Layered taco dip is a tasty appetizer—perfect for parties, game day, or a fun twist on taco night. This easy recipe features seasoned ground beef, refried beans, shredded cheese, and your favorite toppings.
What’s new in this recipe
This recipe was originally published on August 10, 2018, and we've made some exciting updates! We refreshed the photos, added step-by-step process shots, expanded the substitutions and variations section to give you more options, and included a recipe tips and notes section for smooth cooking. Plus, we’ve added ‘jump to’ links for easier navigation.
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What’s great about this recipe
- Perfect for parties – Instead of one large dish, we built the dip in three small (7x5-inch, 20-ounce) baking dishes, making it easy to spread around the appetizer table—ideal for entertaining!
- Easy to make – This dip comes together quickly with simple, flavorful layers. It’s a great make-ahead option, so you can prep it in advance and just pop it in the oven before serving.
- Customizable – You can tweak the ingredients to fit your taste! Swap the protein, choose your favorite refried beans, or mix up the toppings for a dip that suits your crowd.
Ingredients
- Spices – Chili powder, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, ground cumin, and black pepper add bold flavor to the ground beef.
- Oil – Use an oil or fat with a moderate-high smoke point, such as canola oil, avocado oil, beef tallow, or light olive oil. Since the meat cooks at medium-high heat, choose an option that holds up well.
- Ground beef – Use ground sirloin if you want lean ground beef. If you don’t mind a little extra fat, go with round or chuck. (See recipe tips and notes #1)
- Pantry – Refried beans (canned or homemade), tomato sauce, and beef broth.
- Shredded cheese – Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby Jack, Cheddar, and Cheddar Jack are all great choices.
- Toppings – These are totally customizable! Tasty options include sliced black olives, green onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, diced onions, and corn. (Not pictured.)
- Serving ideas – Serve this hearty dip with corn tortilla chips, bagel chips, potato chips, tostadas, or flatbread. It also pairs well with sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa verde, and garden fresh salsa as on-the-side topping options. (Not pictured.)
- See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make layered taco dip
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cook the taco meat:
- Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the ground beef, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and black pepper. Stir to combine and spread into an even layer. Cook for 2–3 minutes.
- Stir, breaking up any large pieces, and continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes until browned.
- Add the tomato sauce and beef broth, stir well, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The mixture should be saucy, not soupy. If it has too much liquid, uncover and let it simmer for a few minutes until it thickens. Stir occasionally.
Assemble the dip:
- Spread the refried beans in an oven-safe dish—options include small baking dishes (7x5-inch), an 8–10-inch skillet, a pie plate, or a shallow casserole dish.
- Evenly spread the taco meat over the beans. If the mixture isn't hot, cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes to heat through.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top. Add any toppings that benefit from heating, such as black olives or jalapeños.
- Bake uncovered for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the dip is warmed through. Remove from the oven and top with fresh ingredients like diced tomatoes, cilantro, or green onions. Serve warm with tortilla chips or your favorite dippers.
Substitutions and variations
- Swap the protein – Substitute ground turkey for the beef. If using lean turkey (97/3), add a little extra oil when browning to prevent the mixture from drying out.
- Refried bean options – The refried bean layer helps with scooping, but if pinto beans aren’t your favorite, try refried black beans for a smooth, creamy alternative. Another good option is refried white beans (such as cannellini or great northern).
- Chip and dipper alternatives – Instead of tortilla chips, try:
- Flour tortillas (cut into strips and baked for crispiness)
- Pita bread wedges or toasted flatbread
- Crusty bread slices
- Vegetables (carrots, celery, bell pepper strips, cucumbers)
- Veggie chips or plantain chips
Make-ahead, storing and reheating instructions
Make-Ahead Instructions:
- Prepare the ground beef and assemble the dip in an oven-safe dish, following the instructions up to the point before adding the cheese. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
- Before baking, remove the dish from the refrigerator 30–45 minutes ahead of time to take the chill off—some bakeware may crack with sudden temperature changes.
- When ready to bake, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes to heat through. Then, top with cheese and follow the remaining baking instructions.
Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended, as the texture may change.
Reheating: Oven – Cover with foil and bake at 325°F for 10–15 minutes until warmed through. Microwave – Heat individual portions in 30-second intervals until heated through.
Food Safety: Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. For more information on food storage and safety guidelines, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
Recipe tips and notes
- Use lean ground beef to avoid excess grease. We used ground sirloin (90–92% lean). Here’s a handy guide to ground beef lean-to-fat ratios:
- Ground chuck – 80–85% lean / 15–20% fat
- Ground round – 85–90% lean / 10–15% fat
- Ground sirloin – 90–92% lean / 8–10% fat (lowest fat content)
- If using canned refried beans, warm them first to make spreading easier. If making homemade refried beans, start them while the ground beef is covered and simmering.
- Hand-shred the cheese if possible—it melts better than pre-shredded cheese.
- If using multiple smaller baking dishes, divide the ingredients evenly to ensure consistent layers.
This layered taco dip is a must-have for any party spread, whether you're serving up Southwestern favorites like mini taco bites and chorizo cheese dip or rounding out your appetizer table with buffalo chicken dip and hot spinach dip. This recipe is always a crowd-pleaser, no matter what’s on the menu!
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📖 Recipe
Layered Taco Dip
Layered taco dip is a tasty appetizer—perfect for parties, game day, or a fun twist on taco night. This easy recipe features seasoned ground beef, refried beans, shredded cheese, and your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 1 (8-ounce) can Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Beef Broth
- 1 16-ounce can Refried Beans, or homemade
- 1–2 cups Shredded Cheese Monterey Jack, Colby, Colby Jack, Cheddar, or Cheddar Jack
- Topping Ideas: Sliced black olives, sliced green onions, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, diced onions
- Serving Ideas: Corn tortilla chips, bagel chips, potato chips, flatbread, tostadas, street taco tortilla shells, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, restaurant-style salsa, salsa verde, fresh salsa
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cook the taco meat
- Heat the oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the ground beef, chili powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and black pepper. Stir to combine and spread into an even layer. Cook for 2–3 minutes without stirring.
- Stir, breaking up any large pieces, and continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes until browned. Stir occasionally.
- Add the tomato sauce and beef broth. Stir well to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The meat mixture should be saucy, not soupy. If it has too much liquid, uncover and let it simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
Assemble the dip
- Spread the refried beans in an oven-safe dish. Options include three small (7x5-inch) baking dishes, an 8–10-inch skillet, a pie plate, a shallow casserole dish, or several gratin dishes. Ensure the dish is oven-safe.
- Evenly spread the taco meat over the refried beans. If the mixture isn't hot, cover with foil and bake for about 20 minutes to heat through.
- Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over the top. Add any toppings that benefit from heating, such as black olives or jalapeños.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the dip is warmed through.
- Remove from the oven and top with fresh ingredients like diced tomatoes, cilantro, or green onions.
- Serve warm with tortilla chips or your preferred dippers.
Notes
- Use lean ground beef to avoid excess grease. We used ground sirloin (90–92% lean). Here’s a handy guide to ground beef lean-to-fat ratios:
- Ground chuck – 80–85% lean / 15–20% fat
- Ground round – 85–90% lean / 10–15% fat
- Ground sirloin – 90–92% lean / 8–10% fat (lowest fat content)
- If using canned refried beans, warm them first to make spreading easier. If making homemade refried beans, start them while the ground beef is covered and simmering.
- Hand-shred the cheese if possible—it melts better than pre-shredded cheese.
- If using multiple smaller baking dishes, divide the ingredients evenly to ensure consistent layers.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.75cupCalories: 294kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 19gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 995mgPotassium: 289mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 658IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 180mgIron: 2mg
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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