When I first met my Southern partner, he had already lived in Wisconsin for nearly a decade. He was used to all our culinary quirks—he had his fill of beer brats, Friday night fish fries, and Wisconsin-only beers. In his eyes, he was already a Midwesterner. But every once in a while, he came across something completely new and different, something that felt like second nature to me, as a life-long Wisconsinite. This Midwestern Taco Dip is one such dish.
While the rest of the country was enjoying “taco dip” in seven-layer form, we Midwesterners were enjoying a different version that was easier to make and—of course—had a lot more dairy. I have enjoyed homemade and store-bought versions of this dish my whole life, not knowing it was a regional speciality. So when my Southern partner heard “taco dip” he thought it was Seven-Layer Dip, or simply a jar of queso or salsa. Little did he know, he was about to try a delicious new dish that quickly became a favorite.
About the Midwestern Taco Dip
This Taco Dip recipe is simple, tasty, and honestly may be better than a traditional seven-layer dip—in this Wisconsinite’s opinion, at least. Like a Southern pepper jelly appetizer, cream cheese balances a bit of spice and herbaceousness from the taco seasoning blend. From there, it’s topped with fresh vegetables to give some crunch and brightness, and so you don’t feel like you’re just eating a plate of cheese, as us Midwesterners often do. Serve with a bowl of tortillas chips and watch this tasty dip disappear!
Like many recipes, the exact origin of this Taco Dip is hard to track down. The first version I can track down comes from the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church’s 60th Anniversary Cookbook. Located in Manitowoc, Wisc., Immanuel Church put out this vintage cookbook in 1987. It features a recipe for Taco Dip that is made in the same way it is made today—with a foundation of cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning. While this cookbook is the earliest documentation I could find, it may have been published earlier, in a cookbook lost to time. Either way, nearly 40 years after a mother in Manitowoc, Wisc. shared this recipe, I’m still enjoying this delicious appetizer any chance I can get.
How to Make Taco Dip
This cold appetizer comes together in just minutes, and it is super easy to make ahead of time as well. Mix the creamy base and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. You can even pre-chop the toppings for the easiest assembly ever! I’m used to a version that uses green or red onion instead of bell pepper, but feel free to use whatever your heart desires!
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 (1.25-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
- ¼ head iceberg lettuce, rinsed, dried, and shredded
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (2.25-ounce) can black olives, drained
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Directions
- Mix sour cream, cream cheese, and taco seasoning together in a medium bowl until smooth. Spread the mixture in a 9- or 10-inch round serving dish.
- Top with shredded lettuce, then sprinkle Cheddar cheese, tomatoes, bell pepper, and black olives on top.
- Serve with tortilla chips on the side.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
“This dip is the BOMB,” says one reviewer. “I’ve made it many times and it disappears quickly. I serve it with small flat corn tortilla chips. If I could give this ten stars I would.”
“I have been making this for many years, always a hit,” says another reviewer. “I always leave the cream cheese out before I start to make it, so it’s easier to mix with the sour cream and taco seasoning. On top of that, I just use lettuce, tomatoes and cheese. I want some now, since I’m talking about it!”
“This is always a favourite at any party’s we have at our house as well as any gatherings we go to,” says one Allrecipes member. “So easy to make & the dish is always scraped clean. I do not add green pepper or olives. Everyone raves about this dish.”