Julie Clark
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Sausage Cheese Dip
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Looking for an appetizer to serve at your next game day party? This recipe for flavor loaded Sausage Cheese Dip will soon be one of your favorites.
I’ve always been a fan of warm, cheesy dips. Dipping homemade bread into the melty cheese and pulling it up, watching the cheese stretch for days…you get it, right?
This Sausage Cheese Dip recipe is a little bit different. It’s made to be smooth and creamy, but focuses more on the sausage, beans and tomatoes rather than the amount of cheese. But don’t get me wrong. That smooth cheese is still the irreplaceable base though.
Chips and crock pot sausage cheese dip are great to serve for a party or for watching the big game. It’s even delicious served as a cheesy chili sauce with hot dogs and crumbled up tortilla chips on top.
Thanks to the Ohio Pork Council for sponsoring this post and allowing us to share this skillet meal recipe. Ohio has more than 3500 family pork farms that raise enough pork to feed more than 25 million people.
About this Sausage Cheese Dip:
- Flavor: Love flavor loaded recipes? This is for you. It bursts with flavor from the Italian sausage and chili powder. Use less chili powder for a milder flavor. A bit of heat comes from the Rotel tomatoes and chiles.
- Texture: The base of the dip is smooth and creamy, but it is loaded with texture. thanks to the sausage, beans, tomatoes and green chiles.
- Method: This recipe melts together in the slow cooker. It’s a perfect prep-ahead appetizer and the slow cooker keeps the cheese dip warm while serving.
Fun story…my husband was out of town and met us at a family party. When we got home said excitedly, “Wait…you brought that dip? It was amazing!!” He was thrilled to get to eat the leftovers. He loves it almost as much as buffalo chicken dip.
What is bulk sausage?
Bulk sausage is sausage that has not been put in a natural casing. It comes in a package similar to ground pork or ground beef.
Bulk pork sausage is seasoned, many times as sweet, mild or hot Italian sausage. You can use any flavor bulk sausage in this recipe.
Use Ground Pork Instead of sausage
If you want to control the amount of spices and seasonings in the sausage, buy a pound of ground pork and use our Italian sausage seasoning to season the ground pork. Then cook and crumble the pork just as the recipe suggests. Every 3 ounces of pork is packed full of 22 – 24 grams of protein so it’s a great option for appetizers and main dishes.
Ingredients for Sausage Cheese Dip
- Italian sausage. I recommend mild Italian sausage since there are so many other flavorful ingredients in this recipe.
- Ro-tel tomatoes with chiles. Use two cans, but drain off any juice before adding them.
- Green chiles. This is optional since there are a few green chiles in the tomatoes, but I like adding more for flavor.
- Pimentos. Our famous chili recipe uses pimentos, so I wanted to add them in this chili cheese dip as well.
- Black beans. Rinse and drain the beans before adding.
- Evaporated milk. Why evaporated milk? It can stand up to the heat of the slow cooker and not end up curdling. It’s also easy to keep canned milk on hand and not have to use our fresh milk.
- Chili powder. Yes, I put in 3 tablespoons. Use less if you’d like, but I just love the little kick of chili powder.
- Velveeta cheese. I use Velveeta cheese maybe twice a year. Once for my favorite macaroni and cheese. And the other time for this cheesy sausage dip. It’s worth it to acheive that creamy, melted cheese texture.
- Cheddar cheese. After the dip has completely melted and is heated through, mix in freshly shredded cheddar cheese. This adds a flavor that you know and love, and helps boost that cheesiness.
How to Make Sausage Cheese Dip
There are just 3 steps to making this slow cooker sausage cheese dip:
- Brown the sausage. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until it is fully browned and crumbled. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add ingredients to the slow cooker. Add the cooked sausage to the slow cooker. Then add the drained tomatoes, rinsed and drained black beans, chiles and pimentos. Then add the cubed Velveeta, milk and chili powder. Mix until it is combined. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours.
- Add cheddar cheese. Stir the mixture, then sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and gently stir it on. Cover and cook on low for an additional 1 hour or until the cheese is melted and the dip is heated through. Serve with tortilla chips, Doritos or Fritos corn chips. Or try healthier options like peppers, celery or carrots.
Make it Milder.
This sausage cheese dip is a little spicy so here are a few ideas to make it milder. Use any or all ideas.
- Use sweet Italian sausage rather than hot or mild.
- Instead of Rotel tomatoes, use regular petite diced tomatoes. Use the same amount and drain off any juice.
- Leave out the green chiles.
- Cut down on the chili powder. Try reducing to just one tablespoon.
Storage Instructions
I made this sausage cheese dip over the holidays and it kept in the fridge for about 4 days. I reheated it in the microwave, but also have set it in the slow cooker on low. Both ways work well.
Sausage Cheese Dip
Looking for an appetizer to serve at your next party? This recipe for flavor loaded Sausage Cheese Dip will soon be one of your favorites.
Servings 12
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 20 ounces Rotel diced tomatoes & chiles 2 cans, drained
- 15.25 ounces black beans 1 can, rinsed and drained
- 4 ounces green chiles 1 can, drained
- 4 ounces diced pimentos 1 jar, drained
- 12 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
- 12 ounces evaporated milk 1 can
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until it is fully browned and crumbled. Drain off any fat. 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- Add the cooked sausage to the slow cooker. Then add the drained tomatoes, rinsed and drained black beans, chiles and pimentos. 20 ounces Rotel diced tomatoes & chiles, 15.25 ounces black beans, 4 ounces green chiles, 4 ounces diced pimentos
- Then add the cubed Velveeta, milk and chili powder. Mix until it is combined. 12 ounces Velveeta cheese, 12 ounces evaporated milk, 3 tablespoons chili powder
- Cover and cook on low for 2 hours.
- Stir the mixture, then sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top and gently stir it on. 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- Cover and cook on low for an additional 1 hour or until the cheese is melted and the dip is heated through. Serve with tortilla chips or bread.
Notes
- If you do not want to use Velveeta, try cream cheese, It will mimic the same creaminess that Velveeta gives.
- You can also make this in a large pot on the stovetop to melt everything together. Stir it often over low heat so it does not scorch on the bottom of the pan.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat any leftovers in the microwave or in the slow cooker on low.
Nutrition
Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 951mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1437IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 409mg | Iron: 2mg
