7-Layer Dip Recipe

If you've been searching for the perfect 7-layer dip recipe, you've come to the right place. This one has got all the goods, from refried beans and sour cream to Mexican cheese and guacamole. What more do you need in life, honestly?  Recipe developer Kristen Carli says, "This recipe is a classic potluck recipe to bring to football games or casual group gatherings."

You'll use a sizable baking dish to make this dip, so rest assured it can feed a lot of people — according to the actual recipe, it yields about 12 servings. The best part is, there is no cooking involved, just layering. You can whip it up then store it in your fridge until you're ready to go to the party or until your own party guests start arriving. The best part? It's incredibly easy to make, and you can prepare it in just 15 minutes. Who doesn't love a quick and simple party staple?

There is no actual cooking involved in compiling these seven layers, but you will need a good amount of ingredients. We recommend getting everything out and measured before you start creating the dip.

This 7-layer dip calls for one 15-ounce can of refried beans, eight ounces of cream cheese, softened, three cups of sour cream, divided, one teaspoon of chili powder, one teaspoon of ground cumin, three cups of guacamole, two roma tomatoes, diced, one 15-ounce jar of red chunky salsa, two cups of shredded Mexican cheese, three cups of shredded lettuce, a half cup of black olives, sliced, and, of course, tortilla chips for serving.

The first step in this 7-layer dip recipe, after you get all your ingredients ready to go, is to whip up that bottom layer of dip. You'll mix the cream cheese, one cup of sour cream, refried beans, chili powder, and cumin in a large bowl. Stir everything together to fully combine.

You might associate refried beans as a piping hot side when you order numerous menu items at a Mexican restaurant. In this instance, however, the refried beans don't need to be hot. Per Carli, "You can warm the refried beans, but traditionally, this is served cold."

Once the cream cheese, cup of sour cream, spices, and refried beans are fully combined, you've got your base layer of the 7-layer dip. Exciting, right? Using a spatula or the back of a very large spoon, spread this cheesy bean mixture evenly along the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. A ceramic one will work, but a clear one will show off your layers more.

Why does this layer go first? According to Carli, "It's a good idea to layer the dense ingredients on the bottom and then top with lighter ingredients." 

The next marching order for this 7-layer dip recipe calls in the guacamole and diced tomatoes. Combine the guacamole with the diced tomatoes in a small bowl. Then spread the guacamole and tomato mixture evenly over top of cheesy bean mixture. 

You have to do this part carefully and artfully so that your layers stay distinct and don't start mixing together. Yes, they will all eventually mix together in your mouth, but for the purposes of presentation and optimal dip-on-chip ratios, we encourage you to keep the layers stacked (and not melded together) as best you can.

Okay, what layer are we on? It doesn't matter because we're getting close to the finish line and, therefore, closer to eating.

Now you're going to spread the remaining two cups of sour cream atop the guacamole and tomato mixture. Once the sour cream has been evenly spread over the surface, pour the red chunky salsa across the top so that it's a solid even layer from end to end of the baking dish, as demonstrated in the drool-inducing process photo here. Honestly, we could start eating now, but there are more layers to go.

The 7-layer dip is almost complete. The liquid layers have all been added. Now it's time for the fun stuff. Okay, it's all been fun, but now you get to sprinkle the remaining ingredients, rather than spread. Sprinkle shredded Mexican cheese over the layer of salsa, then cover that cheese with a generous sprinkling of the shredded lettuce. 

While it's true that lettuce might become the bane of your existence when people start dipping and it drops all over your counter or floor, trust us, it's worth it for that light, fresh crunch on top of the other ingredients.

The final step in this 7-layer dip recipe is adding a smattering of black olives. If you know you're dealing with an anti-olive crowd, you can always skip this step, but it sure does look pretty on the final product.

How long can you keep this dip once it's been made? Carli instructs, "This dip will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two days." So you better plan to eat most of it the day you make it or the day after. It's a great appetizer and an even better accompaniment to tacos.