7 Layer Taco Dip

July 5th, 2010

Also known as 7 Layer Bean Dip

A great “take somewhere” dish, but I make it just for our family too.  Any meal that is served with chips is considered a hit around here, like we’re cheating at dinner, or something!

This recipe makes enough to fill an 11×15 casserole dish.

Ingredients:

2 (1 ounce) packs taco seasoning mix

1 bag dried pinto beans, soaked overnight, slow cooked, and then “refried” with one chopped white onion – or you could use canned refried beans, but I don’t really know how much you would need – I’m thinking 2 (16 ounce) cans

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

1 (16 ounce) jar salsa (we’re usually mild eaters, but this is such a large dish I might go with a spicier version next time

2 large tomatoes

1 bunch chopped green onions

1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded

1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained (I used chopped this time because it’s what I had)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Optional – One pound ground beef – I sometimes add this when I’m serving it as a meal

Directions:

1. In a very large skillet, mix the 2 packets taco seasoning with the beans to “fry”, the small chopped white onion, and the browned ground beef.  Cook on medium heat uncovered, stirring constantly until the beans are mashed and the onions are cooked through.  Spread the mixture into the casserole dish.

2. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl.  Spread over the bean mixture.

3.  Top the layers with salsa.  Place a layer of lettuce, tomatoes, and green onions, and black olives over the salsa layer.  Top with cheese.

Serve with tortilla chips – the thicker for this dip, the better.

This is a good meal to have your make-ahead food on hand.  If you’ve already soaked your beans and slow cooked them, shredded cheese; chopped and frozen onions; browned, separated, and frozen ground beef then it makes this dish a lot quicker to put together.  And since it’s much better the next day, it’s also a great make-ahead meal when you have time then makes for fast food the next day when you have no time to cook.