Taco Dip

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Taco dip is five ingredients arranged in a way that makes people hover around a shallow dish like there is important information at the bottom. Cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning become the cool, tangy base; salsa adds acidity and chile; shredded cheddar finishes the top. The only real technique is temperature. Let the cream cheese soften so it blends smoothly with the sour cream instead of leaving little white pebbles through the base, then spread the layers without stirring them together. Chill the dip long enough for the seasoned cream cheese layer to firm back up, and serve with sturdy tortilla chips. It is simple, yes, but simplicity is not a character flaw when the bowl is empty before the first quarter ends.

Prep10 minutes

Cook20 minutes

Total30 minutes

Serves8 servings

DifficultyEasy

Ingredients

Servings

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
2 tablespoons taco seasoning

Instructions

1Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning together until smooth, then spread into a shallow dish.
2Spread the salsa evenly over the top.
3Scatter the cheddar over the salsa layer.
4Chill for at least 20 minutes, or bake at 350°F for 15 minutes if you'd like it warm, then serve with tortilla chips.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 of 8 servings.

230Calories

8 gProtein

5 gCarbohydrates

20 gTotal Fat

11 gSaturated Fat

1 gFiber

3 gTotal Sugars

420 mgSodium

60 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning smooth before spreading the base.
Spread the salsa as its own layer instead of stirring it into the dairy mixture.
Chill the dip before serving so the layers hold up when scooped with tortilla chips.

Substitutions

No tested dairy or salsa substitution is specified for this version. The base is cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning, with salsa and cheddar layered on top.

Keep the salsa as a separate layer rather than mixing it into the dairy base if you want the same layered texture.

Storage Instructions

Store Taco Dip covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep the cold version chilled; if you made the warm version, reheat only the portion you plan to serve and add fresh chips at the table.

Make Ahead

Assemble the dip up to 24 hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Serve it cold straight from the refrigerator, or, for the warm version, bake at 350°F until the center is hot and the cheese is melted, about 18 to 20 minutes when starting cold.

Freezing

I would not freeze Taco Dip. Cream cheese, sour cream, salsa, and shredded cheese can release water or separate after thawing, so the dip is better refrigerated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I keep the layers in Taco Dip distinct?

Keep the cream-cheese, sour-cream, and taco-seasoning base as one smooth layer, then spread the salsa over it instead of mixing the salsa into the dairy. Chill the dip before serving so the layers stay set.