Best-Ever 7-Layer Dip
As far as classic game-day dips go, seven-layer dip ranks among the very best. Carefully composed and colorfully striped, it’s no wonder this dip is a key player on the tailgate snack table. It is everything you love about a taco, from the beans and guac to sour cream and pico de gallo, served dip-style — meaning it’s hearty enough for dinner, but just as appropriate to eat as a snack with friends. The key to the best-ever seven-layer dip is knowing which layers to focus on and which to shortcut. Here’s my advice.
Beans: Choose the best-tasting can of refried beans at the grocery store and spread it in the bottom of the dish. Since they’re about to be covered in guacamole, don’t overthink this layer. My top choice is the Roasarita brand of refried beans. They don’t get as much real estate on the grocer’s taco aisle as the big brands; look for them on the bottom shelf. Guacamole: The key is making a garlic paste, which gives the guac a gentler garlic flavor and incorporates more seamlessly than minced garlic. Mash the guac to a smoother consistency than you would if serving it straight up, making it easier to scoop.
Trifle dishes and deep glass bowls are often used for this dip because they illustrate the layers, but they make it almost impossible to get all the layers with just one dip of your chip. The better choice is a clear, shallow casserole dish, so the layers are still visible but dipping is much easier.
Ingredients:
- 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the tomatoes
- 4 medium avocados
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion (from 1 small red onion), divided
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped unseeded jalapeño (from 1 small jalapeño, optional)
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, very soft
- 1 (1-ounce) package 25% less-sodium taco seasoning mix
- 2 cups salsa
- 2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese (8ounces)
- 2 plum or Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
- Tortilla chips, for serving