This dip is famous. This is The Internet's Dip. When I posted that I needed more recipes for the Little Dipper, I got no less than FORTY emails telling me about this dip. Pretty much everybody acknowledged that the ingredients were weird and shouldn't taste good together, but they just do.
Day 277.
Happy Friday Fondue Day! Except this is more of a dip, than an actual fondue. I've never been very good at rules.
This dip is famous. This is The Internet's Dip. When I posted that I needed more recipes for the Little Dipper, I got no less than FORTY emails telling me about this dip. Pretty much everybody acknowledged that the ingredients were weird and shouldn't taste good together, but they just do.
Last night I had the extreme honor of going to a local book signing for Sleep Is For the Weak (which you should totally buy for everybody you know for a holiday gift) and then the fabulous Mizz Jenny spent the night.
Because I love her, and I know how much she loves The Internet, I made her this dip. I also gave her pink champagne.
Because nothing says high-class like rotel and sausage dip with pink champagne.
The Ingredients.
--8 oz block of cream cheese
--1 can tomatoes and green chiles (aka Rotel), drained
--1 pound breakfast sausage, browned and drained
The Directions.
I didn't use the Little Dipper (I said I wasn't good at rules!), I used my 1.5 quart crockpot, and it was the right size. You'll need to cut the recipe in half to fit the Little Dipper.
Brown the sausage on the stove, and drain on paper towels.
Unwrap the cream cheese, and put it into your crockpot. Chop up the sausage and add on top. Drain the Rotel, and add it.
Cover and cook on low for about 90 minutes, or on high for 45. Stir well and eat with tortilla chips.
The Verdict.
Dude. This is good. I can not believe how good it is.
The ingredients are still weird. I totally agree.
you're right. these ingredients are bonkers! haha but some of the best food has weird ingredients... like chocolate mayonnaise cake.
October 3, 2008 at 5:36 AM
I had a friend bring this to a party a few months ago and it was amazing! I never dreamed it would be so good!
October 3, 2008 at 6:05 AM
Yea! I'm so glad you made this!! Our family LOVES this dip! :-)
October 3, 2008 at 6:06 AM
Holy smoked sausage!! Does THAT ever look yummy?!?! Being born and bred in the Lone Star State, I feel Rotel makes everything better! And of course, being a girl. . . only cream cheese can perfect what Rotel did not! YOU ROCK and our family LOVES your site!
October 3, 2008 at 6:08 AM
We make this all the time, but instead of cream chesse, we use Velveeta
October 3, 2008 at 6:09 AM
AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! My friends and I love love love this stuff. We call it "Heart Attack in a Bowl". But it is so fricking unbelievably fantastically delicious. Everyone go make some!
October 3, 2008 at 6:16 AM
Sounds great for halftime!
October 3, 2008 at 6:21 AM
Anything with cream cheese in it sounds good to me! Think I will give it a try this weekend. Thanks
October 3, 2008 at 6:40 AM
Yummy! Thats all I am saying. I will be making this probably tonight!
October 3, 2008 at 6:44 AM
Im about to go on a diet, you have to post this now LOL!!!
Im going to try it too. Im also no good at rules.
October 3, 2008 at 7:29 AM
Not a crockpot recipe, but salsa and cream cheese whirred up in a blender is wonderful. That's what makes me think these ingredients work together.
October 3, 2008 at 7:37 AM
This is a great dip! We use Jimmy Dean Breakfast sausage too!
October 3, 2008 at 7:57 AM
I think those ingredients sound awesome together, I don't know what y'all are talkin' bout!
Another dip i make with cream cheese involves mincing up a ton of button mushrooms really fine, sauteeing in butter, throwing in some canned clams, and then mixing in a bunch of cream cheese. I suppose this could be crocked as well, although I've always just done it in a pan. I might try combining this and that recipe!
October 3, 2008 at 7:58 AM
We make this with Velveeta. (I remember your kids like that) Sometimes with hambuger meat and sometimes without. The orginal way I had it was with sausage, hambuger, rotel, and velveeta. (I do not care for pork, so I omit that now) I love cream cheese, so I will have to give it a try. (minus pork)
I love you blog and enjoy all the receipes.
Be blessed,
Chasity
October 3, 2008 at 8:04 AM
Try this dip with either hard or soft chorizo....not kidding it will rock your world. Try cream cheese AND Velveta, keep your cardiologist on speed dial!
October 3, 2008 at 9:18 AM
It's fabulous with Velveeta.
October 3, 2008 at 9:31 AM
I also unroll a crescent roll in a baking dish, smooth this yummy goodness on it, and then top with another unrolled crescent roll. Bake at 350 until the crescent roll is golden on to and you have the world's best breakfast casserole!
October 3, 2008 at 9:47 AM
We call this "crack dip" becuase it's like crack...one taste and your addicted!
Now I'm going to have to make some!
October 3, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Hmm. Cream cheese, sausage, and Ro-tel. Actually, that sounds absolutely delicious, and now I'm craving some good chips and dip!
October 3, 2008 at 10:58 AM
We always ALWAYS have these ingredients on hand to make this dip, though we use the Jimmy Dean bulk sausage because it is so easy to fry up with no chopping. The two key things we have learned in the years we have made this dip is that no brand but Rotel will do. We also don't bother to drain the Rotel because it makes the dip go further and easier to scoop. I am so glad you posted this recipe. It is one that everyone should try at least once!!
October 3, 2008 at 11:35 AM
I'm betting that there is no way in hell, as a Canadian, I can buy that Rotel stuff here (we simply DO NOT have a lot of choice when it comes to Southwest/Mexican food). Wonder if a can of tomatoes and a can of green chilies would work just as well, because that dip looks delicious!
October 3, 2008 at 12:03 PM
I make this all the time. I just use the sausage that's already ground up. That saves a step...no need to chop anything.
October 3, 2008 at 4:48 PM
I am one of the 40, I guess! I use a roll of Jimmy Dean sausage, and it fits perfectly in my lil dipper. Maybe you had too much sausage. Glad you liked it as much as I do!
October 3, 2008 at 5:57 PM
I've had this before and it is one yummy dip! The way my friend makes it is the same as how you made yours plus she adds in a block of velvetta. So yummy!
I love checking in on your blog (I first heard about it on the RR show), and I'm going to be sad once the year is up. Thanks for keeping your resolution as I really enjoy your recipes.
October 3, 2008 at 6:18 PM
Not that you need help with Crockpot recipes, but here's one I just posted on my blog that I like and thought I would share it with you.
http://themerlinmenu.blogspot.com/2008/07/crock-pot-potato-leek-soup.html
October 3, 2008 at 7:42 PM
I posted a link to your gluten free playdough recipe on my site www.whattofeedyourkids.com Thanks for all the great recipes! I am a huge fan. Happy Crockpotting!
October 3, 2008 at 7:56 PM
not so weird. In Austin, add some guac and you have the world-famous Bob Armstrong dip.
October 3, 2008 at 8:01 PM
Yum! Reminiscent of the quick-need-something-for-work dip: one can Hormel chili/no beans, 1 block cream cheese. Adding the Rotel would just make it super!
October 4, 2008 at 8:13 AM
Yum this sounds great!! BTW, I just read your Prevention interview. Congrats!!! You're a celeb:)
October 4, 2008 at 12:12 PM
These ingredients don't sound at all strange to me - does this mean *I* am strange???
In case you see this comment today (saturday), Steph, I'm trying the dulce de leche today and wondered if there is any reason not to cook it on high for a chorter time than 8 hours? Or a combination of x hrs on high then switch to low for x hrs?
don't know if I can stay up til midnight to eat this :)
October 4, 2008 at 1:04 PM
This sounds amazing. I'm glad I came across your site.
October 4, 2008 at 4:22 PM
I lived in Mississippi for 3 years and there is an unwritten rule somewhere that there cannot be a gathering of more than 4 people with someone servin' up a dish of Rotel.
You have to use Rotel brand and it is called Rotel. No matter what.
You gotta love the South!!
October 4, 2008 at 11:30 PM
Hmm I usually do velvetta, sausage, and rotel. Maybe I need to try cream cheese!! :) You inspired me! I think this will be what I am bringing to my thursday night small groups!
October 5, 2008 at 2:57 PM
I made this dip for my husbands poker night. The guys loved it and I was voted the "bestest wife around" because of it.
Thanks so much
Keep up the great recipes. I enjoy reading and trying them
October 5, 2008 at 3:29 PM
Much like Amy's comment, we mix the 1 lb. of cooked sausage with 1 block of cream cheese, then flatten a flaky style biscuit, put a dollowp of the mixture in it, then roll the biscuit around the mixture and bake until browned. Don't know how you could do that in a crock pot, but it is a delicious and easy breakfast dish!
October 5, 2008 at 5:49 PM
I made this yesterday and took Tortilla chips with it for a Bible study meeting. Everyone loved it! I think next time, like one of the other commenters, I will not drain the Rotel. I think it will be easier to stir. It was awesome! Thank you! I'm tryng the caramel apples next weekend with the kids!
October 6, 2008 at 6:16 AM
Has anyone tried this in a bigger pot? I only have the 5 qt.
Thanks.
October 6, 2008 at 7:27 AM
I have a question about baking in the crockpot. If I want to bake a bread over night and it takes 6 hours, but I plan on sleeping 8 or so......will it over cook if my crockpot goes to warm for a couple of hours? Also I would like to be entered for the crock pot contest. canoli1978@gmail.com
October 8, 2008 at 1:04 PM
I love your recipes. I took Cream Cheese Sausage and Rotel Dip to BUNCO last night, what a hit! I love the fish in foil packets too.
October 8, 2008 at 7:24 PM
Love this stuff!! And that is the original recipe I used when I started amking it. I do a variation now that makes a big big batch, of which I freeze half. 1 roll regular Jimmy Dean type sausage, one roll hot Jimmy Dean type, 2 cans rotel (drained), 1 block cream cheese and about a pound of velveeta. I have to admit we're not above eating it for dinner. YUM!!
October 9, 2008 at 8:06 AM
We made this over the weekend, and there wasn't a bit left. The only downside to it's deliciousness was that it was rather salty with the chips....no worries, we dipped raw veggies, and it was wonderful!!!
October 11, 2008 at 6:56 PM
I made this tonight and it was a hit! Thanks~!
October 11, 2008 at 8:05 PM
Holy Moly! I made this (in my Little Dipper-he's so cute!) for a get-together this weekend. It was devoured almost immediately. All the other inferior snacks just sat there, ashamed of themselves. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
October 13, 2008 at 7:41 AM
I actually modified this into a meal tonight and it turned out great. I used Jimmy dean sausage, hot Rotel, cream cheese, and then added a jar of marinara sauce. I made a box of Angel Hair pasta, drained and dumped into the warm tomato cheese mix, stirred it up, and then while it was still hot added two eggs and mixed it to coat the pasta and cook the eggs. Thanks for the inspiration!!!!
October 18, 2008 at 7:17 PM
I just found your blog this week! I've enjoyed reading all your recipes. My mom is known for this dip in my family. And as others have said, it never lasts long when it's served!
October 25, 2008 at 6:22 PM
I had never heard of this recipe until I moved to Mississippi - and everyone here eats it! When I make it rather than using breakfast sausage I use italian sausage - sweet or mild. mmmmm.
October 26, 2008 at 8:45 PM
I have never heard of this with cream cheese, we have always used Velveeta but I LOVE cream cheese so we will try it. I always make a dip with a block of cream cheese, then I dump a can of chili no beans on top then I put pepper jack cheese on that and melt... I think that would be good in the crockpot! I only have a 6 qt. crockpot though. Do I need to buy a smaller one?
October 31, 2008 at 11:59 AM
I made this this evening for a sewing get-together.
The other ladies loved it and practically licked the crock clean!
I had to sort of wing it cuz my time was too short to look up the recipe again or shop for rotel.
I used 1# sausage, 1 can petite diced tomatoes, 1 (7oz) can diced ortega chilies, 11oz. cream cheese.
I forgot about draining the tomatoes until it was too late but it still turned out tasty enough to snarf down.
Thanks Steph, for another great, repeatable recipe!
November 22, 2008 at 2:25 AM
This has been around for a long time,quick and easy crowde pleaser, I had a friend who had gone elk hunting and they gave me a bunch of ground elk and I used that in place of the boring ol sausage last year for the Holiday dip , I don't drain the rotel and I don't cook cream cheese, this is best when you cook the meat drain then blend up the soften cream cheese with rotel and add in the meat. I do use a crock when I use a block of Velveeta instead of the cream cheese, The Wild Elk dip was a hit with our large crowd with the Velveeta style also.
November 22, 2008 at 9:50 PM
Wow!!!! This is seriously good!! I brought a batch to work today and it was cleaned up in nothing flat.
December 16, 2008 at 8:43 AM
This is also very good with Jimmy Dean reduced fat sausage and low-fat cream cheese. It's also good as an alternative to biscuits and gravy; we ran out of chips but I had baked some biscuits that morning and there were still some left over when I made this for dinner, so Mr. Vegakitty and I tried some over biscuits. So good! I'm planning to take a crockpot-full to our after-Christmas party.
December 29, 2008 at 11:35 AM
Wow.. Now this looks tasty.. I'm making that Little Dipper Pizza Fondue recipe for a party tonight, but I am definitely giving this one a whirl soon!
December 31, 2008 at 5:40 AM
My Family uses a very similar crockpot dip recipe for many occasions, including the 'just because' occasion.
We use a roll of sausage, a can of Rotel, and a block of velvetta.
yummy!
January 20, 2009 at 12:11 PM
this stuff is amazing! our friends brought some to a party several months ago and we loved it! there were leftovers- so i used it to stuff mushrooms the next night. sprinkle with some seasoned bread crumbs and grated parmesean. mmmmm.
getting ready to make some now for super bowl!!!
January 31, 2009 at 7:38 AM
This dip is known as Tuzzi Dip where I come from. If you make it with maple flavored sausage, it is even better!
March 1, 2009 at 11:49 AM
My friend taught me how to make this back in college, but our recipe called for 1 bunch of cilantro (plus the ingredients Stephanie listed), YUM! (Try it!)
October 26, 2009 at 1:35 PM
We call this "JUNK" and make it in the 6 quart crockpot with the following measurments...4 Philly cream cheese, 5 rotel tomatoes, 2 lbs. Jennie-O HOT turkey sausage(cuts down on the heart attack issue). We never have any leftovers after a party.
November 6, 2009 at 4:27 PM
I make a variation of this recipe with Velveeta and ground beef. I am looking forward to trying this one since we all love cream cheese!
November 21, 2009 at 9:21 AM
I've made this before except I use sage sausage. SOOO Good!
November 23, 2009 at 9:59 PM
I took this to a party last night and it was a hit! (Like I should be surprised after all these comments!) The only dangerous part was the leftovers I ate once I got home. (We had a lot of food and not a lot of people.) Definitely one I will make again, with and without the variations.
December 17, 2009 at 8:18 AM
I am making this in the my mini crockpot right now for a Christmas party. It is sooo good, I can't stop opening and munching on it. The cream cheese is way better than Velveeta!
December 25, 2009 at 1:02 PM
I make it with velveeta instead of cream cheese. This dip is pretty much the sole reason I bought a crock pot.
January 14, 2010 at 10:06 AM
I have one better...1 lb. breakfast sausage, browned and drained, 2 cans corn, drained, 1 can cream of chicken soup, about a 1 lb. of Velveeta...all melted together. Delicious...can be a dip with more Velveeta or a casserole with less.
January 23, 2010 at 7:25 PM
This has become a regular at my house. Love it. I even use an off-brand can of dice toms. I also use a chub of sausage, the Jimmy Dean kind. I just ground and brown, then melt in the cream cheese and toms. Yum!
February 15, 2010 at 8:00 PM
I made this with Jimmy Dean Sausage, this way every bite had sausage in it. Also, we used Fritos Scoops to dip in it! Never saw this receipe before my mom made it! It was a hit at my neighbors get together! Thanks Mom!
August 5, 2010 at 1:08 PM
You are right, the ingredients sound just wrong enough, enough to be g☺☺d. I think I'd remove the casing on the sausage first before browning. Less hassle, and nothing to cut up.
December 30, 2010 at 10:01 AM
This is a family favorite of ours. Though we generally use the Jimmy Dean Sausage tubes.
I also get the Reduced Fat (since you can't tell the difference in taste) as well as Fat Free Cream Cheese (again, you can't tell the difference).
January 13, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Hint: save the juice from the Rotel can. You might to add some back to thin out the dip, which can get a little thick. Better than water. I suppose milk would be okay too.
January 31, 2011 at 12:20 PM
I AM IN LOVEEE with this dip. i call it sausage dip. its the best dip ever! My best friend's mom makes this around the holidays, and I always take some home with me!
February 4, 2011 at 12:03 AM
Made it tonight for watching a ppv boxing match. The guys all loved it. My friend's son said it was the best dip he's ever eaten in his life (of 19 yrs, that is!)
May 7, 2011 at 10:46 PM
This is one of our all time favorites - make it for all parties and 'an extra' and there is never any leftovers, even when I double the recipe.
May 24, 2011 at 2:46 PM
this doesn't sound weird at all. like nachos... cheese, meat, tomatoes, chile, & chips. this is like what my family makes but with Velveeta cheese. I'm sure cream cheese substituted taste amazing!
August 1, 2011 at 2:45 PM
It's the stuff that looks like "dog puke" and tastes like "Heaven"
We call it "Big Butt Dip" lol
September 22, 2011 at 2:41 PM
my family and i have had a version of this recipe for years. We call it "pirate dip" since everyone keeps stealing the recipe lol. My mother called it "hippie dip" when she was a teen. We do half ground turkey, half ground pork and add a block of velveeta cheese.
September 27, 2011 at 1:21 PM
We make a very similar dip for almost all of our family gatherings! We take two cans of chili without beans (used to use Hormel, but now use Wolf brand since my husband was diagnosed with Celiac), two pkg's of softened cream cheese and about a 1/4 brick of Velveeta (cubed). Melt all together, either in microwave or on low in crock for a little while. You can add more Velveeta if needed. This is super good with Fritos Scoops and regular tortillas. Leftovers are super tasty on hot dogs and it makes wonderful nachos!! Hope you'll try it this way sometime :)
January 10, 2012 at 6:03 AM
Gonna make it for Superbowl!
February 3, 2012 at 6:03 AM
I've made this before and everyone loves it! I use 2 blocks of cream cheese, 2 cans of rotel and 1 lb of jimmy dean regular sausage and 1 lb of spicy jimmmy dean sausage. adds a bit of a kick!
March 22, 2012 at 3:10 PM
My aunt makes this with Mexican Rotel (includes lime & cilantro) and it's a family favorite!
June 19, 2012 at 7:46 AM
My recipe: 2 bricks cream cheese, 16 0z sour cream, 2 pounds Jimmy Dean sausage, one hot and one sage(cooked and drained) one can Rotel tomatoes, one can chopped black olives, mix all together in a crock pot and serve over Jaunita's tortilla chips. Mmmm...
July 29, 2012 at 1:32 PM
Tried this last night, using hot Italian sausages and canned diced tomatoes, I found it bland, but others enjoyed it. I had purchased the cilantro and lime, but they were forgotten.
September 29, 2012 at 8:10 AM
here in Illinois this is sold in stores and is called man dip.....I have made it at home using cream cheese AND velveeta....
September 29, 2012 at 1:49 PM
Guys, heres the real deal..Thank me later..
16 oz sour cream, 1 block of velvetta cheese, 2 pounds of ground beef, add 2 cans of rotell. Combine all ingredients in a big crock pot until all the cheese is completely melted..
This is the best dip in the world!
December 24, 2012 at 9:30 AM
Here is the real deal, from the South!!
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb smoked sausage with green onions
1 lb tasso (sad, but typically only seen in Louisiana)
1 lb Velveeta (I usually go with the jalapeno)
1 12oz can of Pace Chunky Salsa, hot or Medium
1 20oz can of chili, no beans
Brown the ground meat, cut the sausage in small chunks and the tasso in small chunks, bown the two together and drain.
Combine all ingredients in to large saucepan or into crock-pot and stir frequently until Velveeta is melted. Serve with Frito's Scoops and sour cream.
I call it Smitty's Famous Chili Cheese Dip and the recipe has been passed around all over the US.
December 31, 2012 at 12:23 PM
I use chorizo sausage in this dip, and it is amazing!
November 3, 2013 at 6:24 PM
This is the greatest site on the internet, thanks for all the time you have saved me. A quick tip is to use the precooked sausage crumbles in this recipe... that way it is less greasy, helathier if you use the turkey sausage and quicker because you dont have to cook the sausage.
Delicious, always my go to take along. Thanks.
February 28, 2015 at 9:36 AM
Been doing this for years but with Velveeta. Next party I am trying the cream cheese!
September 13, 2017 at 12:43 PM