The 3 Ingredients You Need To Make A Creamy Cheese Sausage Dip

Everyone knows the best food at a party is the dip. Not only are dips delicious and versatile, they're also generally very easy to make. Many of them require only a few ingredients (like this ultra-easy onion dip). And if a deliciously creamy sausage dip is what you're after, you only need three ingredients: sausage, cream cheese, and a can of Rotel tomatoes. 

Making it is simple. You'll need 1 pound og sausage, 2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, and 1 10-ounce can of Rotel tomatoes (which include bits of green chilies). First, drain the tomatoes. Next, heat up a skillet, brown your sausage, and drain off excess grease. Add cream cheese to the skillet, and cook over medium heat until it melts. Take the mixture off the heat, and add the tomatoes. Serve the dip warm with any chip of your choosing. 

This dip works well because the fat in the cream cheese and the sausage tempers the mild heat provided by the Rotel tomatoes. And because the sausage and the tomatoes both have some amount of seasoning already, the dip is well-seasoned without any additional salt or pepper required. In fact, since sausage can be plenty salty on its own, you likely don't want to add any sodium, at least not until you've tasted the dip first.

It is possible to make substitutions for this recipe. However, make sure you don't stray too far from the original ingredients, as they play a key role in making this dip such a success. The fat in the cream cheese is a crucial component here, for instance, so a reduced-calorie cream cheese or a non-dairy substitute won't work as well. As for the sausage, the fat and seasonings likewise bring richness and flavor that's hard to replicate. You can play around with different bulk sausage flavors, but don't try to substitute ground beef or another unseasoned meat on its own, as it won't have the same flavor effect as the seasoned sausage. 

Tomato-wise, you can try out different Rotel flavors for variations on a theme. As for substituting another brand of canned tomatoes, proceed with caution. Rotel tomatoes are unique for their inclusion of green chilies, which add a special heat and flavor to the dip. There are what can feel like an overwhelming number of choices when it comes to canned tomato brands, but many of them are unseasoned or contain other spices that won't work as well. For this reason, sticking with Rotel is recommended, but you might also bring in additional spices like cumin, coriander, or diced peppers.