Kicking Off with a Cheese-laden Tale
Alright, so let me paint you a picture. Sunday afternoon, everyone's yelling at the TV (for reasons vaguely related to football), and someone shouts, "Where's that sausage Cheese dip you make?" I can’t even remember when I started making this Crock Pot Sausage Cheese Dip recipe — probably back when my old slow cooker was brand new and my knife skills were, well, a bit tragic. I swear, this recipe has saved my neck so many times when I forgot there was a potluck in two hours. Best part? I actually enjoy making it. Even the cleanup is a breeze if you don't, ahem, leave it to cool for three days in the crock. (Guilty.)
Why You'll Love This Dip (and Why People Will Hunt You Down for the Recipe)
I make this when I want to impress people but don't actually feel like working hard. My sister-in-law always acts like it takes hours (she obviously doesn’t know how little effort it requires). My family usually goes nuts for it because it’s cheesy and just spicy enough. Plus, for whatever reason, someone always dips in before I say it's ready — honestly, at this point, it’s just part of the tradition. Annoying, but kind of sweet too. If you’ve ever tried a hot dip and it came out all gloopy or bland, trust me, this isn’t that. (I battled that issue for ages until I stopped overthinking the cheese mix — see below!)
The Lineup: Ingredients You’ll Need (Plus Some Swaps and Measures I Actually Use)
- 1 pound spicy pork sausage (Or, if my local shop's out, I go with sweet Italian sausage and toss in a pinch of chili flakes. Turkey sausage works fine too but, you know, not everyone’s a fan of that flavor. My cousin swears by ground beef, but to me, that just makes it taco dip.)
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel is classic — my mum says “only Rotel!” but honestly, go store-brand if it’s on sale.)
- 1 (16-ounce) block of processed cheese (Yeah, that bright yellow one. Call it Velveeta, call it “log o’ cheese”... Sometimes I’ll do half processed cheese and half cream cheese if I want it more gooey. Real cheese is good too but you gotta watch it because it’ll separate in the crock pot — which is, in a word, sad.)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar (If I’ve got it. If not, I just toss in a handful of whatever’s lurking in the fridge — pepper jack is good for a little zip.)
- 1-2 teaspoons taco seasoning (Totally optional — I tend to eyeball it, honestly. You can skip this if your sausage is strongly flavored, or use your own seasoning mix... or nothing, hey, it's your dip.)
- ¼ cup milk (Sometimes I forget this and it’s fine, but if you want it extra creamy, don’t skip.)
How I Actually Make It (With Some Personal Asides)
- First off, grab a frying pan. Brown up the sausage until it’s cooked through. Break it up good so there aren’t big clumps. (This part smells so good, my dog appears from nowhere. Every time.)
- Drain the sausage fat if you’re not wild about grease in your dip. Sometimes I leave a little in for flavor, especially if I want to live dangerously.
- Chuck the cooked sausage straight into the crock pot (mine is a 4-quart job, which is fine — any size will work as long as you can stir without redecorating your kitchen).
- Cut the processed cheese into cubes. You don’t have to be neat here. Just toss those right in on top of the sausage, along with your shredded cheddar (or whatever cheese mix you’ve got).
- Pour in the can o’ diced tomatoes with chilies. Liquid and all — it helps everything come together.
- Sprinkle in your taco seasoning if you’re using. And the milk goes in now too. I always wonder if this step matters, but actually, I find it works better if I add the milk now instead of later.
- Lid on, set the crock pot to low. Now walk away and forget about it for about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Give it a stir halfway through if you think of it (but honestly, I forget half the time; it still turns out fine).
- When everything’s melted and smooth, give it a good stir. This is where I usually sneak a taste (quality control, right?). If it seems too thick, I splash in a little more milk.
- Switch to ‘keep warm’ and serve with whatever dippables you fancy.
Oh — if it looks a bit odd and lumpy halfway, don’t panic. It sorts itself out with stirring.
A Few Notes I Totally Learned the Hard Way
- Don't use real sharp cheddar only; it goes kinda oily. I thought I'd "upgrade" it once, but nope — lesson learned.
- If you make it ahead and reheat, honestly, I think it tastes better the next day… unless you burn it. (Which I have. Twice.)
- Skip the milk if you want it seriously thick. But if you do, you might want to serve it with sturdy chips or else you’ll just be scooping up chip shards.
Variations I’ve Tried (Some Brilliant, Some… Not So Much)
- Once I swapped the sausage for crumbled bacon. Tasted great, but it was almost too rich (if that’s even possible?).
- Veggie friends in the house? I've made it with faux sausage and it works shockingly well — just watch out, some plant-based sausages have strong flavors.
- I tried adding a splash of beer once. Made it weirdly bitter, or maybe I just grabbed the wrong beer. Wouldn’t recommend unless you really know your brews.
- Jalapeños on top? Always a yes for me. My brother not so much — he claims they throw off the balance, but what does he know?
So, What Gear Do You Absolutely Need?
Well, you do need a crock pot for that classic lazy magic. But once, in a pinch, I just tossed it all in a big saucepan on low and stirred it lots. Worked fine, though you gotta babysit it. And actually, don’t stress if your crock pot is bigger or smaller — this recipe’s pretty forgiving.
How Long Can You Keep This Stuff?
Technical answer: covered in the fridge, 3–4 days. But honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day; everyone nabs leftovers for nachos or sandwiches. If you need to reheat, pop it back in the crock pot on low or just use the microwave with a quick stir halfway through — works a charm.
How I Love to Serve It (And Why My Family Thinks I’m Extra)
Chips are the classic — sturdy tortilla chips, the kind that won’t wimp out. But I’ve served it with carrot sticks (to feel virtuous, briefly), pretzel rods, and even poured it over baked potatoes for next-day lunch. We also have a tradition of keeping a bowl just for scooping on soft flour tortillas, with a sprinkle of green onion on top. Not strictly necessary, just tasty.
Pro Tips I’ve Picked Up (Mostly Form Messing Up)
- I once tried rushing it on high — nope. Ended up crusty on the edges and cold in the middle. Just be patient, trust me.
- Don’t walk away for hours and let the bottom scorch. Did it once. Kitchen still smelled weird two days later.
- If you double the recipe, you need to stir more, or else you get weird cheese seizing up in corners. (Science, apparently.)
Bouncing Around Some Questions I’ve Actually Been Asked
- Can I make this without a crock pot?
- Yep! A saucepan on the stove over low works. Just stir often. Or, if you’re a uni student with nothing but a microwave, small batches melt up fine in the nuker.
- Is it spicy?
- Depends! Not really if you use mild sausage and regular tomatoes. Crank up the heat with spicy sausage or more chili flakes. Or add weird hot sauces like my neighbor (he's wild).
- Can I freeze leftovers?
- I’ve heard you can, but I don’t. Cheese changes texture — turns a bit gritty for my taste. But technically, yeah, freezer works if you’re not picky.
- What chips are best?
- Tostitos Scoops are my vibe. But any thick tortilla chip, pretzels, or even chunks of warm flatbread do the job.
- My dip separated, can it be saved?
- Give it a really good stir; sometimes it’s salvageable. If it’s gone oily, add a splash of milk and whisk like your Gran told you. No promises though.
And honestly, if you spill any on the counter, just call it kitchen tax, eat a chip straight outta the pot, and live your best life.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 16 ounces processed cheese (such as Velveeta), cubed
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
-
1In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground sausage until browned and fully cooked. Drain excess fat.
-
2Add cooked sausage to the crock pot.
-
3Add in the processed cheese, cream cheese, diced tomatoes with green chilies, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, garlic powder, and black pepper.
-
4Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the cheeses are fully melted and the dip is smooth.
-
5Stir well before serving. Serve warm with tortilla chips, crackers, or fresh vegetables.
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?
Please consider Pinning it!!