinner for two of us.
Used the recipe as a guide. Added smoked paprika to the beans as well as the cumin. Included the rest of the layers. Really good! Next time I’ll add pickled jalapeños in addition to the fresh.
Good made as written could use more cheese
no Fritos; use lettuce instead
I love this dip, and is a staple at all of my summer family get togethers. One substitution we make is using canned green chiles instead of a jalapeño.
Delicious! To watch the sodium, I omitted the salt everywhere except with the avocados, and it wasn’t missed. I also put cumin with the avocados instead of the beans. I added lime zest and juice to the sour cream- yum. Lastly, I used Trader Joe’s organic Corn Dippers chips to crumble instead of Frotios - they are so much tastier.
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