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Three Layer Bean Dip: Because Three is Faster Than Seven

January 19, 2015   13 Comments

I was first introduced to "Seven Layer Dip" in 1995 and I immediately fell in love.

Three Layer Bean Dip

With the DIP! Not anyone near the dip. or a dippy person of the male persuasion. sheesh.

I had made friends with a Wisconsinite who made this dish for a party. Wow! It had salsa, guacamole, cheese, more cheese, beans…. I couldn’t believe how yummy it was and I found myself standing next to it and shooing everyone else away.

Since it is 2015, I no longer need seven layers. I don’t need dip either but I still love it.

To make this dip healthier than the usual, I used much less cheese and dropped the sour cream entirely. I found it was flavorful without any sour cream, though purists will have an issue with this choice.

If you are keeping it fresh for a party, squeeze some lemon juice on the avocado so it doesn’t turn brown. For a spicier version, add some sliced jalapenos to the top – yum!

Because I was feeling super lazy, I used my microwave to heat it up. The whole thing took around 10 minutes and I believe it was gone in five. ahh well.

Use this dip as a topping for rice or use chips, veggies, or pita wedges to scoop it up.

Have you tried to make layered bean dip? How do you keep it healthy?

Three Layer Bean Dip Recipe

1.6 from 24 reviews

(makes 10, ½ cup servings)

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Ingredients

1 15-ounce can kidney beans
1 15-ounce can black beans
½ cup prepared salsa
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 ounces grated cheddar cheese
1 ripe avocado, chopped
1 fresh tomato, chopped

Instructions

Drain and rinse beans. Mash them in a large bowl with a potato masher. Mix in salsa, chile powder, and ground cumin. Spread into a 11x7.5 inch casserole or a similar container, sprinkle on cheese, and heat in the microwave for 3-5 minutes.

After the bean dip is hot, add the avocado and tomato. Enjoy with chips, veggie sticks, or pita bread.

Nutrition Facts

½ cup is 165 calories, 5.0 g fat, 1.6 g saturated fat, 22.2 g carbohydrates, 4.7 g sugar, 8.5 g protein, 6.5 g fiber, 220 mg sodium, 4 Points+

Points values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for information only. See all Snack Girl Recipes

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13 Comments:

Funny, I always liked these dips except for the sour cream and guac, so I'd dig under them. I guess my tastes were toward the lower fat end already! Good call on the adding jalapeños idea:)

I will definitely try this healthier version - I am not a huge suit cream fan and can easily live without it.

i will be making this for the Super Bowl.

Love the idea of using chopped avocado instead of guac. A family member cannot have onion, tomato, lime, hot spices, etc. so ours is 5 layer: beans, cheese, smashed avocado with garlic, a smear of sour cream and topped with black olives. Salsa on the side for the rest of us. We don't usually heat up the cheese beans either. My next dip will be heated and have chopped avocado on top!

As a California Olive Grower I add black olives to our bean dip! My family also enjoys either finely shredded cabbage or lettuce before the addition of chopped avocado and tomatoes on top.

Love this variation! My favorite 3-layer 'dip' is in the mediterranean style- layer of hummus, top with (quinoa) tabouli, add low-fat feta cheese...yum!

Try splashing lime juice instead of lemon over the avocado. I find it gives it a more "Mexican" flavor. I do a variation of this dip and squeeze some lime juice into the bean mixture as well. But that might just be my preference.

Girl, I made this for Superbowl the first time you posted it, and it has been a family favorite ever since. It's so awesome when something so totally yummy is actually healthy too. Thanks for a great recipe ... as usual!

What a great idea. These dips are typically overloaded with calories and because they taste so good, we can't seem to walk away and before we know it we have consumed our daily calories all in one appetizer. This is a great healthy alternative to a side dish everyone loves! And I will definitely be adding jalapenos!

Plain Greek yogurt is my sour cream!

What an inspiration! I was about to make this as a side for dinner last night but ended up making it into an entire meal for the family. It was delicious - earning four thumbs up! I tried to stay as true to the recipe as possible to keep it light and healthy. Here's my spin on it:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use entire original recipe and add...

2 cooked (diced or shredded) chicken breasts

8 oz reduced fat sour cream (sorry! - the boys love it)

1 tbls lime juice

Follow directions in original recipe mixing lime juice in with beans, salsa and seasoning. Spread bean mixture in to casserole dish, spread a thin layer of sour cream (optional of course), layer on cooked chicken and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes (until cheese is melted and dish is heated thru). Top with tomatoes and avocados before serving.

I dished onto plates and served with warmed wheat tortillas. We folded the tortillas in half and filled them to make soft tacos. Wonderful!

Thank you Snack Girl! =)

Mmm! I'm definitely going to try this later this week - my daughter has a way better time eating avocado in pieces than when it's mashed into a guac. I'm sure she'll love this :)

I have made this similar recipe for years only I substitute Greek yogurt and anything else I need to substitute it with but it's delicious and healthy and I do like adding quinoa for proteins that the Greek yogurt is great happy holidays everyone

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