Game day food taken to the next level. Loaded with sausage, veggies, and cheese, this flavorful dip will have you going back for more! This lightened up dip is perfect for tailgating and parties!
Game day food is the best! It’s portable, there are a variety of dips and wings, and it brings the whole crowd together, even if they are rooting for the other team. This dip is no exception and will be a huge hit with the crowd! You get the spiciness from the sausage, tanginess from the banana peppers, and it’s loaded with veggies. And let’s not forget the ooey goodness of cheese! This dip is fabulous with sliced carrots, celery, and a good crusty baguette.
Let me give you the backstory of this awesome dip. A good friend of mine, you know who you are 😉 introduced me to this amazing cheesy sausage dip. It was SO good. The flavors were so unique. I was used to the typical dips you find at game day parties, buffalo chicken and artichoke spinach dip, but this dip was so different and my taste buds were so happy. I never had banana peppers in a dip… it provided the most amazing tanginess that I loved! It’s like having pickles on a burger, which in my opinion is a must! Whenever there was a potluck or party, I knew she would make it… partially because I would request it and everyone else loved it too!
Military life has separated us 🙁 We no longer live in the same state. Which means that I haven’t had her amazing dip in well over a year. Even worse, I haven’t seen her in over year! I knew I wanted to try to replicate all those amazing flavors of the dip, so I got to work. Using the key ingredients: Italian sausage, banana peppers, cream cheese, I think I have come pretty close to her famous dip. Each bite takes me back to the first time a had it! I love how food can do that! You gotta love food memories.
Each bite is different than the last. Some bites you get more sausage and other bites you get more veggies and banana peppers. I could eat this by the spoonful… but I won’t. I’ll try to restrain myself 🙂 The recipe is very flexible on the heat factor. I find that using spicy sausage and mild banana pepper provides just a little kick that the kiddos enjoy, but if your family likes things a little more spicy, go ahead and use hot banana peppers too. Or for a milder dip use mild sausage and banana peppers. My grocery store only offers turkey sausage in link form, so I remove the casing before cooking it. Oh! And if you have leftovers, and that’s a big IF, it reheats amazingly!
*In the photos I doubled the recipe for a poker night the Hubs was attending… which was a hit by all the guys! It’s fun sneaking veggies into those nights where the main course usually consist of chips and beer 😉
Cheesy Sausage and Veggie Dip
Ingredients
- 10 oz Italian turkey sausage, mild or hot ground
- ½ cup yellow onion diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup mushrooms diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4 oz reduced fat cream cheese softened
- 1 cup parmesan shredded
- ¾ cup mozzarella and provolone blend shredded
- ¼ cup milk any kind
- ¼ cup mayo
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach chopped
- ½ c banana pepper rings, mild or hot drained and lightly chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray oven safe casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large skillet cook sausage, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and garlic. Breaking the sausage into smaller pieces as it browns, about 5 minutes. *The sausage does not need to be cook all the way as it will continue to cook in the oven. Drain off the fat and set sausage mixture aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, parmesan, mozzarella/provolone, milk, mayo, and Greek yogurt. Add sausage mixture, spinach, banana peppers, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Spread mixture into prepared casserole dish.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until bubbly. Serve with cut up veggies and baguettes.
Notes
- To make ahead, follow steps 2 and 3. Cover and chill for up to 24 hours. Uncover and bake for 40-45 minutes, until bubbly.
- I use a 8x8 casserole dish and if I double the recipe I use a 9x13 casserole dish. If you use a 9x13 casserole dish without doubling the recipe I recommend that you bake the dip for about 20-25 minutes.