If you love nachos then you will love this layered dip recipe. This recipe makes a great appetizer to serve at parties. I recommend that you use a good quality salsa and also high quality, sturdy nacho chips for this thick dip. Also, because it is hard to dip into without breaking your chips, when serving I recommend scooping a portion onto your plate with a big spoon, and letting people dip individually.
TIPS: You can choose whatever kind of salsa you like for this recipe, whether milder or more spicy, but I would not use one that is overly chunky. Choose good quality nacho chips that are not too salty. If you can find fresh made ones at a local Mexican food store or restaurant, even better!
Layered Nacho Dip
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef (> 90% lean)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 C taco seasoning
- 1/4 C water
- 2 – 8 oz packages cream cheese softened
- 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- 16 oz bottle salsa or picante sauce
- 1 1/2 C shredded Mexican cheese blend (or cheddar/Monterey jack blend)
- 1 small can sliced black olives (2 to 3 oz) drained (optional)
- 1/2 C pickled, sliced jalapeno peppers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 11 x 7 or a 2-Quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, until the beef is cooked through and browned. If there is a lot of fat, drain the ground beef on a plate covered with paper towels and return meat to the pan. Add the taco seasoning and water, stir in, and cook until it is fully incorporated into the meat and the water has evaporated. Taste to see if it needs salt or pepper (often not, as the taco seasoning can be very salty). Set aside.
- Press the 2 packages of cream cheese into the bottom of the baking dish, pressing down firmly to flatten with your hands, covering the entire bottom of the dish. This creates the first layer. Top this layer with the black beans, spread evenly across the cream cheese. Top the beans with the ground beef mixture and spread evenly. Pour the salsa or picante sauce over the meat layer. Cover the sauce layer with the mexican cheese. Sprinkle the jalapeños and black olives (if using) across the top of the cheese layer.
- Bake for 30 minutes until slightly browned and bubbly. Serve with good quality tortilla chips.
- Enjoy!