I’m all about fast and easy fun food and this is definitely that. You can pull these together with ingredients on hand and use mostly store bought items. Put these out on a buffet, serve during football games, give to the kids as a “fun” lunch (OK, I’ve been known to have this as lunch too.) or serve with cocktails. While crudite cups are having a moment, these have been around at my house for years.
I’ve always loved 7 Layer Dip (actually all dips), but people get a little weird round a big bowl of dip. You have the double dippers which freak people out (Covid certainly didn’t help), crumbs and a bit of a mess in the bowl after people “dig in”. This solves all those problems. Individual portions that people can grab and go. You can certainly serve these with individual servings of chips too (great portion control). To elevate the whole thing, warm your chips on a baking sheet in the oven for a couple of minutes… it is a game changer. I love serving these for Cinco de Mayo. I have people over for a real casual evening and have these out next to a bucket of Corona Beer. Great way to kick off a party. Enjoy.
For more Mexican inspired appetizers and snacks check out my Easy and Healthy Chicken Quesadillas, Party Nachos, Southwestern Egg Rolls, Mini Ranchero Shrimp Tacos, or my Black Bean and Veggie Quesadillas,
To get started, pull together all your ingredients. I have everything in bowls, lined up like an assembly line to make it easy. I have thawed frozen corn kernels, shredded cheddar cheese (both yellow and white), black beans, salsa, fat-free Greek yogurt (my go-to sour cream substitute) or sour cream and smashed avocado. I just smash the avocado with some salt and pepper so it still has some texture to it.
Make sure you have your short, wide cups ready to be be filled. I use plastic cups so there is no clean up. They are great for kids and for around the pool where I like to keep glass to a minimum.
You are now ready to start layering the ingredients. I start with the salsa on the bottom. This way, the juice doesn’t run into all the other layers and ruin the presentation. Next, I add the corn, then the yogurt or sour cream. Make sure the layers are even and can be seen from the outside of the cups. It makes for a nicer presentation.
Next add a layer of black beans and top with a mix of the yellow and white cheddar cheeses. Finish the cup with a big dollop of the smashed avocado. I serve lime wedges on the side in a big bowl and let my guests add that if they like. You may want to put out some hot sauce and or sliced jalapenos for those that like the heat.
I always serve this with warm tortilla chips. This one simple tip takes a bag of store bought chips to the next level and it takes 5 minutes. I put the chips on a baking sheet and pop them into a 250 degree F oven to heat for about 5-10 minutes. Warm chips are always such an unexpected treat for my guests and it take little to no effort so why not? Pour them into a basket and watch your friends go nuts. I refill the basket whenever needed with more warm chips.
Be sure to wash it all down with one of my Limequat Margaritas or better yet, make My Pitcher of Margaritas
Need ideas for dinner with Mexican flavors? Try some of these:
Shrimp Tacos with Healthy Chipotle Cream & Taco Slaw
7 Layer Mexican Dip Cups
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Fresh salsa
- 1/2 Cup Canned Black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 Cup Frozen Corn kernels, thawed
- 1/2 Cup Fat free Greek yogurt
- 1 Large avocado
- 1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, white and yellow shredded
- 2 Tbsp. Green onions, chopped
- Tortilla Chips, warm
- 1 Lime, juiced
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare your avocado by pitting the avocado and scooping out the flesh. Add the flesh to a small bowl and add the lime juice and a pinch of salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper. Smash together to make a smooth mix.
- Using four, short, wide plastic cups proceed with layering the ingredients in this order. Salsa, corn, yogurt, black beans, cheese mix, a big dollop of avocado and top with a sprinkle of the green onions. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Warm your tortilla chips on a baking sheet in a 250 degree F. oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through. Serve the chips with the cups of dip. Enjoy!
