Best 7 Layer Dip

Best ever 7 layer dip! It’s colorful, flavorful and perfect for game day, parties or BBQs! It only takes a few minutes to make and even less time to devour.

What we love about Mexican food is all the “extras” like Restaurant Style Guacamole, Homemade Queso Dip, 5 Minute Restaurant Style Salsa, and this 7 layer bean dip. It’s one of my favorite things to make for game day or parties because it can easily feed a crowd, plus it tastes amazing.

Best Ever 7 Layer Dip | lifemadesimplebakes.com

Our Favorite 7 Layer Bean Dip

This isn’t your run-of-the-mill 7 layer dip. It requires a bit of extra work- I promise it’s worth it! This dip will disappear in seconds, it’s that good!

So what makes this dip the best ever? Well first off, you cook the refried beans to make them more of a spreadable (or dip-able) consistency and adds some much needed flavor. Next, I use a combination of sour cream AND cream cheese. Trust me on this one! Then I make my own homemade guac. If you don’t have time, you can always use a package of your favorite store bought brand. No judgement there.

Following the guac comes a blend of freshly grated cheddar and Monterrey jack cheese. Then fresh pico de gallo (my recipe is in the notes below) or again, store bought if you’re in a time crunch.

For the finishing touch, a can of sliced black olives. I love them but my husband can’t stand them, so I tend to go easy on them. And that’s it! 7 layer dip taken to the next level. Nothing overly complicated, just a few improvements here and there. I hope you love this dip as much as we do!

7 layer dip recipe

7 Layer Dip Layers

What are the layers of 7 bean dip?

  1. Refried beans
  2. Guacamole
  3. Sour cream
  4. Cheese
  5. Pico
  6. Olives
  7. Green onions

Base Layers:

  • Cook the refried beans over medium heat with water, spices and green chiles for about 3-4 minutes. Layer in the bottom of a 9×13-inch dish.
  • In a small mixing bowl beat the sour cream and cream cheese together. Spread the mixture over the top of the beans.

Guacamole: In a small mixing bowl, mash the avocados. Mix in the lime juice, cilantro, remaining garlic powder, and remaining salt. Spread over top of the sour cream

Toppings:

  • Sprinkle blend of cheese over top.
  • Pico de Gallo:
    • Mix diced tomatoes, minced red onion, sliced green onion, chopped cilantro, minced jalapeno. Season with salt and lime juice.
    • Add the pico de gallo and olives
  • Add the pico de gallo and olives
  • Serve immediately or chill and serve within 36 hours.

RECIPE TIPS:

Served hot or cold? If you are making it right before serving it will turn out to be kind of room temperature, the beans may be warm while the sour cream will be cold.When using leftovers it may not be smart to microwave sour cream so I would recommend using it as a cold dip at that point.

Use ground beef as a layer? You can either incorporate some ground taco beef with the refried bean layer, or you can make it an 8 layer dip! This is a great idea to get more of a taco taste while also upping your protein!

Do you drain the salsa? If you are worried about the extra liquid from the pico de gallo ruining your 7 layer dip  you can always choose a fresher salsa that has less liquid already. If you are still concerned about the liquid you can easily put it through a strainer to make sure it’s good.

How to make this healthier? You can use mashed black beans because those are healthier than pinto beans, and you can make your own guac and pico to avoid added preservatives. You can use greek yogurt instead of sour cream if you want to get super crazy healthy.

7 layer dip recipe

Storing Tips + Tricks

Make ahead? If need be you can make this 1-2 days in advance.

How long can you leave this on the counter? We recommend that things that contain dairy only stay on the counter for about 2 hours max. If you leave it out longer you risk it spoiling.

How long does it last? It should last 3-5 days tightly covered in the fridge. 

How to Store? Store tightly covered in the fridge after making it to prevent it from going bad. You can eat leftovers of this cold for sure although it is normal for it to be slightly warm because of the beans when you originally make it. 

We don’t recommend freezing it because of the dairy products that will have a weird texture when thawed. 

What to Serve With It?

A lot of people have their favorites when it comes to types of chips. You can eat this layered dip with anything from carrots to pita chips to potato chips. It really just depends on what you are in the mood for.

Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

Best Ever 7 Layer Dip | lifemadesimplebakes.com

Best 7 Layer Dip Recipe

Best ever 7 layer dip! It's colorful, flavorful and perfect for game day, parties or BBQs! It only takes a few minutes to make and even less time to devour.
5 from 5 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Calories: 2112kcal
Author: Andrea
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 (15 oz.) can low-sodium refried pinto or black beans
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder - divided
  • 1 tsp kosher sea salt - divided
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles - mild, medium or hot)
  • 2/3 cup sour cream - light or full-fat
  • 2 oz original cream cheese
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 lime - juice of
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro - fresh
  • 2 cup shredded blend of cheddar and monterey jack cheese
  • 1 1/2 cup pico de gallo - fresh or store brought
  • 1 (4 oz) can sliced black olives

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the beans, ⅓ cup water, chili powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ tsp. salt, cumin, paprika, and diced green chiles. Heat for 3-4 minutes or until the beans are warm and the mixture is a spreadable consistency. Layer in the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish.
  • In a small mixing bowl beat the sour cream and cream cheese together, spread the mixture over the top of the beans.
  • In a small mixing bowl, mash the avocados, mix in the lime juice, cilantro, remaining garlic powder, and remaining salt. Spread over top of the sour cream
  • Sprinkle blend of cheese over top, then add the pico de gallo and olives. Serve immediately or chill and serve within 36 hours.

NOTES

* I made my pico de gallo with 3 diced medium tomatoes, 1 tbsp. minced red onion, 1 tbsp. sliced green onion, 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro, 1 tbsp. minced jalapeno, ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. lime juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 2112kcal | Carbohydrates: 105g | Protein: 78g | Fat: 166g | Saturated Fat: 74g | Cholesterol: 324mg | Sodium: 6750mg | Potassium: 2703mg | Fiber: 30g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 6541IU | Vitamin C: 80mg | Calcium: 2067mg | Iron: 5mg

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About the Author

Andrea

Hi I'm Andrea!

Hotelier turned Food Blogger to help make your life simple, one recipe at a time.

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Comments:

  1. 5 stars
    We love making this for parties & get togethers! It’s always a hit & so easy to make! And, it’s addicting!