I think I have time to share one more spooky and fun recipe with you prior to Halloween, and what a wonderful recipe it is. This fabulously tasty Spider Dip will be sure to tantalize and delight all you serve it to. I can promise you no spiders have been harmed at all in the making of this! What you have is a lush and deliciously spicy layered dip, dressed up for Halloween!
Not only is it quick and easy to make, but it is delicious! I guarantee that this is one dip which will be more than welcome at any Halloween get-together you are having this year. Don’t just keep it for Halloween however, you can serve this anytime minus the spooky garnishes!
This tasty Tex Mex influenced dip is as easy to make as layering ingredients in a flat tarte dish or large pie tin. You can even use a large platter for it. Everyone loves the delicious layers. I guarantee this will prove to be popular no matter the season or occasion!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE HALLOWEEN SPIDER DIP
Nothing really complicated here. The fiddliest part will be making the spiders.
HINTS AND TIPS TO MAKE HALLOWEEN SPIDER DIP
- Read through the recipe several times to help familiarise you with any ingredients, equipment, or steps you need to take in order to make this dip.
- Assemble all of your ingredients prior to the beginning. This will help to prevent you from leaving anything integral out of the recipe.
- Grate your cheese, slice your onions, chop your tomatoes, and shred your lettuce before beginning. This will make the assembly go quickly.
- Make sure you slice your onions thinly, dice your tomatoes in a small dice, and shred the lettuce finely. This will give you the best presentation/finish.
- Drain your tomatoes on some paper towel after dicing so that they are not as wet as they would be otherwise.
- A large round flattish dish is preferable for this. You can also use a flat round platter if that is all you have. Today I used a large ceramic tart dish.
- Layer your ingredients in the order suggested.
- Put your piping ingredients into a small zip lock baggie and snip off one corner for ease of piping. Don’t make the opening too small or too large. About1/3 inch maximum is best.
- Pipe the white sauce in circles starting from the center of the dish. Use a toothpick to draw through the piping to make a web design.
- To make the spiders, cut some olives in half for the bodies and then cut others into semi-circle slices for the legs, placing them haphazardly over the top of the webbing.
- Layer the lettuce and green onions in a thin border around the edge of your dish.
- Assemble and chill the dip for several hours prior to serving in order to let it set up, and to allow for the flavors to meld together perfectly.
HOW TO MAKE HALLOWEEN SPIDER DIP
It only looks complicated. Nothing could be easier!
Spread refried beans onto bottom of large quiche dish. (It helps to run a fork through them first to loosen them.
Layer on the salsa, spreading it to cover the beans.
Sprinkle most of the cheese over top. (reserve a bit for the garnish.)
Carefully spread the guacamole over the cheese to cover.
Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and seasonings together until well blended.
Put into a piping bag. Snip the end off and then pipe into a spiral swirl beginning at the center of the dish and working towards the outer edges. If you have any left, pipe it all around the edge to use up.
Take a toothpick and working from the centre out to the edge, gently pull lines out to resemble a spider’s web.
Cut several of the whole olives in half and then place onto the “Web.” Cut the sliced olives into “legs” and place them around the olive halves to look like spiders. Chop the remainder of the olives.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese around the edge of the dish. Sprinkle on the chopped olives. Top with the finely shredded lettuce and the spring onions.
If you are using chopped tomatoes, do likewise.
Cover tightly with plastic cling film. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
Serve with lightly salted tortilla chips for dipping.
SUGGESTIONS FOR SERVING HALLOWEEN SPIDER DIP
Of course, this is the perfect spooky presentation of this dip for Halloween with the webbing and spiders, but this dip is actually very good at any time of year. If it is not Halloween simply layer as above and spread the sour cream drizzle over top of the guacamole in a thin layer. You may want to double it to make sure that there is plenty to cover it.
You can add a layer of Mexican spiced meat if you with to make it a bit heartier. Simply brown a pound of ground beef, turkey or chicken with some taco seasoning and layer it on top of the refried beans before adding any other layers. Let it cool first so that nothing melts.
For Christmas or Holiday occasions you can turn it into a wreath simply by making the layer of lettuce and spring onions around the edges a bit thicker and adding halved cherry tomatoes for baubles.
This is great for parties, game nights, buffets and makes for a great take along to potluck gatherings!
I hope you won’t let my wonky piping job prevent you from making this tasty dip. I have never been good at piping things. Arthritis in my hands makes it hard for me to keep even pressure on the bag. Even so, I think the wonkiness added an extra spooky touch!
I think you will agree that no matter the occasion or time of year, this delicious dip is sure to go down well with whoever you serve it to. You can make it as mild or as spicy as you like simply by using milder or spicier salsa’s and beans, etc.
Spicy or mild, this is destined to be a family favourite for every occasion and much in demand!
Spider Dip Recipe
This is an extremely popular Mexican dip dressed up for Halloween. The layering is slightly different for this so that you can make it look like a spider's web. People just love it!
Ingredients
- 1 can (28 oz) refried beans
- 1 pkg. (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup of dairy sour cream
- 1 TBS ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 cup guacamole
- 1 cup chunky style salsa (small jar)
- 1 cup finely shredded lettuce (a really large handful)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions (2 to 3)
- 2 Tbsp. sliced pitted black olives
- several whole pitted black olives
- 1/4 cup chopped and seeded tomatoes, optional (about 1 medium tomato)
- lightly salted tortilla chips for dipping
Instructions
1. Spread refried beans onto bottom of large quiche dish. Layer on the salsa, spreading it to cover the beans. Sprinkle most of the cheese over top. (reserve a bit for the garnish.)
2. Carefully spread the guacamole over the cheese to cover.
3. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and seasonings together until well blended. Put into a piping bag. Snip the end off and then pipe into a spiral swirl beginning at the centre of the dish and working towards the outer edges.
4. If you have any left, pipe it all around the edge to use up. Take a toothpick and working from the centre out to the edge, gently pull lines out to resemble a spider's web.
5. Cut several of the whole olives in half and then place onto the "Web." Cut the sliced olives into "legs" and place them around the olive halves to look like spiders. Chop the remainder of the olives.
6. Sprinkle the remaining cheese around the edge of the dish. Sprinkle on the chopped olives. Top with the finely shredded lettuce and the spring onions.
7. If you are using chopped tomatoes, do likewise.
8. Cover tightly with plastic cling film. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
9. Serve with lightly salted tortilla chips for dipping.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: (based on 16 servings): 198 for the dip alone
Marie Rayner is a retired Chef, freelance writer, recipe developer, food blogger, and Cookbook author. She makes her home in Chester, UK, where she lives with her husband, Todd, and their much beloved English Cocker, Mitzie. Her motto is “Life is far too short to eat bad food,” and her goal is to share delicious and easy recipes which anyone can enjoy and cook in the comfort of their own home.
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