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An easy taco dip that brings spook and spice to Halloween parties.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a kid, teen, or adult - Halloween is always a blast! Not only is it an excuse to get dressed up and put on a fun costume, but it’s a time to get really creative with your snacks. After all, no Halloween party is complete without spooky appetizers like my Blood Shot Eyeball Deviled Eggs and this Blood Splatter 7 Layer Dip!
Scoop a tortilla chip into this spooky cold dip and you’ll find all kinds of deliciousness. It’s made with spicy salsa, jalapenos, and hot sauce, which is great news for the spice lovers in your life. If you like it mild, swap the spice for something else! It’s a very flexible and uncomplicated party recipe!
Did I mention how easy it is? Each of the 7 layers in Halloween dip can be bought from a store or made at home. It can also be assembled up to 2 days in advance, allowing you to have more fun at the party and indulge in all kinds of ghostly snacks instead of spending time in the kitchen.
Ingredients
You’ll find a bunch of your favorite nacho toppings in this recipe. It’s so flavorful and spicy, it’ll be a miracle if you end up with leftovers. Here’s what you need:
Refried beans and hot sauce
Both are mixed together to form layer #1.
Refried beans are a classic Mexican side dish,and a hearty nacho topping. They’re easy to make at home using cooked beans, onion, and garlic. However, if you want to save time, pick up a can of refried beans from the store instead.
Bring the heat with your favorite hot sauce. Use any brand of store-bought hot sauce... Cholula is my pick!
Tomatoes
Diced tomatoes are the refreshing layer in a dip full of spice, cream, beans, and cheese. Roma tomatoes are true to a classic taco dip but any kind of tomato will do just fine.
Pro Tip!
- If you're making this a day or two before serving, seed your tomatoes! This will help keep the tomatoes from getting too juicy in the dip.
Jalapenos, olives, and green onion
These three flavor boosters make up layer #3. Freshly sliced jalapenos add plenty of spice here (wear gloves to protect yourself from the spice), however, you can take the heat down a notch with pickled jalapeno slices instead.
You’ll usually find black olives in 7 layer dips but green can be used as well.
Sliced green onion is the finishing touch in this third layer, complementing the spicy and briny flavors with a refreshing and peppery bite.
Guacamole
Many Halloween taco dip recipes finish the dip with guacamole on top but I prefer it as a surprise inside. Use regular guacamole or spicy guacamole if you really love spicy food, and either use storebought or make homemade guacamole.
Pepper jack cheese
Pepper jack is a creamy, semi-soft cheese studded with spicy chili peppers, herbs, and garlic. Buy a block and shred it yourself for the best flavor or buy pre-shredded cheese for a time-saving solution.
Sour cream
Sour cream is a tangy and creamy finish that cools down the spice and sits on top of the other layers. It also makes the perfect backdrop for the hot sauce "blood splatter" look!
Red food coloring and hot sauce
The seventh and spookiest layer of them all! Mix hot sauce with red food coloring and splatter it on top of the sour cream layer. The red blood-like spatter is sure to get your Halloween party guests talking!
How to make spicy Halloween 7 layer dip
Despite its many layers and ingredients, 7 layer taco dip is practically foolproof. Grab all of your ingredients and a dish, and get started:
Make ahead and storing
The Halloween dip can be fully assembled up to 2 days in advance. Keep it covered in the dish and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
I recommend leaving the hot sauce blood splatter off of the sour cream layer until it’s time to serve. Otherwise, it won’t look as spooky!
If you do end up with leftovers, keep them covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Any longer and the guacamole will brown and the dip will become runny.
Recipe
Blood Splatter 7 Layer Dip (Halloween Recipe!)
Ingredients
- 16 ounce can refried beans
- ¼ cup hot sauce divided (like Cholula)
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes about two romas
- ½ cup chopped jalapeños about 2 large jalapeños
- ½ cup sliced olives
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
- 16 ounces guacamole
- 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 4 drops red food coloring optional
Instructions
- Mix together the beans and 3 tablespoons hot sauce in a medium bowl.
- Layer the beans on the bottom of a 2 quart serving dish, then follow with tomatoes, jalapenos, olives, guacamole, cheeese and sour cream.
- Using an offset spatula smooth the sour cream out as much as possible.
- Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons hot sauce with 4 drops red food coloring (if using).
- Using a spoon, splatter the hot sauce ontop of the sour cream to create a spooky effect.
- Serve with chips.
Andrea says
This was such a hit at the party we went to for Halloween! So many Halloween-themed recipes are sweets and I was looking for something savory. This was perfect. I added a few mini gravestones and everyone loved it! 🤗
Michelle Weiner says
Yay! I'm so glad it was a hit and the mini gravestones sound like a fun addition!
Rob says
FYI, in your directions you mention cream cheese not sour cream
Michelle Weiner says
Rob! Thank you so much for reading through the post and letting me about my mistake! ❤️ It's been updated and I hope you like the recipe!