Our family has been making this cold taco dip with cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning for as long as I can remember! It's a super easy recipe, made with 20 minutes of prep and no cooking at all. There's no meat or lettuce, instead it's topped with fresh cheddar cheese, colorful bell peppers, grape tomatoes, and green onions. This fresh and tangy dip is naturally gluten-free and always the first to disappear!
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Katie's Recipe Notes
Living in the Midwest, taco dip is a staple at almost every family gathering - right along with Italian beef and hashbrown casserole.
Our classic taco dip recipe features seasoned cream cheese and fresh toppings, which is quite different from 7-layer dip because there's no meat, beans, guacamole or salsa.
My mom always tops her taco dip with black olives, lettuce, and tomatoes, but over the years I started making my mother-in-law's version with bell peppers, cherry or grape tomatoes, and green onions. We like the sweet crunch from the bell pepper and spicy zing from the green onion, that's why we add it to our pasta salad too!
You can serve this dip year-round for holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. It's equally perfect for the Super Bowl, game nights, and New Year's Eve. No matter when you make this easy appetizer, it's always a hit!
Ingredients for Cold Taco Dip
- Cream cheese: I always use full-fat. Make sure it's softened to room temperature.
- Sour cream: I use full-fat, but light or even Greek yogurt would work.
- Taco seasoning: Use your favorite homemade or store-bought brand. I use Spice Island taco seasoning. It's the best and it's gluten-free.
- Mild or sharp cheddar cheese: I much prefer grating my own block of cheddar cheese for this, it makes a huge difference!
- Bell pepper: Go for any color but green. The red, yellow, and orange bell peppers are sweeter.
- Cherry or grape tomatoes
- Green onions
*Refer to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
How to Make Taco Dip with Cream Cheese
- Step 1: In a medium bowl, blend together the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning with a hand mixer until smooth. It's very important that your cream cheese is fully softened or the mixture will be lumpy!
- Step 2: Spread the cream cheese mixture into your desired vessel! This could be a cute casserole dish, a festive serving platter with a rim, or even a pie dish. If you're not serving this right away, cover and refrigerate.
- Step 3: Before serving, sprinkle on the freshly grated cheddar cheese, followed by the diced bell pepper, green onions, and sliced tomatoes.
- Step 4: Serve with your favorite dippers!
What to Serve with Taco Dip
Tortilla chips are the classic choice (we love Tostitos Bite Size!), but Doritos and Fritos are delicious too! For a lighter option, try bell pepper strips, baby carrots, or celery.
Storage
Store the dip covered in the refrigerator until serving. When serving, the dip should be left at room temperature for no more than two hours.
Store leftover dip covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results, enjoy within 1-2 days while the vegetables are at their freshest.
Top Recipe Tips
The number one mistake people make with this recipe is not softening the cream cheese enough. You must ensure it's at room temperature and very soft or your cream cheese mixture will have lumps.
I soften mine in the microwave using the 'soften cream cheese' setting, and it usually takes a few cycles before it's soft enough. You should be able to press your finger into it and leave an indent without any resistance.
The secret to a perfect taco dip is grating your own cheese. Trust me when I say grating your own cheese makes all the difference. It's softer, creamier, and just tastes better than the pre-shredded cheeses.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Make Taco Dip Ahead?
You can make the base, shred the cheese, and prep the vegetables up to 24 hours in advance. Store the base separately from the toppings and assemble 1-2 hours before serving. Keep the base, cheese, and vegetables refrigerated to maintain freshness.
Is taco dip with cream cheese gluten-free?
Taco dip is easy to make gluten-free! The ingredients are naturally gluten-free already, but you should double check the ingredient labels on the cream cheese, sour cream, taco seasoning, and cheese to ensure there are no wheat, barley, or rye ingredients.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Yes, you can use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Use plain, full-fat Greek yogurt for the closest swap.
Recipe
Taco Dip with Cream Cheese and Sour Cream
Equipment
- casserole dish or serving platter with rim
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 16 oz sour cream
- 3 Tablespoons taco seasoning (or 1 seasoning packet)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (freshly grated preferred)
- 3 green onions (sliced)
- 1 bell pepper (yellow, orange, or red; diced)
- ½ pint (about 1 cup) grape tomatoes (sliced)
- 1 bag tortilla chips (for serving)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and taco seasoning. Mix with a hand mixer or sturdy spoon until smooth and well combined.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly into the bottom of a casserole dish or a rimmed serving platter. If you're not serving this right away, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour up to 24 hours before serving.
- Before serving, sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the cream cheese mixture. Then top with diced bell peppers, sliced tomatoes, and green onions. Cover and keep refrigerated until serving.
- Serve cold with tortilla chips.
Notes
- Soften the cream cheese! This is crucial to avoid lumps. Let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or microwave using the 'soften cream cheese' setting for a few cycles until very soft.
- Shred your own cheese: Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking agents. Freshly grated cheddar makes a huge difference in this recipe.
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Estimated Nutrition
* Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should be used as an estimate only. See the nutrition policy for more information.
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