Description
A creamy, spicy, and savory dip made with ground spicy Italian sausage and cream cheese, perfect for game day snacks and crowd-pleasing gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, finely diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional: hot sauce, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground spicy Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink and browned, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in diced jalapeño, garlic powder, onion powder, crushed red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes to let flavors bloom.
- Lower heat to low. Add softened cream cheese in chunks and stir constantly until smooth. Stir in sour cream until fully incorporated and creamy.
- Gradually sprinkle in shredded cheddar cheese, stirring constantly to melt evenly. Keep heat low to avoid grainy or oily texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or hot sauce if desired. Stir in half of the sliced green onions.
- Transfer dip to a serving bowl or small slow cooker to keep warm. Top with remaining green onions and serve with tortilla chips, crackers, baguette slices, or fresh veggies.
Notes
Softening cream cheese before cooking is key to avoid lumps. Drain excess grease from sausage to prevent an oily dip. Add hot sauce at the end for extra heat. If dip thickens too much after sitting, stir in a splash of milk or cream to loosen. Can be made a day ahead and reheated gently.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-16 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About ½ cup per serv
- Calories: 320
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 26
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 3
- Protein: 14
Keywords: spicy sausage dip, cream cheese dip, game day recipes, football snacks, easy appetizer, crowd-pleaser, tailgate dip