This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure Policy.
A classic appetizer for good reason! This dip is impossible to stop eating, and it couldn’t be easier to make. Made with only three ingredients, this sausage dip is always the star of any party. Creamy, savory, and loaded with flavor.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- I said it before and I’ll say it again. Sausage dip is a classic for a reason! Irresistibly creamy, savory with the slightest bit of heat, and so ridiculously easy to make. It’s one of those party foods that keeps people coming back for seconds and thirds, and that’s totally fine, because you can easily double it or throw together another batch in about 15 minutes.
- There’s 2 different ways you can make this dip, and I’ve included instructions for both of them – stovetop AND slow cooker. Well, there’s actually a third, because you could totally microwave the browned sausage, cream cheese, and Rotel until the cream cheese melts. Just depends on how much time you have and which appliance you feel like you using!
- You only need 3 ingredients to make a perfect sausage dip, and what’s really nice is none of the ingredients are anything fancy or super expensive. That makes this dish a cost-effective way to feed a decent number of people at a potluck, cookout, movie night, tailgate, watch party… you name it!
Chef’s Tips
- You’re in total control of the heat levels in this sausage dip. If heat’s not your thing, stick to mild sausage and mild Rotel. If you like things a little more fiery, though, use hot sausage and Rotel Hot with habanero peppers. You can also add minced jalapeños to the dip, and a drizzle of hot sauce on top before serving.
- Cutting the cream cheese into cubes or slices helps it melt faster and more easily, so I highly recommend it. Also, be sure to set the cream cheese out for 30 minutes or so before you make the dip so it has time to soften. Cold cream cheese can seize, curdle, or separate when it hits the hot skillet. Not ideal for a creamy dip.
- If you’re making and serving your sausage dip in the Crockpot, you can keep it out as long as you need. Just make sure it stays warm the whole time. Also, stir it occasionally. If you’re making the skillet version, though, be mindful of the time. It can only sit out at room temperature up to 2 hours to ensure it stays food-safe.
Other Dips, Apps, and Party-Ready Snacks
- 2-Ingredient Bacon-Wrapped Dates (with Stuffed Option)
- Marry-Me 7 Layer Dip
- Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
- Everything Bagel Dip
- 2-Ingredient Cream Cheese Pepper Jelly Dip
- Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
- Mexican Corn Dip
- Smoked Cream Cheese
- Perfect Deviled Eggs with Bacon
- Warm Truffle Baked Burrata with Crostini
- 4-Ingredient Chili Cheese Dip
- Fried Pickle and Ranch Dip
- Crispy Chicken Parm Sliders
- Irresistible Jalapeño Corn Dip (Slow Cooker Recipe)
- Crockpot Baked Brie Dip
- Restaurant-Style White Queso
- Creamy Jalapeño Popper Dip (Low Carb, Keto)
Variations
Spicy. Use hot breakfast sausage and hot Rotel. Both. A diced jalapeño goes in with the sausage if you want it truly aggressive.
Cheesy. Stir in a cup of shredded sharp cheddar or pepper jack at the end, off the heat. It thickens the dip considerably.
Italian. Swap the breakfast sausage for Italian sausage and the Rotel for fire-roasted diced tomatoes plus a teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Finish with parmesan.
Queso-style. Add a half cup of milk or heavy cream with the cream cheese for a thinner, pourable dip that works over nachos.
Lighter. Turkey sausage and ⅓-less-fat cream cheese both work, and you skip most of the grease-draining step with turkey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pork breakfast sausage — the roll kind, not links. It’s seasoned with sage and pepper, which is exactly what you want against the cream cheese. Mild or hot both work.
No, and please don’t. That liquid is what loosens the cream cheese into a dippable consistency. Drained, the dip comes out stiff and pasty.
You still need to brown the sausage on the stove first — a slow cooker won’t render or crumble it properly, and you’d end up with grease pooled on top. Brown, drain, then everything goes in the Crockpot on LOW for an hour.
The sausage wasn’t drained well enough. After browning, tip the skillet and spoon the fat off thoroughly, then let the pan cool slightly before the cream cheese goes in.
Three to four days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat gently over low heat or in 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring in between.
Yes. Make it up to two days ahead, refrigerate, then reheat in the Crockpot on LOW for about an hour before guests arrive and hold it on Keep Warm while you serve.
3-Ingredient Sausage Dip (Stovetop or Crockpot)
Equipment
- Large skillet cast-iron preferred
- Large wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Crockpot or similar slow cooker, if making Crockpot version
Ingredients
For the Sausage Dip
- 1 pound pork breakfast sausage mild or hot
- 2 10-ounce cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies undrained; original, hot, or fire-roasted
- 2 8-ounce blocks full-fat cream cheese at room temperature, cut into medium-sized pieces
Serving Suggestions (All Optional)
- tortilla chips scoops or blue corn chips recommended
- crostini
- corn chips
- celery sticks
Instructions
For Skillet Sausage Dip
- Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is warm, add 1 pound pork breakfast sausage to skillet. Cook, stirring sausage frequently, until sausage is browned and crumbled, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
- Once sausage is browned and crumbled, carefully drain excess grease from skillet and discard. Return skillet to stovetop and reduce heat to medium-low.
- Let skillet cool slightly, then add 2 10-ounce cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies (with liquid) and 2 8-ounce blocks full-fat cream cheese to skillet.
- Gently stir ingredients together until cream cheese is completely melted and ingredients are well incorporated.
- Transfer sausage dip to serving bowl if desired, or keep dip in skillet. Serve warm with tortilla chips, crostini, corn chips, or celery sticks.
For Crockpot Sausage Dip
- Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is warm, add 1 pound pork breakfast sausage to skillet. Cook, stirring sausage frequently, until sausage is browned and crumbled, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
- Once sausage is browned and crumbled, carefully drain excess grease from skillet and discard. Transfer crumbled sausage to Crockpot.
- Add 2 10-ounce cans Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies (with liquid) and 2 8-ounce blocks full-fat cream cheese to Crockpot.
- Cover Crockpot with lid and set to LOW heat for 1 hour. Stir mixture occasionally to incorporate ingredients and to prevent sticking or burning.
- When cream cheese is completely melted and ingredients are well combined, switch Crockpot from LOW to Keep Warm.
- Portion sausage dip into serving bowls, or keep dip in Crockpot. Serve warm with tortilla chips, crostini, corn chips, or celery sticks.
- Sausage: A roll of pork breakfast sausage is ideal for this recipe, but you can use breakfast sausage patties instead if that’s what you have. Just break them up really well as you cook them! I don’t recommend trying to use breakfast sausage links.
- Cream Cheese: Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before making the dip. Cold dairy products can curdle when they’re added to an already-hot skillet.
- Heat: If you like a spicier dip, use hot sausage and Rotel Hot Diced Tomatoes with Habaneros. You can also add minced jalapeños and serve the dip with a drizzle of your favorite hot sauce.
- Leftovers: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tag @40aprons on Instagram and be sure to leave a review on the blog post!
Never Miss A Meal!
New Recipes Straight To Your Inbox
A curated selection of our most recent recipes, delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
Leave A Review
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Great recipe, made it for a book club party & it was a hit! I used grass fed sausage with Italian seasonings and added home grown banana peppers to the mix.
Ooh, that sounds delicious! So glad it was a hit with your book club! Thanks for sharing, Paul. 😊