This is the Mexican version of layered dip phenomenon I also make a Greek version of this.

I choose not to make the easy version but it can be made more easily by buying pre-made ingredients so the biggest decision becomes what bowl/dish to serve it in.

This recipe fits perfectly into a long shallow glass baking dish that I have.  It doesn’t have to be glass, some people choose glass so you can see the layers, but if each layer is spread just a little inside the previous one then you can see the layers from the top.  I prefer a shallow dish.  A deep glass bowl full of this mix, although attractive at the start,  eventually collapses and it just looks like a “dog’s breakfast”. I would choose several shallow dishes or even plates if a large quantity is needed and provide some small plates so guests can get a scoop of the mix and some corn chips and take it away. It could also be served in individual cups but is far more time consuming to assemble and the cups need to be pretty big to fit the chips into.

As for layers, I have fewer layers but there is more in them,  I mix it up a bit in the making so the flavours get the chance to meet each other and blend it up a bit.

Ingredients

Layer – the beans

  • 1 large can red kidney beans (or 2 tins refried beans)
  • 1 jar salsa, medium hot,  (or mild and add your own chilli)
  • 1 tbs ground coriander
  • Seasoning to taste – salt, pepper, chilli, tabasco

Layer – guacamole

  • 3 avocados
  • 2 Spanish (red)  onions
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 2 limes
  • 1 tsp finely chopped chilli (to taste)
  • Salt,  pepper to taste

Layer – sour cream

  • 1 carton sour cream
  • 3 tbs Greek yoghurt (or additional sour cream)

Layer – cheese & salsa (this can be whatever is in the house)

  • 3 tomatoes
  • 1 capsicum
  • 1 continental cucumber
  • 2 red onions or 1/2 bunch spring onions
  • 1/2 bag grated cheese
  • 2 carrots grated

Method

The Beans

  1. If using red kidney beans they need to be drained and squashed a bit (if you want them as squashed as refried beans then use refried beans instead). They are quite slippery, a potato masher just ends up with them sliding up and over and on to the floor. The meat mallet works quite well or a blitz in the food processor can work out okay.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients. You may not need the whole jar of salsa,  just go for a dipping consistency.
  3. Spread on the dish

Guacamole

  1. Remove the seed section from the tomatoes (cut into quarters and scoop out with a teaspoon) and cut into small cubes.
  2. Chop the onions finely. Chop the chilli very finely,  removing the seeds to reduce the heat. You need to know your chillies – add more or less to taste. 

Chop / mash the avocado (leave it a bit chunky).

  1. Add everything together and add lime and seasonings to taste.
  2. Spread over the bean mix, coming just a bit inside the edges so you can still see a bit of the first layer.

Sour Cream

  1. Mix the sour cream and yoghurt together (some people add a pack of taco seasoning mix here) and spread it over the Guacamole.

Cheese and Salsa

  1. Quarter the cucumber and scrape out the seeds, chop into smallish chunks, toss with a bit of salt and leave in a sieve to drain a bit while chopping the rest of the ingredients. You don’t want too much soggy stuff in any layer here.
  2. Chop the capsicum, onions/spring onions, tomatoes (remove a fair bit of the juicy seedy part), grate the carrots  and mix the lot with the cheese.
  3. This is the last layer,  spread it over the mix,  cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  4. Serve with a basket of corn chips. Have a pile of side plates and a spoon so people can scoop the mix onto the corn chips or take some mix and chips away on the small plate.