Layered Taco Dip

It’s no secret that I love Mexican-inspired dishes. Consequently, last weekend, when faced with the choice of what snack to bring to a girls’ night with some friends from church, I instantly thought of Layered Taco Dip. Let me just say that this version is amazing. I’ve never made a taco dip without refried beans and oodles of cheese, and while I won’t go so far to say this is a healthy version of taco dip, it’s certainly not as bad for you as it could be. Anyways…

There are six reasons I love this dip.

1. Black beans. So tasty, so flavorful and a little bit of texture.
2. Guacamole. Enough said.
3. Cheese! [I never said it wasn’t there…]
4. Sour cream. Infused with spices and onions. Ummm wow.
5. Lettuce. Gotta make it healthy somehow 😉
6. Tomatoes. Topped with spices and onions. Ahhmmazing!

All layered up, served with crunchy chips, naturally. Need I say more? Oh yeah… I think it’s pretty 🙂

Layered Taco Dip [adapted from The Food Network]

Ingredients:

• olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• hot sauce
• ~2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup cheddar cheese [shred your own! it’s better!]
• 1 large avocado
• garlic powder
• cayenne pepper
• kosher salt
• ~1 teaspoon lime juice
• 4 green onions, diced
• slightly under 1 cup sour cream
• dried cilantro [or fresh]
• 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 large tomato, diced

Directions:

Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, black beans, and hot sauce to the pan and heat for about 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Remove from heat, add about 2 tablespoons of water and mash with a fork or potato masher. Don’t worry about getting them completely smooth, just mostly. Spread in the bottom of a 1 quart bowl and top with cheese.

Then, halve and pit the avocado and use a spoon to scoop out the meat. Place in a bowl, and add the lime juice and a sprinkle of garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt to taste. Use a fork to mash and combine ingredients, then spread over the cheese.

In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, 3/4 of the green onion, a few dashes of dried cilantro, and a dash of hot sauce. Whip together with a spatula, then spoon out over the avocado. Place lettuce and tomatoes on top, and sprinkle with remaining onion and a pinch of cilantro, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

Serve with tortilla chips. Since this dish includes avocados [which turn brown when exposed to oxygen], it’s best eaten the day it’s made, at least for presentation’s sake.

Click here for the printable version: Layered Taco Dip

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite party snack?