Description
This American Flag Layered Taco Dip is a festive and flavorful appetizer, perfect for patriotic holidays like the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or Labor Day. It features layers of seasoned refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, and a flag design made with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and black olives.
Ingredients
Scale
- 32 ounces (two 16-ounce cans) refried beans
- 1 (1.5-ounce) packet taco seasoning mix
- 2 cups prepared guacamole (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 cups diced tomatoes (about 2–3 large tomatoes, seeded and diced)
- 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
Instructions
- Prepare Bean Layer: In a medium bowl, combine the refried beans and taco seasoning mix. Stir well until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
- Spread Bean Layer: Spread the seasoned refried beans evenly in the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish, creating the base layer.
- Add Guacamole Layer: Spread the prepared guacamole in an even layer over the refried beans.
- Add Sour Cream Layer: Spread the sour cream in an even layer over the guacamole.
- Create Flag Design:
- “Stars”: Use the shredded mozzarella cheese to create the “stars” section of the flag in the upper left corner of the dish.
- “Stripes”: Use alternating rows of diced tomatoes and shredded mozzarella cheese to create the red and white stripes of the flag, covering the remaining surface of the sour cream layer.
- “Blue Field”: Use the drained, sliced black olives to create a border around the “stars” section, simulating the blue field of the flag. You can also scatter a few olives amongst the “stars.” Refer to the blog post photo for guidance.
- Chill: Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld and the dip to chill thoroughly.
- Serve: with chips
Notes
- Refried Beans: You can use canned or homemade refried beans.
- Guacamole: You can use store-bought or homemade guacamole.
- Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream is recommended for the best flavor and texture.
- Cheese: Mozzarella cheese is used for the white stripes and stars, but you can substitute another white cheese, such as Monterey Jack.
- Tomatoes: Use ripe, flavorful tomatoes. Roma tomatoes or vine-ripened tomatoes work well.
- Black Olives: Sliced black olives are used for the blue field, but you can substitute other ingredients, such as blueberries (for a sweeter option) or blue corn tortilla chips (crumbled).
- Make-Ahead: You can assemble the dip (without the flag design) ahead of time and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. Add the cheese, tomatoes, and olives just before serving.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve this dip with tortilla chips, vegetable sticks, or crackers.
- Storage: leftovers.