Get ready to party with this easy Seven Layer Mexican Dip! Refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, tomatoes and more build up a lovely layered appetizer that you won’t be able to resist!

Easy Seven Layer Mexican Dip for Cinco De Mayo!

Do you celebrate Cinco de Mayo? If not, you’re missing out! This amazing holiday has some beautiful and meaningful traditions that people of all cultures can appreciate. Plus, who doesn’t love a good reason for cooking up a Mexican-inspired feast?

And, this easy seven-layer dip is the perfect appetizer for a Cinco de Mayo celebration. It’s packed with layers of refried beans, guacamole, shredded cheese and tomato. Besides, it’s super easy to make, so you can focus on the party and those pineapple margaritas, and not on the cooking!

In fact, this easy dip is perfect for a casual mini-celebration. All you need are tortilla chips and maybe a few Dos Equis 🍺, and you’ve got a little party ready to go!

What is Seven Layer Dip?

Seven layer dip is a fun and festive appetizer or side dish. It’s basically seven layers of goodness in one! First, you have a layer of hearty refried beans. Next, a layer of guacamole.  Then, sour cream and mayo are combined with taco seasoning to make a creamy, spicy layer. Follow up with cheese and fresh veggies, and you have one bold and beautiful dip!

The cool thing is, you can get pretty much everything pre-made if you want to. That makes this a really easy dish to pull together at the last minute. Or, you can make each component yourself for a special, from-scratch side that tastes and looks amazing!

I like to serve this with a variety of dippers. Tortilla chips are kind of a given, but it goes beautifully with lots of things! See below for more dipper ideas. 

Recipe Ingredients

Try not to drool at this hearty ingredient lineup! Here’s what goes into this festive Mexican appetizer:

• Refried Beans: Have ready one 15-oz can of refried beans, or roughly a cup and a half of homemade refried beans.
• Bean Dip: You’ll need a 9-ounce can of bean dip, such as this Fritos brand.
• Guacamole: Feel free to make your own, or go the easy route and use store-bought! Either way, you’ll need 16 ounces of fresh guacamole.
• Sour Cream & Mayonnaise: This recipe gets creamy and dreamy thanks to a cup of sour cream and half a cup of mayo.
• Taco Seasoning: You’ll need a couple of tablespoons or one packet of your favorite taco seasoning.
• Cheese: Have ready two cups of shredded Mexican Blend cheese.
• Olives: Sliced black olives add a salty umami goodness to this dip! 
• Tomatoes: Chop up two cups’ worth of fresh tomatoes.
• Garnish: Chopped green onions and fresh cilantro make a beautiful garnish for this festive dip.

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How to Make Mexican Seven Layer Dip

It’s as easy as pie to make this simple dip! Kids especially will enjoy spreading the layers out and watching the dip “assemble” in a pretty dish.

1. Make Bean Layer: In a mixing bowl combine the refried beans and the bean dip; stir until thoroughly incorporated. Spread the beans mixture in the bottom of an 7×11, 9×9, or 8×8 dish.
2. Make Guacamole & Sour Cream Layers: Evenly spread guacamole dip over the beans. In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise and taco seasoning; mix until well combined. Spread the sour cream mixture over the guacamole dip. 
3. Finish Layering: Sprinkle the top with cheese. Add olives on top, then tomatoes and green onions. If you’re using any garnishes, go ahead and sprinkle those on top too. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
4. Enjoy!

Variation Ideas

Here are a few fun spins on 7-layer dip that can really take things to the next level. Easy dishes like this are so customizable, so be sure to make it your own!

• Hearty Beef: You can “beef” up this dip by adding a layer of taco-seasoned ground beef! It makes an almost nacho-like dip that can easily be a light lunch. Ground chicken or turkey also work great!
• Pico or Salsa: Instead of chopping up tomatoes, feel free to simply top your dip with store-bought pico de gallo or tomato salsa. Easy!
• Mediterranean: Follow the same basic layout, but use hummus instead of refried beans, feta instead of Mexican cheese, and a combination of chopped cucumbers, green onions, olives and tomatoes on top. Yum!

Tips for Success

To make your Cinco de Mayo 7-layer dip even better, have a look at these helpful tips! They’re great ideas for serving and enjoying a tasty appetizer.

• Dipper Ideas: Tortilla chips are probably a given, but did you know this dip also goes perfectly with carrot sticks, celery sticks, bell pepper slices, and sliced cucumber? You can also have plantain chips on the side (amazing), or even scoop individual portions out to serve with chicken strips! That’s my kids choice.
• Tomato Tips: If you would like to keep your tomatoes from watering down the dish, cut them into wedges first and remove the pulp and seeds. Then, roughly dice or chop the remaining tomato flesh.
• Cheese, Please: If you don’t have Mexican blend cheese on hand, that’s fine. Regular cheddar, Colby or Colby Jack are all great substitutes.

Serving Suggestions

For fiesta-appropriate serving ideas, check out these amazing recipes. They’re the perfect partners for your refreshing 7-layer dip!

• A Spicy Chicken Skillet: This Chicken Burrito Skillet is a super easy Mexican-inspired entree. It’s satisfyingly cheesy and so quick to pull together!
• Egg Rolls: You read that right! We’re talking Cheesecake Factory Copycat Tex Mex Egg Rolls, filled with chicken, veggies, cheddar, beans. and corn. Yum!
• Churros: Everyone’s favorite treat, Easy Homemade Churros with Chocolate Dipping Sauce are easy and so fun to make. You’ll love their light, crispy texture and cinnamon-sugar sweetness.

Can This Recipe Be Made in Advance?

• Yes,  you can make this dip up to one day in advance, but I don’t recommend making it any earlier than that. The layers tend to settle and blend, and sometimes they can get watery if they have to sit.
• If you do see any watery moisture, gently drain it from a corner of the dish before serving, being careful not to disturb the layers.

More Cinco De Mayo Recipes to Try

Need more festive recipes for your Cinco de Mayo celebration? Enter these classic dishes!

• Mexican Lasagna
• Black Beans and Corn Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
• Avocado Salsa