This easy game day appetizer combines the flavors of jalapeño poppers and spicy sausage in a creamy dip made in the slow cooker or oven. Perfect for any party, serve it up with chips and watch everyone go back for seconds!
This is one of my Dip recipes I know you’ll want to keep on hand!
Let’s talk appetizers. Party food is, simply put, the BEST food out there!
Jalapeño poppers are one of the most beloved appetizers, and for good reason! The flavor of spicy peppers marries so well with the cool creaminess of cream cheese.
This dip takes that amazing combination to the next level by adding spicy sausage, crispy bacon, and plenty of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses!
Not to mention it can be made ahead, customized to your preferences, and made in either the slow cooker or oven.
How to make sausage jalapeño popper dip?
This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.
- Add dairy base to slow cooker. This recipe uses both cream cheese and sour cream as a creamy base.
- Add sausage. Brown and crumble this, then drain really well before adding to slow cooker.
- Add peppers. I like to use fresh jalapeño peppers, but feel free to use pickled or canned if that’s what you prefer.
- Add cheese and bacon. Keep it simple here with some crispy bacon (or quality bacon bits if you prefer), and parmesan cheese.
- Top with more cheese. We want the dip to be nice and gooey.
- Slow cook. I like to add a paper towel to the top of the slow cooker before adding the lid, that way condensation doesn’t get down into your dip and make it watery.
- Garnish. This is optional, but delicous!
Helpful Tip!
For this recipe, you’ll want to pick up some bulk pork sausage. In my grocery store, it either comes in a 1 lb. roll, or in a tray covered in plastic wrap like ground beef. You can use any flavor, but we do prefer the hot variety, to add some spice.
Variations of this recipe
- Jalapeños – feel free to adjust the amount of diced jalapeños, use canned or pickled diced peppers instead (I would use about 8 – 12 oz), or leave in the seeds for some added heat.
- Sausage – we love using the hot variety for extra spice, but feel free to use mild instead. If your store doesn’t have bulk sausage but has large links, you can slice the side of the casing and peel it away. Then just use the meat inside.
- Ranch – if you’re a fan of ranch, feel free to add some ranch seasoning to the cream cheese and sour cream. I would use either a half or whole 1oz packet of seasoning mix.
- Garlic – if you’d like, you can add some minced garlic, or 1 tsp of garlic powder to this dip.
- Bacon – we love the added crunch and salty flavor that the bacon adds, but if you’re not a fan, you can leave it out.
- Oven – as written, this dip is made in the slow cooker (my favorite way to make dips!), but you can also bake this in the oven. See the directions in the “chef tips” section right below the instructions.
FAQ’s
Yes, this dip can be frozen, in a freezer-safe container, for up to 3 months. Thaw, then reheat as desired. However, there could be a little separation of the dairy, so make sure to give everything a good stir before reheating.
There are a couple of ways to reduce the heat level of this dip. You can use mild sausage, make sure to remove all the seeds from the jalapeños, use less peppers, use pickled jalapeños, and don’t garnish with jalapeño slices.
Making jalapeño popper dip ahead of time
The great thing about this appetizer is that it can be made ahead of time.
Just assemble it, cover, and refrigerate for a day or two.
Then heat it up per the recipe, and enjoy!
You can also prep this recipe.
Ways to prep ahead for this recipe:
- Sausage – the sausage can be cooked, crumbled, drained, and cooled. Then refrigerate in a container for several days.
- Bacon – the bacon can be cooked, crumbled, cooled, and refrigerated in a container for several days.
- Peppers – the jalapeños can be seeded and diced, then refrigerated in a container for several days.
Storage
Leftover dip should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 3-5 days.
More Slow Cooker Dip Recipes:
My Favorite Slow Cooker!
I had this slow cooker for a while now, and I really love how it cooks. The locking lid feature is amazing for taking foods to potlucks or other gatherings!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @the_chunky_chef on Facebook and Instagram!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. hot pork sausage I like to use Tennessee Pride brand, but use your favorite
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 or 5 fresh jalapeños seeded (if desired) and diced
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 10 slices cooked bacon crumbled (or use 1 cup quality bacon bits)
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Prepare
- Get out a 3 quart or larger slow cooker.
- Brown and crumble the sausage in a skillet over MED heat. Drain really well.
- Crumble cooked bacon slices.
Assemble
- To the insert of a slow cooker, add all ingredients (feel free to cut the cream cheese up in cubes to help it melt easier). Lightly stir.
Slow cook
- Cover the top of the slow cooker with a paper towel, then add the lid on top of that (this helps keep the condensation from getting into the dip and making it watery).
- Cook on LOW for 2 – 2 1/2 hours, stirring well halfway through.
Serve
- Serve hot, garnished with additional fresh jalapeño slices if desired.
Want to save this recipe for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own recipe box!
Chef Tips
- I estimate this recipe will serve approximately 15 people, but the exact serving size and amount will be up to you.
Oven Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl, and stir well to combine.
- Transfer to a lightly greased baking dish (I recommend a 3 quart sized dish).
- Bake in preheated oven for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly throughout.
Nutrition Disclaimer
The Chunky Chef is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
katerina says
This sounds incredibly delicious!! Yummy!
Juliane says
I love this spicy dip! Completes my every meal!!
Erin says
Looks absolutely delicious! I’d love to make this!
Catalina says
This dip is spicy and rich! Perfect for my movie night dinner!
Allyson Zea says
I make jalapeño popper dip all the time, but I never thought to add sausage! Thanks for the great idea!
Sandra says
Made this and everyone loved it! Just the perfect dip for almost everything!