Taco Dip With Ground Beef (7 Layer Dip!)

Deliciously creamy and topped with layers of flavor, this taco dip with ground beef is perfect for parties. Whether you’re having a potluck or tailgating, this easy taco dip recipe makes a great appetizer, is a crowd pleaser and could be a meal by itself!

 

Why We Love Ground Beef Taco Dip

• Great For A Party – Perfect for tailgating on game days, potlucks, a Cinco de Mayo party, and Taco Tuesday! This yummy dip will be a hit at your next party.
• Enjoy Hot Or Cold – This dip can be served as a hot taco dip immediately, or refrigerated and served cold later. Taco dip makes a delicious and easy appetizer both ways!
• Delicious Flavor- All the flavors you love from tacos in a delicious dip, and you can customize with your favorite taco toppings. This cheesy beef taco dip recipe is also a great way to use up leftover taco meat.

Ingredients For Ground Beef Taco Dip

• ground beef– I prefer a lean ground beef for this dip to keep it from getting oily, but any grease will be drained. You can also use ground turkey.
• water
• taco seasoning use your favorite taco seasoning mix
• refried beans can use canned
• sour cream divided
• salt – optional
• cream cheese softened, about 6 ounces
• cheddar cheese finely shredded, about 4 ounces
• tomatoes diced I like using plum tomatoes
• black olives sliced, can use canned just drain well
• green onions green tops diced

How To Make Ground Beef Taco Dip

1. Place the ground beef in a large skillet over medium high heat.

2. Cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain grease from the pan and place back on the burner. Add taco seasoning and water to the ground meat and stir until mixed well and most of the liquid cooks off.
3. In a medium bowl mix together refried beans, ½ cup of sour cream and optional salt until smooth, then set aside.
4. Add softened cream cheese and 1 cup of sour cream to a second medium sized bowl. Mix together until smooth.
5. Layer taco dip in an 8×8 square casserole dish or pan. Place the refried beans evenly in the bottom of the pan. Next layer the cream cheese mixture on top of the beans. Add the ground beef mixture on top of the cream cheese. Top the dip with layers of shredded cheese.

6. Then add the diced tomato and black olives. Garnish the top with the green onions. Enjoy warm, or refrigerate for later and enjoy cold. Serve with tortilla chips.

Variation Ideas

You can very easily swap out the flavors or leave out a layer of this dip if you prefer so it’s just your favorite toppings. Here are a few ideas to add additional toppings into this recipe.

Add Guacamole– I debated adding fresh guacamole to this dip, but I didn’t have avocados at home this time. You can totally swap a layer of guacamole out for another layer, or add it to make it an eight-layer dip. I recommend adding guacamole either before or after the sour cream layer.

Swap The Cheese– We love cheddar in our house, but monetary jack, colby, or crumbled queso fresco are all great options too.

Use Canned Tomatoes– You can use canned tomatoes, but be sure they are diced small and they are drained well. I’d add a caned tomato layer next to the sour cream or beans after drying them.

Add Salsa– You could also use salsa in place of the tomatoes, just make sure to use a thicker salsa or strain any excess liquid from a salsa made with uncooked tomatoes like with this easy blender salsa so the dip doesn’t become soggy.

Try Green Chiles – Ever since moving to Arizona, we add mild or spicy green chilis to our food all the time. If using canned make sure to drain the chilies well. Tomatoes with green chilies are also a great addition.

Add Jalapenos– Diced or sliced fresh or pickled jalapenos can be delicious and add a little kick to this dip.

Swap In Refried Black Beans– You can easily swap refried black beans for regular refried beans cup for cup.

Try Shredded Lettuce– Often people add a finely diced romaine or iceberg lettuce to a taco dip which can be delicious. Dry the lettuce well so it doesn’t make the dip soggy. I only add lettuce on it if you are eating it immediately as it can make the dip soggier.

Can You Make This Taco Dip Ahead Of Time?

This taco dip can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated until you are ready to serve. You can place in an airtight container or cover in plastic wrap.

If you make this dip in advance plan to serve it cold. Reheating the dip later once it has been layered doesn’t work as well or taste as delicious.

How Long Does This Taco Dip Last?

Expect this dip to last for about 2-3 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. If you are not eating all of the dip immediately it is best to enjoy it later cold.