My Skinny Taco Dip is a lightened up version of the classic 7 Layer Dip and the perfect appetizer for game day parties. Made “skinny” with light cream cheese and fat-free greek yogurt, this Skinny Taco Dip will disappear fast!

About 15 years ago, I was living in my own apartment and was hosting my very first Tupperware party. I had recently learned a new trick to making a super creamy salsa dip – combining it with cream cheese. My best friend was an attendee and brought her husband, who pretty much spent the entire party next to this incredible cream cheese and salsa dip.

After they got home, he made her call me for the recipe so he could make it again. Funny how the simplest things can make a person so happy. I later altered the recipe to add sour cream to  make the dip smoother and easier to dip a chip into.

This easy salsa dip later became the base for our favorite taco dip!

How to Make My Skinny Taco Dip:

To make this delicious taco dip, I just expanded on the simple cream cheese dip I’ve been making for years. The base is light cream cheese (also called neufchatel), greek yogurt, salsa and taco seasoning…and you could seriously just stop there if you wanted to. But to make it even better, layer shredded lettuce, fresh shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomato, olives, green onions and avocado. All of the toppings are optional depending on your personal preferences.

But you don’t have to stop there! Yes, this is a great Layered Taco Dip as is, but there are lots of things you could top it with or ways to vary the ingredients listed to cater to the preferences of you and your guests:

• Shredded lettuce – I like to use romaine because it’s heartier and has more nutritional value that simple iceberg. But some shredded green cabbage would also provide a nice crunch and pairs well with the lime.
• Fresh shredded cheese: I am a sucker for a good sharp cheddar cheese (always fresh!) but pepper jack would be delicious with this taco dip!
• Tomato – feel free to use any kind of tomato here. I prefer Roma, but heirloom tomatoes would be super pretty, and grape or cherry tomatoes would provide a nice sweetness. If you wanted, you could forego the tomatoes altogether and just add more salsa.
• Avocado – There is nothing better than fresh avocado, but it does tend to brown quickly. One way to avoid this would be to put the diced avocado in a bowl and toss it in some lime juice and salt before adding it to the taco dip. Another trick would be to add a layer of guacamole instead of diced avocado. If you want to try the guacamole, I’d add a nice thick layer as the base, before the cream cheese.

Some other optional toppings include cilantro, diced red onion and a squeeze of fresh lime juice right on top. Be sure to have some good quality tortilla chips on hand for dipping. These are our current obsession! (aff) They are super crunchy and hold up well to dips, but they aren’t too thick. Yum!

Here is another delicious party dip appetizer that we love:

Dill Pickle Ranch Dip

For more delicious party dips, try these:

• Jalapeno, Bacon and Corn Cheese Dip
• Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Easy Chili Cheese Dip in a Bread Bowl