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.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican & Southwestern

Keyword game day appetizers

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Calories 294kcal

Author Elizabeth Rodriguez

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