Super Bowl LV will be here in a matter of days. Two to be exact. I’ll be honest. We won’t be watching it. Or the commercials. Once a die-hard Panther’s fan, The Hubby just isn’t into football anymore. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make and eat game day snacks!
Last year about this time, I shared my dear friend A’s recipe for Cheese Crack Dip. If you’ve been reading along, this is the irresistible dip perfect for hungry snackers. Cream cheese, store-bought queso, ground beef, salsa, a lot of cheese…Cheese Crack Dip would make cardboard taste delightful. It’s just that good!
Since it’s Friday, I’m scouring cookbooks and my brain for happy hour ideas. Lindsay over at Pinch of Yum features a Cheesy Chili Dip. As much as we love A.’s Cheese Crack Dip, I really didn’t feel like making a mad dash to the grocery store for ingredients. So, I tweaked Pinch of Yum’s with what was in the chill chest and pantry.
My version of Chili Cheese Sausage Crockpot Dip starts out as a really thick chili. Pork breakfast sausage gives this dip a meaty richness not normally found in chili. Canned black beans, taco spices, and fresh salsa round out the party. To make it easy, use canned chunky salsa and a packet of taco seasonings.
One could just stop there and eat the chili as is. But this is chili cheese dip. To make the cheese sauce, prepare a butter-flour-milk roux. Melt the butter until bubbly, and whisk in all-purpose flour. Cook the flour about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Then slowly whisk in the milk. When this simple concoction is thick enough to coat the back of spoon, stir in shredded Mexican blend cheese.
The silky cheese sauce is finally stirred into the spiced chili mixture. Add fresh cilantro and sliced green onions for an extra oomph! To make this dip even more game-day ready, pour it into a small crockpot set on low. Snackers and TV watchers can graze at will with tortilla chips. Yum…
Chili Cheese Sausage Crockpot Dip
Want a homemade chili cheese dip that’s cheesy, swine-fully tasty, and loaded with spices? Oh, and feeds a hungry game day crowd? Pull out the taco chips and scoop away!
Adapted from Pinch of Yum’s Homemade Cheesy Chili Dip recipe.
Ingredients
1 pound pork breakfast sausage
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1–15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1–1/2 cups chunky salsa*
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1–3/4 cups milk (whole or 2%)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
2 green onions, finely sliced
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
In a large frying pan over medium high heat, brown the pork breakfast sausage until no pink remains. Crumble into small pieces. Drain any excess grease. Stir in chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic and onion powders and cayenne. Add black beans and salsa. Let mixture cook until it’s thick. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter until bubbly. Whisk the flour in until it’s smooth. Let cook for about 1 minute to remove any raw flour taste. Slowly whisk the milk into the butter and flour roux. Continue to whisk until the mixture is smooth and thickens. When the back of a spoon is easily coated, whisk in the shredded Mexican blend cheese.
Pour cheese mixture over the chili mixture. Stir to combine. Mix in green onion and cilantro. Pour into a serving dish or a small crockpot set to low. Serve with taco chips, pretzels, or your favorite dipping vessel. Store dip in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
*Fresh or store-bought salsa can be used.
IMNPB
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