Layered Taco Dip with Refried Beans
Layered taco dip with seasoned refried beans, a whipped cream cheese layer, and all your favorite taco toppings. Make it a day ahead, serve it cold, and take the heat as far as you want.
Servings: 12
Calories: 224kcal
Ingredients
Bean Layer
- 16 ounces refried beans (1 can)
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salsa or water if needed to loosen
Creamy Layer
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1/3 cup thick salsa or picante sauce
Toppings
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or pepper jack)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes seeded
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives drained
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions
- 1 jalapeno pepper thinly sliced or diced
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Stir the refried beans together with 1 teaspoon taco seasoning. If they're stiff, loosen with a tablespoon of salsa or water. Spread evenly across the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish.
- Beat the softened cream cheese in a bowl until smooth. Add the sour cream, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, and salsa. Beat until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the beans in an even layer, all the way to the edges.
- Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes so the base sets up. Don't skip this or the layers will slide.
- Top with shredded cheese, then lettuce, tomatoes, olives, green onions, and jalapeños.
- Serve cold with thick tortilla chips
Notes
- Make ahead: Assemble the bean and cream cheese layers up to 24 hours in advance, keep covered in the fridge, and add the fresh toppings right before serving.
- Keep it from going runny: Use a thick salsa, seed the Roma tomatoes, drain the olives well, and chill 30 minutes before serving to firm up.
- Make it a meal: Add 1 pound browned, seasoned, and fully cooled ground beef, turkey, chorizo, or shredded chicken over the bean layer.
- Chili taco dip: Spread 1½ to 2 cups of thick, fully cooled chili over the beans before the cream cheese layer. Drain off loose liquid first.
- Heat level: As written this is mild-medium. For hot, use pepper jack, hot salsa, two serranos, and a minced chipotle in adobo mixed into the cream cheese layer. For wild, add diced habanero and a few drizzles of hot sauce.
- Pan size: A 9x13 gives the classic thin layers and serves 12. An 8x8 gives taller layers and serves about 8.
- Storage: Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days, but finish within a day of adding fresh toppings. Do not freeze.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 577mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 989IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 1mg