Snacks · Tex-Mex
Taco Dip
Taco night pressed into one dish and built for scooping.
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Serves
- 6
Pan 20 cm square dish (US: 8 in square baking dish)
- easy
- game-day
- party-food
- dip
- make-ahead
Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means
Scaling? To double it, brown the beef in two batches or use a very large skillet; a crowded pan steams instead of browning. Use a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) dish. Some items (like eggs) don’t halve neatly: beat them, then measure out half.
Ingredients
You need: two cutting boards (one for produce, one kept away from raw meat) · chef's knife · sieve · large skillet · wooden spoon · heatproof container for fat · instant-read thermometer · 20 cm (8 in) square dish
Contains: milk
Method
Prep the toppings first
Rinse and chop 1 large tomato and shred 480 ml (2 cups) lettuce on a clean board. Drain and rinse the 411 g (14.5 oz) can of black beans. Keep all of these away from the raw beef.
Brown the beef
Heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 680 g (1.5 lb) ground beef and cook, breaking it up and stirring now and then, for 8-10 minutes.
Ready when: No pink left anywhere, and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest clump reads 71°C (160°F). Color alone isn't a reliable sign.
Otto tried this firstOtto calls it done because the outside looks brown. His thermometer disagrees, so he gives it two more minutes until it reads 71°C / 160°F.Drain and season
Carefully spoon or pour off the extra fat into a heatproof container (not down the sink). Stir in 18 g (half a packet) taco seasoning until the beef is coated.
Ready when: Beef evenly coated with seasoning and sizzling, with no puddle of fat in the pan.
Toast the tomato paste
Stir in 29 g (2 tbsp) tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.
Ready when: The paste turns a dull brick red.
Simmer
Pour in 180 ml (3/4 cup) water, bring it to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Ready when: The liquid has thickened and clings to the beef instead of pooling.
Warm the beans
Stir in the drained beans just until they're hot, then take the pan off the heat and spread the mixture in the 20 cm (8 in) dish.
Ready when: Beans hot all the way through.
Layer it up
Spread 454 g (2 cups) sour cream evenly over the warm beef, then scatter 226 g (2 cups) cheddar over that.
Top and serve
Scatter the chopped tomato and shredded lettuce on top, plus olives and/or jalapeños if you like. Serve with tortilla chips.
Swaps
- Instead of half packet taco seasoning: 3 tbsp homemade taco seasoning
Make ahead, store & reheat
- Make ahead
- Make the beef-and-bean layer a day ahead and refrigerate it. Reheat it until steaming hot, 74°C (165°F), then add the sour cream, cheese and toppings just before serving.
- Storage
- Get leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours (1 hour if the room is above 32°C / 90°F), in a covered container, and eat them within 3-4 days. The lettuce will wilt, so the dip is at its best the day it's made.
- Reheat
- If you can, reheat only the beef-and-bean layer, scraping the toppings off first, until it reaches 74°C (165°F).
Good to know
- At a party, warm dip must stay at 60°C (140°F) or hotter, or be thrown away after 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F). Some warmers only reach 43-49°C (110-120°F), so check yours. Swap in a fresh dish rather than topping up a half-eaten one.
Safety
- Raw ground beef: use a separate board and plate for it, and wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds after touching it. Ground beef must reach 71°C (160°F).
- Rinse the tomato and lettuce under running water before cutting, without soap.
- Hot fat can burn badly. An adult should drain the pan, tilting it away from the body.
- Some taco seasonings and chips contain wheat or other allergens. Check the labels.