It’s Super Bowl week and it’s time to get your football-watching spread planned – if you haven’t already. We love to plan out a menu of amazing snacks and appetizers and spread them out on the coffee table to sit back and watch the game – and the commercials! I’ll admit that I’m not a huge NFL fan, but I’ll be happy to support any event that gives me an excuse to devour cheesy deliciousness like this Cheesy Sausage Dip!
My spin on this classic adds cream cheese, garlic powder, and relies on Johnsonville Italian ground sausage as its star. This is the stove top version, but you can make it in a slow cooker as well. Even if you make it stovetop, you can also transfer it to a slow cooker to keep it warm. It’s totally up to you.
To make it, simply brown and crumble the sausage over medium heat. Be sure to allow it to really brown and get that deep brown color – that means flavor. Then drain away any grease.
Return the pan and meat to low heat. Cut the cheese into chunks and add them. Melt the cheeses stirring frequently, being cautious not to scorch.
Stir in the drained tomatoes and chilis, drained corn, and garlic powder. Cook until heated through. Transfer to a serving dish and keep warm. Serve alongside some corn chips scoops or tortilla chips.
SLOW COOKER: If you’re going to go the slow cooker route – simply brown the sausage and drain the grease away. Add the meat, cubed cheeses, drained tomatoes and corn, and garlic powder and cover. Put the slow cooker on low heat and stir occasionally until then cheeses have melted. Keep the dip on warm and serve with chips.
Cheesy Sausage Dip
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) Johnsonville Italian Sausage
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
- 1 (16-ounce) package processed cheese product (like Velveeta)
- 1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
- 2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chilis (mild or hot), drained
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions:
- In a large skillet, brown the ground sausage. Drain any grease away. Return the pan with the meat to medium low heat. Cut the cheeses into cubes and add them to the pan. Cook until the cheese have melted, stirring occasionally. Add the drained whole kernel corn, two cans of drained tomatoes and chilis, and garlic powder. Cook until heated through. Transfer to a serving dish or to a slow cooker on warm to keep it warm. Serve alongside corn or tortilla chips.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- In a large skillet, brown the ground sausage. Drain any grease away. Cut the cheeses into cubes. Add the sausage, cheeses, drained whole kernel corn, drained tomatoes with chilis, and garlic powder to the bowl of a slow cooker. Cover and set to low. Cook until the cheese have melted then turn to warm. Serve alongside corn or tortilla chips.
This dip looks so delicious, Stacey…and I’m feeling a little hungry right now so it looks even MORE delicious!
Stacey, I’m not a huge football fan – period (should I even say that, living in the South?) – but this dip should find itself right at home just about anywhere! Thanks for what my watering mouth tells me will be a winner!
This sounds so good. It will go into my crockpot for the big game this weekend. Like you I am not a big fan of football, but I do like the commercials. But this sounds like a winner for any time of the year. Thank you
This looks to be the most mouth watering version of rotel/queso that I’ve ever seen. And being a good Texas girl you can bet I have had my share of it, in my lifetime!! Making tomorrow and hoping for a final big win for Peyton Manning.
I sure hope you enjoyed it!
Made this today was too thick so was glad I saved liquid from rotel tomatoes after being in slow cooker still needed more liquid but is good.
Quick thinking! 🙂
Can this be made ahead of time?
Sure can! It reheats beautifully!
Stacey I have a daughter who cannot eat corn but it is still good without the corn. It is also good with just the cream cheese, sausage and rotel tomatoes. Have you tried that one?
I’m making it tonight with no corn for the Orange Bowl. I’m sure it will be fine without it- We don’t need those extra carbs.
Yes, you can absolutely leave the corn out. Enjoy!
Will this double ok?
It sure will. Enjoy!
Do you mean 2 cans of tomatoes and 2 cans of chiles? Or is there a can of mixed tomatoes and chiles and we should use 2 cans of that? Thanks!
No, it’s two cans of tomatoes and chilies combined. One brand you might be familiar with is Ro*Tel.
Cannot wait to try this. We have several friends over for the big game and I always try to have something new. Now to check http://www.frugalharbor.com to see if there are any coupons for the ingredients. Thanks!
Stacey, I made this for Memorial Day. Put the leftovers in a container in the fridge. Last night DH had 3 more warmed up helpings with corn chips while exclaiming “This is so good!” It really is – the cream cheese made it so smooth. Great recipe. Thanks so much.
Awesome! So glad everyone enjoyed it!!
Stacey, the slow cooker instructions say “Cover and set to low. Cook until the cheeses have melted then turn to low.” Should it start on high, and then be turned to low, or start on low the be turned to warm?
Yes, it should then be turned to warm. Sorry for the error. I got it right in the post, but somehow missed this in the actual recipe. I’ll get it corrected. Hope y’all enjoy!
I just made this for my family and they loved it. Very thick and…..cheesy! I love the addition of the cream cheese. Nice spice to it.
SO glad y’all enjoyed it, Jon!
Hi, this looks delicious, I was wondering if you could use can cheese, such as nacho cheese in a can, I’m old and patients and energy is limited to melt cheese lol
I’ve not done that, but it sould work in theory. Might change the flavor and texture though.
Im making this on Saturday for a party! Just to be clear… I don’t use the whole package of velveeta? It seems like I would need it but it says that it’s 32 oz….
That’s correct. You only need 1 pound (16-ounces).
Has anyone tried this with regular sausage?
You mean like breakfast sausage?
Yes I use Bass Farm. Try it with a sausage that you like.
Oh my goodness, this looks so good. I could really eat a lot of this.
Thanks!!
I normally make sausage cheese dip with mushroom soup and Velveeta, but a relative coming for Christmas eats gluten-free, so no soup can be added. I like using mushroom soup because it makes the Velveeta “milder”, more like American cheese, which I prefer but it is usually much more expensive than Velveeta. I’ve never made queso with cream cheese and am wondering if that addition might “tamp down” the Velveeta tang like the mushroom soup does. (I hope all that makes sense.) Your photos look so good.
Yes, I do find this to be much more mold than an all Velveeta version.
This is the the second time since I found this recipe and it has proven to be a hit. The only thing I didn’t put in was the corn and it still was a hit. This recipe was delicious and I will be making it again and again.
No ! It works well with both cheeses,…. and/or either!!!! White queso or yellow . SOOO good.
Such a great recipe!! Second time I made a spicy version with hot Italian sausage, cream cheese w/ jalapeño, and diced tomatoes with habanero.
Sounds great! Glad you enjoyed it!
How long will this keep in the refrigerator?
A few days, but no more than a week.
Having Super bowl at work, how many will this serve?
It really depends on the serving size. I’d be comfortable with 8 to 10.
Looks good, but Italian sausage seems like an odd choice for a Mexican-type dip. I usually see these dips made with breakfast sausage or hamburger.
It works perfectly. I promise.
Italian sausage while I’m sure is nice, doesn’t seem southern at all. I always use rotel, Jimmy dean country mild sausage, velveeta, cream cheese, no garlic. Again, doesn’t seem southern. Never put corn in it, but that’s a preference. For those wondering why your dip is too thick, don’t drain your rotel, dump it in. If it sets up and needs reheating, add a few tablespoons of milk while reheating. It comes back to creamy life!
Not everything I make is necessarily “southern.”