This foolproof and addictive 3-ingredient cream cheese sausage dip with sausage, cream cheese and Rotel is ready to serve in just 15 minutes. Bring it to your next party, game day gathering, or add it to your line-up of Super Bowl snacks.
When it comes to dips, it’s hard to resist the creamy cheesy ones that rest perfectly on a tortilla chip. This cream cheese sausage dip recipe uses just three ingredients but packs a whole lot of flavor thanks to the meaty savoriness of browned sausage and the richness of cream cheese. Rotel adds some zest and moisture to the dip to complete this easy recipe.
Although it tastes pretty great on its own, there are also many ways to customize or build on this dip. Some ideas are like adding spicy Italian sausage, chorizo, fresh jalapenos, or a few dashes of smoked paprika. I once added a few shakes of ancho chili coffee rub to it because it pairs so well with meat.
You can even change up the base a little with different types of sausage or cream cheese flavors. Experiment and find the perfect combination! And for even more ideas for dips, try out this million dollar dip, jalapeno popper dip, buffalo chicken dip, or a cheesy Velveeta Rotel sausage dip. Or if you want a slow cooker dip, bring this slow cooker spinach and artichoke dip to the next party.
CREAM CHEESE SAUSAGE DIP TIPS AND TRICKS
- Sausage – I used regular Jimmy Deans sausage. Add some oil if needed although most of the time the sausage will release its own fat to help with the browning process. Make sure to break off any clumps so the sausage can spread more evenly throughout the dip. I like using a meat smasher for jobs like this.
- Browning – If you want some crunch to the dip, let the sausage brown in the pan until it’s slightly crispy and golden around the edges.
- Rotel – When adding the Rotel, drain the can FULLY so you don’t get a watery dip and don’t have to spend so much time cooking it down. I used the original Rotel but if you want some heat, try the hot version with spicy habaneros. Rotel has a ton of variety like original, mild, hot, fire-roasted, Mexican-style lime and cilantro, so you can experiment with these other flavors as well.
- Cream cheese – You can use cream cheese in a tub or the block kind and cut it into cubes. I used just 8 oz. of cream cheese because I wanted the ratio of sausage to cream cheese to be very high for a chunky, meaty-based dip. If you prefer a higher cream cheese-to-sausage ratio though, try adding in another 8 oz. of cream cheese.
- Keep it warm – After browning the sausage, you can add everything to a 3 qt. crockpot to keep it warm while entertaining.
Recipe Tip
- Before browning the sausage, remove the cream cheese from the fridge to bring it to room temperature so you have an easier time mixing the dip together. The residual heat from the cooked sausage and Rotel will help the cream cheese melt.
Customize It!
- Substitute sausage – Try some mild, medium, or spicy Italian sausage instead of regular sausage. Add some chorizo for more flavor.
- Substitute Rotel – Switch up the Rotel with some chunky salsa or regular salsa.
- Spice it up – Add some spice with chopped jalapenos.
- Add more flavor – Add another layer of flavor with some sour cream.
- Make it smoky – Try adding a few shakes of smoked paprika to give the dip a little smoky flavor.
And that’s about it. Serve this dip warm with tortilla chips or crackers. This heats up well in the microwave too for next-day leftovers so don’t feel like you have to finish this all in one day.
Enjoy and let me know how you liked it, what you paired it with or what substitutions you made in the comments below.
PS: Thanks to Fran for introducing me to this dip!
MORE DIPS TO TRY
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Million Dollar Dip
- Jalapeno Popper Dip
- Slow Cooker Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Velveeta Rotel Sausage Dip
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Cream Cheese Sausage Dip
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
Description
This foolproof and addictive 3-ingredient cream cheese sausage dip with sausage, cream cheese and Rotel is ready to serve in just 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. sausage
- 1 can (10 oz.) Rotel fire-roasted diced tomatoes & green chilies, drained
- 8 oz. cream cheese
Instructions
-
Over medium-high heat, brown sausage until fully cooked while breaking up any clumps, about 10 minutes.
-
Drain any excess oil and add Rotel to the pan. Simmer until all liquid is fully cooked off.
-
Transfer the sausage mixture to a mixing bowl and add cream cheese. Stir until fully mixed.
-
Dish and serve warm with chips.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Keep it warm – After browning the sausage, you can add everything to a 3 qt. crockpot to keep it warm while entertaining.
- Substitute sausage – Try some mild, medium, or spicy Italian sausage instead of regular sausage. Add some chorizo for more flavor.
- Substitute Rotel – Switch up the Rotel with some chunky salsa or regular salsa.
- Spice it up – Add some spice with chopped jalapenos.
- Add more flavor – Add another layer of flavor with some sour cream.
- Make it smoky – Try adding a few shakes of smoked paprika to give the dip a little smoky flavor.
- Scroll up to RECIPE TIPS for more useful tips, suggestions and ingredient substitutions.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
Comments & Reviews
Bonnie Royer says
This is such a delicious dip. I cook the sausage and add everything in the crockpot on warm and the flavors have time to get happy with each other 😂.
I also use one can rotel and one can diced tomatoes and 2 cream cheese. Always a crowd favorite.
The Cooking Jar says
Another crock-pot tip! I might just add this to the tip section 🙂
Lauren says
I made this last night and I would make two changes for next time:
1. I would drain the Rotel in a colander instead of just the can to get all the liquid out.
2. Transfer the combined ingredients to a crock pot on warm – it got cold pretty quickly.
Both are probably my mistake, but I think it would make a huge difference!
The Cooking Jar says
Great ideas, Lauren. I especially like the slow cooker warm idea. Thanks for sharing!
Rohtak says
I added a wee bit of sour cream, shredded cheddar and a sprinkling of ranch dressing powder. SO GOOD.
The Cooking Jar says
Yum! These all sound like excellent additions! 🙂
Dana E says
Sounds good , will try this super Sunday.Thanks
The Cooking Jar says
I hope you enjoyed it, Dana!
Ed Gohl says
Can you freeze this???
The Cooking Jar says
You can but I wouldn’t recommend it. Here’s a good read on how to do it. Freezing cream cheese will make the texture gritty and grainy which you don’t want in a dip!