Key Highlights :
When it comes to party food, few dishes can compete with the flavor and texture of the classic seven-layer dip. This popular dish is a combination of refried beans, cheese, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole, and other delicious ingredients that come together in a single bite. While it’s easy to make this dish from scratch, many supermarkets now offer pre-made versions of the dip. But can these store-bought versions really compete with homemade? We sampled eight different supermarket versions of the dip to find out.
The best of the dips we sampled were loaded with fresh flavors that were as good as a vegetarian street taco. They were flavorful and rich, with a hit of spice. On the other hand, the worst of the dips were drowned in vinegar or were pasty and tasted like spiced-up wallpaper paste. Here’s the scoop on the memorable, please-repeat mouthfuls of taco deliciousness — and the bites to avoid.
The first dip we sampled was a tiny container of extra-spicy, creamy dip. It included shreds of cheese, whole black beans, bits of pepper and tomato, and was like a 7-layer dip that had been stirred into a creamy, delicious mess. It had 60 calories, 5 g fat, and 190 mg sodium, and cost $4.74 for 10 ounces at Walmart. We gave this dip 4 stars.
The second dip we sampled was a behemoth-sized dip with chunks of fresh-cut avocado tucked into deep layers of beans and cheese. It was topped with a mix of fresh veggies that made it taste like homemade, but it lacked a hit of spice. As this was made fresh, we suggest checking the sell-by date. It had 40 calories, 2 g fat, and 100 mg sodium, and cost $7.99 for 25 ounces. We gave this dip 3½ stars.
The third dip we sampled was a generous layer of flavor-packed, shelf-stable ingredients. Unfortunately, the guacamole layer was miniscule. It had 35 calories, 2 g fat, and 150 mg sodium, and cost $6.99 for 28 ounces at Smart & Final. We gave this dip 3 stars.
The fourth dip we sampled was a rich, smoky flavored vegan dip that was creamy and decadent. It had plenty of flavor, but lacked the complexity of a multi-layered dip. This would be best used as a condiment. It had 90 calories, 9 g fat, and 140 mg sodium, and cost $5.94 for 8 ounces at Walmart or $8.99 for 24 ounces at Costco. We gave this dip 2½ stars.
The fifth dip we sampled had a chintzy amount of cheese, vinegar-infused black beans, and a mere trace of avocado. It had 35 calories, 2 g fat, and 140 mg sodium, and cost $5.49 for 15 ounces at Raley’s. We gave this dip 1½ stars.
The sixth dip we sampled was doused with vinegar and even the trace amount of “guac” was sour, likely due to the tomatillos. It had 35 calories, 2.5 g fat, and 150 mg sodium, and cost $7.99 for 28 ounces at Safeway. We gave this dip 1 star.
The seventh dip we sampled had a flavor and drippy consistency that was oddly reminiscent of Thousand Island Dressing. It had 45 calories, 3.5 g fat, and 220 mg sodium, and cost $4.99 for 12 ounces at Target. We gave this dip ½ a star.
The eighth dip we sampled was a sticky cashew-carrot paste that both looked and tasted utterly revolting. It had 35 calories, 2.5 g fat, and 220 mg sodium, and cost $2.99 for 9 ounces at Grocery Outlet. We gave this dip no stars.
Overall, we found that while some of the store-bought versions of the seven-layer dip were quite tasty, they couldn’t compete with a homemade version. If you’re looking for a truly delicious dip, it’s best to make it from scratch.