Name: Epic Layer Dip
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 – 4 oz. Greek cream cheese or Neufchatel, softened; 1/2 – 2/3 cup refried beans (store bought – or better yet, homemade – here’s my recipe); 1 large ripe avocado, smashed or chopped into small bits – or made into guacamole; 2 – 3 Tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion (or green onion); About 1/3 – 1/2 cup salsa (I highly recommend my cilantro almond salsa – recipe here); For the top: shredded Mexican blend of cheeses and snipped green onions – and/or pico de gallo, leftover sweet corn, chopped tomato, chopped cilantro

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Layers of cream cheese, refried beans, avocado and salsa topped with shredded cheese, onions, chopped tomato and cilantro, this epic Mexican layer dip is perfectly portable so it’s perfect for game day tailgate parties. Or camping trips. Everyone loves this addictive dip!

And, you guys, I also included 13 more awesome snacks for the big game! Scroll to the bottom of this post to find them.

I’ve made different variations on this dip for years and years. Some had leftover chili as one layer, some had hot chile peppers in another layer. But I’ve kind of settled on this more tame version because it’s more widely loved by everyone here in middle America.

If you want to kick it up a notch, add a layer of chopped hot green chile peppers, jalapenos or other spicy hot pepper of choice. Or if you have leftover chili you need to use up, make that a layer. Either in place of or in addition to those creamy refried beans.

My niece adores this dip, which makes me super super happpy. When I took it along on our camping trip and asked her if she’d like to try it, she asked what was in it. I started at the bottom and listed the layers. And her eyes got wider and wider as a huge smile grew upon her lips. At the end she exclaimed “OMG, that’s all of my favorite things!” Needless to say, all the dip got consumed on THAT little camping trip.

How Easy is this Epic Layer Dip to Put Together?

It’s so super simple to make this dip! I often make this dip in leftover Noosa yoghurt containers (or other flat 8-oz. containers) so that I can snap the lid on and put it in the fridge. So nice and compact and portable! Great for tailgating or camping. But you can also use a flat glass dish, a glass pie pan or even a pizza pan. If you’re using the plastic containers, you’ll need two of them. And you’re going to split the ingredients half and half between the two.

Start with a thin cream cheese layer on the bottom. Then the guacamole (or smashed avocado). Next comes the refried beans. (Sometimes I switch the beans and avocado layers. Either way works!) Then cover with salsa (preferably my cilantro almond salsa). Finally sprinkle with cheese, onions, tomato, cilantro or whatever toppings you prefer.

Epic Layer Dip

Author: Ann
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 0 min
Total Time: 15 min
Yield: 8 – 10 servings 1x
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free

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Ingredients

Scale

3 – 4 oz. Greek cream cheese or Neufchatel, softened
1/2 – 2/3 cup refried beans (store bought – or better yet, homemade – here’s my recipe)
1 large ripe avocado, smashed or chopped into small bits – or made into guacamole
2 – 3 Tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion (or green onion)
About 1/3 – 1/2 cup salsa (I highly recommend my cilantro almond salsa – recipe here)
For the top: shredded Mexican blend of cheeses and snipped green onions – and/or pico de gallo, leftover sweet corn, chopped tomato, chopped cilantro

Instructions

Have two clean flat plastic or pyrex containers (with covers) 4.5 inches in diameter and ideally 1.5 inches tall. Spread half the cream cheese over the bottom of both to make a flat base.
Next spread the refried beans over to make your second layer. Then the avocado.
Finally, sprinkle with onions and then smooth the salsa over top, completely covering the avocado so there’s no air leaking through.
Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and snipped green onions. You can also add chopped tomatoes, leftover sweet corn (cut off the cob) or chopped fresh tomato and cilantro. Cover and keep cool until serving time.
About 1 hour before serving, take the dip out and let sit at room temperature to soften. Serve with sturdy corn tortilla chips for dipping all the way down to capture all the delicious layers!

Notes

The order of the layers doesn’t have to follow this recipe, just as long as the avocado layer is completely covered.

For the meat lovers: you can also add a sprinkle of taco meat after the avocado layer.

Alternatively, you could use a small pizza pan (one with a lip), or a glass pie pan.

RECIPE SOURCE: Sumptuous Spoonfuls – https://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/ … © Copyright 2022, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.