7 Layer Bean Dip

One of my favorite party foods to make is dip. Everybody enjoys it and there is just something essential about it. You can’t host a family gathering without dip and if you ever go to an event like game night then the absence of dip… well, I don’t even know what would happen. The best dip of all time has got to be the 7 layer bean dip. It’s never been improved upon in terms of adding more layers. But I did find my own sneaky way of making this popular dip even better.

7 Is the Number of Completion

The 7 layer dip is the ultimate dip. Some people are satisfied with just one layer of dip and that’s okay. Sometimes, the occasion calls for just one layer. However, some of us dip lovers enjoy the complexity additional layers provide. There are other multilayered dips. Each one better than the last, but when we got to seven everything stopped. There is an optional eight-layer, but that is open for debate.

The 7 Layer Dip has been in circulation since the 1970s and became popular in Texas before The Family Circle published the first known recipe in 1981. Since then the perfect 7 layers have been untouched and even became reimagined in burrito form. Perhaps seven is the limit. There is an inherent danger in making a dip with too many layers. Maybe it can’t go any deeper, or maybe, just maybe it’s impossible to improve on the flavor and texture of this classic recipe.

The Heart of the Seven Layer Bean Dip

The 7 layer dip is the perfect use for all of the Tex Mex staples. It essentially incorporates every popular Tex Mex ingredient into a bowl. But you can’t just mix it all together. The layers are important. The impact of the 7 layers is the main appeal of this incredible dip. So how you stack the layers and where you place the ingredients is very important. By their nature, layers present flavors to you in succession and the order is significant. You can’t just throw the layers in willy nilly however you want. Of the 7 layers, there are a couple of substantial ones, mainly Rotel, which is its own concoction, and Guacamole, the heart of the 7 layer dip.

Guacamole is the dip. The other layers merely support and enhance it. There is a recipe for guacamole in itself. The strength of your guacamole determines how good your 7 layer dip is going to be. Therefore, its place within the seven layers is appropriately nestled right in the middle at layer number four. It tops sour cream and is covered by the remaining layers. Guacamole is so essential to the success of this dip, which is why this dip recipe comes with a bonus recipe for how to make the ultimate guacamole. The guacamole itself is made with eight ingredients that, with the exception of cilantro, are not found elsewhere in the other layers of the dip.

How Healthy Is Guacamole?

As with many recipes, one factor it’s always helpful to look at is health. Not all recipes need to be good for you, but the healthiness of food certainly factors into our dietary decisions like whether to make a dish, how to alter a dish, or how much to consume. Sometimes health is the whole point and other attributes fall by the wayside while other times, health could not be any less relevant. It all depends on what you want to make and eat. Guacamole is interesting because it falls in the crossfire and there is less clarity about how good it actually is for you.

Guacamole comes from fruits and vegetables, which should land it in the healthy category, but it is also highly caloric. It’s main ingredient is the fatty avocado, but we have learned that it’s a good kind of fat, which sounds like a ruse, but there are healthy fats and avocado is a good source of those. Guacamole is also high in fiber, which is good for digestion, but also high in carbs, which some (not all) try to avoid. It isn’t a clear-cut situation, but the leaning is that guacamole is good for you.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t complete the story. Most people don’t just enjoy a bowl of guacamole for their meal. The trouble comes into paradise when you consider the variety of unhealthy foods that guacamole serves as a condiment for. Tortilla chips are not healthy, especially consumed in large quantities. So indirectly, guacamole and other dips become unhealthy as they are components of unhealthy foods. So, even though the dip is good for you, watch how many chips you use if you want to keep the nutrition ratio balanced.

My Special Guacamole

Guacamole is a simple dip that doesn’t need a lot of help to be good. But you can have bad guacamole. Most guacamole tastes pretty much the same with the key differentiating factor being how chunky or smooth the guacamole is. My guacamole takes things to another level with 8 ingredients. One of them being a personal favorite of mine to add a bit of heat and give the guacamole a little bit more personality. Even though this is the perfect guacamole recipe, I’ve built in a variable that lets you make your own guacamole to suit your taste.

The main component to my guacamole is the added spice I get from Slap Ya Mama. It’s my favorite spice to use and it gives more depth of flavor to the guacamole, which can be a bit bland if you don’t mix in a little spice. The unique blend of spices in Slap Ya Mama mix beautifully with the other components of the dip. My variable component that lets you customize this recipe is salsa. Whether you use smooth or chunky salsa, spicy, mild, peach, pineapple… it’s all up to you. You can be as traditional as you like, or be bold with the salsa you choose. Since the recipe already uses Slap Ya Mama, you might choose to go one step milder than you typically would.

Ingredients needed to make Guacamole

• Avocados
• Lime juice
• Salsa
• Red onions
• Cilantro
• Slap Ya Mama seasoning
• Pepper
• Garlic salt

Ingredients needed to make 7 Layer Bean Dip

• Refried beans
• Rotel
• Sharp cheddar cheese
• Monterey jack cheese
• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Black olives
• Freshly diced tomatoes
• Cilantro

(Actual measurements in the recipe card below).

How to Make Guacamole

• In a medium mixing bowl add avocados, lime juice, salsa, onions, cilantro, seasoning, and pepper. Mash together until combined.

How to make 7 Layer Bean Dip

Step 1: Prep

Using a medium saucepan, heat refried beans and Rotel until hot.

Step 2: Layering the Dip

Spread bean mixture into 9×13 dish and top with both types of cheese. Add sour cream and spread in an even layer. Spread guacamole over sour cream. Top with black olives, diced tomatoes, and cilantro. Top with extra cheese if desired.

Try This Delicious 7 Layer Bean Dip

Here are some more appetizer recipes that can be found on the blog:

Spinach Artichoke Dip – This dip is a classic appetizer recipe, loaded with spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, but what makes this recipe the best is that it’s made with a three cheese blend.

Crock Pot Queso – This queso is made with Italian sausage, giving it a delicious twist of spicy flavors.

Jalapeno Cheese Bites – Crispy on the outside and cheesy and creamy on the inside. Perfect appetizer to make for any occasion.

Check out this Cream Cheese Chili Dip from Great Grub Delicious Treats. A super simple and quick recipe that makes a great dip for any party. With only three ingredients, this dip is so easy to whip up in a matter of minutes!

Here are a few pictures to add to your Pinterest boards.