Best 7 Layer Dip
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Made with garlicky fork-mashed black beans, chunky guacamole, crisp sweet corn, and salsa fresca, this 7 layer dip bursts with freshness and flavor — it’s the ultimate party dip!
I love 7 layer dip in theory, but this Tex-Mex party appetizer often looks a whole lot better than it tastes. The classic recipe consists of canned refried beans, jarred salsa, store-bought guacamole, sour cream, pre-shredded cheese, and canned black olives layered in a glass dish. I prefer to make my 7 layer dip entirely from scratch so that each element is as delicious on its own as it is together scooped up in a tortilla chip.
This version features delicious garlicky fork-mashed black beans, chunky guacamole, and a quick homemade salsa. It’s a bit more time consuming to make than the semi-homemade version, but the payoff in freshness and flavor is 100% worth it.
Table of Contents
“This is delicious and worth every extra step. So much better than the old version we’ve all seen.”
What You’ll Need To Make 7 Layer Dip
- Garlic, Scallions, Jalapeño Pepper, Lime Juice: These ingredients are divided among the layers to infuse each one with flavor.
- Chopped Tomatoes: Serve as the primary component of the salsa layer, adding a bright, juicy, and fresh taste.
- Canned Black Beans: Used to create the rich and hearty bean layer. When mashed and seasoned, they form a flavorful base that adds protein and substance to the dip.
- Avocados: The key ingredient for the guacamole layer, providing a creamy, rich texture and a buttery taste.
- Sharp Cheddar: Adds a tangy, savory depth as the cheese layer.
- Sour cream: Forms the cool, tangy sour cream layer.
- Corn: Contributes a sweet, crunchy element to the dip. Fresh-cooked corn is best, but canned can also be used for convenience.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep
Before getting started with the recipe, I suggest prepping the scallions, garlic, jalapeño pepper, and lime juice. These ingredients are divided up between the layers, and you’ll be glad to have them handy and ready to use.
Step 2: Make the Salsa Fresca
In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, half of the dark green scallions, half of the minced jalapeño, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and the sugar.
Mix well and set aside.
Step 3: Make the Black Beans
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, and add all of the light scallions.
Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Measure out ¼ teaspoon of the minced garlic and set aside in a medium bowl (you’ll use this for the guacamole). Add the remaining garlic to the skillet and continue cooking for 30 seconds more. Do not brown.
Add the black beans, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon of the cumin, and water and continue cooking for about one minute.
Off the heat, mash the beans with a fork or potato masher until they have a chunky puréed texture. Set aside. (The bean mixture may taste salty; that’s okay.)
Step 4: Make the Guacamole
To the medium bowl with the reserved garlic, add the avocados, the remaining dark green scallions, the remaining jalapeño, ½ teaspoon salt, the remaining ½ teaspoon cumin, and the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice.
Mash with a fork until blended but still a bit chunky.
Step 5: Assemble the Dip
Spread the black bean purée into an even layer in an 8-inch glass baking dish.
Spread the sour cream evenly over the black bean layer.
Sprinkle half of the cheese over the sour cream.
Spread the guacamole over the cheese.
Add the remaining cheese evenly over the guacamole.
Sprinkle the corn over the cheese.
Transfer the salsa to a fine sieve and drain. This is an important step that prevents the 7 layer dip from becoming watery.
Top the corn layer with the salsa. 
Serve the dip immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. If chilled, allow 1 hour for it to sit out at room temperature prior to serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the dip can made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered tightly in plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for at least one hour before serving. Because the guacamole is covered with cheese, corn, and salsa, it should stay green.
If you have any leftover dip, it will keep for a day or two in the fridge. However, it may release liquid after sitting while refrigerated; simply blot the liquid with a paper towel before serving.
7 layer dip should be served slightly chilled or at room temperature. The ingredients used in the dip, such as guacamole, sour cream, and salsa, are best enjoyed without heating.
Actually, the classic 7 layer dip is already a pretty healthy, packed with nutritious ingredients and healthy fats, especially from avocados in the guacamole layer. However, if you’re looking to tweak the recipe for specific dietary needs or preferences, there are still adjustments you can make. For instance, you can opt for Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Additionally, using a reduced-fat cheese or increasing the proportion of vegetables can further enhance the dip’s nutritional profile without compromising on taste.
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7 Layer Dip
Made with garlicky fork-mashed black beans, chunky guacamole, crisp sweet corn, and salsa fresca, this 7 layer dip bursts with freshness and flavor — it’s the ultimate party dip!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cored, seeded, and finely chopped tomatoes, from 2 to 3 large tomatoes or 4 to 6 plum tomatoes
- 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, light and dark green parts separated (divided)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced (divided)
- 4 tablespoons lime juice, from 2 limes (divided)
- Salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin (divided)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 medium avocados, halved, pitted and diced
- 1 (8-oz) block sharp Cheddar, shredded (see note)
- 1 (8 oz) container sour cream (1 cup)
- 1¼ cups fresh cooked or canned (and drained) corn kernels
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Make the salsa fresca: In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, half of the dark green scallions, half of the minced jalapeño, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and the sugar. (If your tomatoes are sweet, you can reduce or omit the sugar.) Set aside.
- Make the bean layer: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add all of the light scallions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Measure out ¼ teaspoon of the minced garlic and set aside in a medium bowl (you'll use this for the guacamole). Add the remaining garlic to the skillet and continue cooking for 30 seconds more. Do not brown. Add the black beans, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon of the cumin, and water and continue cooking for about one minute. Off the heat, mash the beans with a fork or potato masher until they have a chunky puréed texture. Scrape the beans into an 8-inch glass baking dish and spread into an even layer. Set aside. (The bean mixture may taste salty; that's okay.)
- Make the guacamole layer: To the medium bowl with the reserved garlic, add the avocados, the remaining dark green scallions, the remaining jalapeño, ½ teaspoon salt, the remaining ½ teaspoon cumin, and the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice. Mash with a fork until blended but still a bit chunky.
- Assemble the dip: Spread the sour cream evenly over the black bean layer. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the sour cream, followed by all of the guacamole, and then the remaining cheese. Sprinkle the corn over the cheese.
- Transfer the salsa to a fine sieve and drain. Top the corn layer with the salsa. Serve the dip with a spoon and tortilla chips.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The dip can made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered tightly in plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving. Leftover dip will keep for a day or two in the fridge. It may release liquid after sitting while refrigerated; simply blot the liquid with a paper towel before serving.
- Note: If you're short on time, pre-shredded Cheddar can be used as long as it's a good brand, like Cabot. You'll need two packed cups.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (Nutritional data does not include tortilla chips – 12 servings)
- Calories: 290
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 7 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Sodium: 430 mg
- Cholesterol: 29 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This was great!! It does take a bit longer than the version where you use store-bought salsa, but I’ve made that before and, as Jenn says in the intro, the payoff is completely worth it. This went pretty quickly at my super bowl party (I was actually hoping there would be some left because I loved it and want to snack on it more after everyone left 🤣)! Also, half a dozen people asked for the recipe – I’m not surprised at all – it’s that good.
I made this for our Super Bowl party of 50. It was beautiful but, maybe because we’re from Texas and we love TexMex food, we found this recipe to be lacking in big flavor. Next time I would add taco seasoning to the sour cream.
I love all of your recipes but this one was a total flop. I’m not sure how I messed up an easy 7 layer dip but it was really flavorless and wet (I drained the salsa). Even a close friend commented it needed help- ha!
Fantastic iteration of this crowd pleaser!! Thank you so much for providing this recipe (which translates to: you spent time perfecting it!). Like all of Jenn’s recipes, it is well-balanced and flavorful. Nothing overpowers anything else. Well worth the extra time for a few of the steps!!
When you say fresh cooked corn can you be more specific? Should i boil the corn then remove the kernels? Can i use raw kernels? Thanks.
Yes, boiling the corn and removing the kernels is perfect. I wouldn’t use raw corn kernels. Hope you enjoy the dip!
Have you ever tried this with fresh corn instead of canned? We have fresh corn at the farm stand now.
Yes, I’ve made it with both fresh cooked corn and canned corn. Hope you enjoy if you make the dip!
This is delicious and worth every extra step. So much better than the old version we’ve all seen. It was devoured and got rave reviews. I did add cilantro to the guac and pico. Be sure to use sturdy tortilla chips. My local grocery store fries them up fresh right there and sells them in big bags. I can’t wait for another party to make this again because no way can I wait for next year’s Super Bowl! Thanks so much.
Hi! I have lots of your bean dip left over, would that work for the base layer?
Yes, definitely!
Would this recipe go good as a side served with your Chicken Tortilla Soup?
Personally, I’d err on the side of either guac or black bean dip, but this will work. Just keep in mind that it’s meant to be eaten straight from the dish instead of divided up onto plates. Hope that helps!
That does help! I think I will stick to the guacamole and bean dip to go with that soup. Thank you ☺️
Made this for friends over the weekend and it was an absolute hit!!!
I just made a few changes:
– added 2 tbsp chopped cilantro in the salsa, and used both dark & light parts of the scallion (about 20g net) for it
– added a couple of tablespoons of minced red onion (previously soaked in cold water for 20min., and drained) to the guacamole
– used 75g net (half cup) finely chopped white onion for the sauté of the beans (instead of scallion), and added 1/4 tsp oregano – which is commonly used to flavor beans in Mexico – along with the cumin.
This turned out great and everyone loved it! The guacamole stayed fresh and green. Don’t forget to drain the salsa! Thanks for another tasty recipe, Jen.
Hi Jenn, I love your recipes and I am planning to try this one soon. What if I make the beans per your instructions with the exception of mashing them? Do you think the dip would turn out fine if I leave the black beans whole?
Hi Joyce, I do think it’d work well. Please LMK how it turns out!
Did you use an 8 x8 glass dish?
Yep 👍
Substitutes for the tomato layer? Don’t have any home grown and store tomatoes are nasty. Pico de Gallo from a local restaurant?
Sure, Eve, Pico de Gallo will work — just make sure to drain off any extra liquid. Hope you enjoy!
Another great recipe. This was so good, love the freshness. Made your chicken fajitas to go along with. Great recipes, thank you.
I made this yesterday evening so that hubby and I have today’s lunch ready. And as a bonus, I had everything on hand at home 🙂
My “usual” 7-layer dip is a little different, but I wanted to try yours and followed the recipe. I even didn’t use cilantro in the salsa 😀
We both enjoyed it and I did not miss the cilatro a bit 😉 😀
The guac kept a great bright green color.
Thanks for another great recipe!
Do you have a Trader Joe’s in your neck of the woods? If so, I would humbly suggest their frozen roasted corn as a substitute for canned corn. The flavor of the corn is amazing and I’m sure would be very good in this recipe. As always, thank you for a great idea with this recipe. I will be making it. Best Regards & thank you for a great website.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! My family always requests that I make 7 layer dip for our get togethers. This recipe sounds WONDERFUL! Question. I’ve always put the guacamole after the beans so it can be “sealed” by the sour cream…..so that the avocado doesn’t turn dark. What are your thoughts?
Hi Cindy, You can layer in any order, but the cheese, corn, and tomatoes in this recipe do keep the guac from turning color. Hope you enjoy!