Classic Seven-Layer Dip

Name: Classic Seven-Layer Dip
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1½ cups (one 16-oz can) (425 g) canned refried beans, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon (8 g) taco seasoning; 1 cup (230 g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lime juice; 1½ cups (340 g) guacamole, fresh or store-bought, well mashed; 1 cup (260 g) thick chunky salsa, drained in a sieve for 10 minutes; 1½ cups (170 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated from a block; ½ cup (60 g) sliced black olives, drained and patted dry; 3 whole (45 g) green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts; 12 oz (340 g) sturdy tortilla chips

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A party-ready Tex-Mex cold dip built from seasoned refried beans, tangy sour cream, creamy guacamole, fresh salsa, sharp cheddar, black olives and green onions. Assemble it in a clear dish, chill briefly, and scoop with sturdy tortilla chips.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: —
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: 1 dish (about 6 cups, serves 12 as an appetizer)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the bean layer
1½ cups (one 16-oz can) (425 g) canned refried beans, at room temperature
1 tablespoon (8 g) taco seasoning
For the sour cream layer
1 cup (230 g) full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lime juice
For the layers
1½ cups (340 g) guacamole, fresh or store-bought, well mashed
1 cup (260 g) thick chunky salsa, drained in a sieve for 10 minutes
1½ cups (170 g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated from a block
½ cup (60 g) sliced black olives, drained and patted dry
3 whole (45 g) green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts
For serving
12 oz (340 g) sturdy tortilla chips

Equipment (6)

8×8-inch (20×20 cm) glass baking dish or 9-inch (23 cm) deep glass pie plate, at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep
Medium mixing bowl
Fine-mesh sieve
Small offset spatula or back of a spoon
Box grater (if grating cheese)
Plastic wrap

Steps

Before you start

Let the refried beans sit at room temperature for 20 minutes so they spread easily without tearing the layer below.
Drain the salsa well in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes; excess liquid makes the dip watery.
Use a clear 8-inch (20 cm) square dish or 9-inch (23 cm) deep pie plate so the layers show.
Plan on at least 1 hour of chilling before serving.

1
Prep the components
- Set the sieve over a bowl and spoon in the salsa to drain.
- Grate the cheddar, slice the green onions, and pat the olives dry with paper towels.
- Let the beans and sour cream warm to room temperature.
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Ready when: Salsa is thick and spoonable, with little liquid dripping
Tip: Grate cheese from a block; pre-shredded cheese is coated and gives a drier, grittier layer.
2
Season the beans
- In the medium bowl, stir the refried beans with the taco seasoning for about 1 minute until the seasoning is evenly blended and no streaks remain.
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Ready when: Beans are uniformly colored and smooth
3
Spread the bean layer
- Dollop the beans across the bottom of the 8-inch dish.
- Press and smooth into an even layer about ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick, spreading all the way to the edges.
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Ready when: Layer is level with no bare glass showing
Tip: Dip your spatula in water if the beans stick.
4
Add the guacamole
- Spoon the guacamole over the beans in small dollops, then gently spread to the edges in an even layer.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the guacamole surface if you will pause here.
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Ready when: Guacamole covers the beans completely
Tip: Dollop first, then spread; dragging a big scoop pulls up the beans beneath.
5
Spread the sour cream
- Stir the lime juice into the sour cream until smooth.
- Dollop over the guacamole and spread gently to the edges, sealing the guacamole from air so it stays green.
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Ready when: White layer fully covers the guacamole
6
Top with salsa
- Spoon the drained salsa over the sour cream and spread into an even layer, leaving a ½-inch (1.3 cm) border of sour cream visible if you like a neat look.
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Ready when: Salsa layer is even and not pooling
Tip: Discard the drained liquid; adding it will make the layers slide.
7
Add cheese and garnish
- Sprinkle the cheddar evenly over the salsa to cover it completely.
- Scatter the olives and green onions over the cheese in an even pattern.
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Ready when: Top is evenly covered with cheese, olives and onions
8
Chill and serve
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours) so the flavors meld and the layers set.
- Serve cold with tortilla chips, scooping straight down through all the layers.
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Ready when: Dip is cold and holds a clean scoop
Tip: Serve extra chips in a separate bowl so the dip isn't swamped.

Good to know

Tips

Spread each layer to the edges of the dish; this seals the layers and gives clean sides through the glass.
Drain the salsa thoroughly; liquid is the main cause of soggy, sliding layers.
Use sturdy, thick-cut or scoop-style chips so they don't break in the dense bean layer.
For heat, stir 1 tablespoon minced pickled jalapeño into the beans.

Make ahead

"Assemble through step 7 up to 24 hours ahead, covered tightly with plastic wrap pressed on the surface. Add the olives and green onions up to 2 hours before serving for the freshest look."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate covered up to 2 days (the guacamole may darken slightly at the edges; stir-free scoop off any browned top). Do not leave at room temperature more than 2 hours. Not recommended for freezing because sour cream and guacamole separate. Serve cold; no reheating."

Substitutions

full-fat sour cream → plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Slightly tangier and thicker; still stir in the lime juice.
canned refried beans → black bean refried beans or mashed pinto beans with 2 tablespoons water. Season the same way; add water only if too stiff to spread.
sharp cheddar cheese → Mexican blend or Monterey Jack, freshly grated. Milder and meltier-tasting; use the same volume.
taco seasoning → 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin and ¼ teaspoon salt. Homemade equivalent with less sodium.