This southern 3-ingredient sausage cheese dip is the kind of church-basement classic that disappears before you can even set the spoon down. The church ladies at our spring potluck actually told me I wasn’t allowed to show up without it this year, and they scraped the cast iron skillet completely clean. It’s creamy, meaty, and just a little bit nostalgic—exactly the kind of no-fuss recipe you can throw together after work or right before a gathering. With only three ingredients and one pan, it’s perfect for busy weeknights, game days, or any time you need something warm and comforting that everyone will crowd around.
Serve this dip straight from the hot cast iron skillet with sturdy tortilla chips, corn chips, or thick-cut crackers so they don’t break in the cheese. It’s also great spooned over baked potatoes, tucked into soft flour tortillas for quick little dip tacos, or drizzled on top of nachos. For a potluck or party spread, I like to set it out alongside a crisp green salad or a veggie tray to balance the richness, plus a pitcher of iced tea or lemonade. Keep the skillet on a trivet or warming plate so the cheese stays melty and bubbly while everyone snacks.
Southern 3-Ingredient Sausage Cheese DipServings: 8
Ingredients
1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage (mild or hot)
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
1 (16-ounce) block processed cheese loaf (such as Velveeta), cubed
Directions
In a 10- to 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium heat, add the ground pork breakfast sausage. Cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until fully browned and no pink remains, about 7–10 minutes. If there is more than a spoonful of grease in the pan, carefully spoon off the excess, leaving just enough to keep things flavorful.
Pour the undrained can of diced tomatoes with green chiles directly into the skillet with the cooked sausage. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Reduce the heat to low and add the cubed processed cheese loaf to the sausage and tomato mixture. Stir gently and continuously as the cheese melts, about 5–8 minutes, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the skillet.
Keep stirring until the cheese is completely melted and the dip is smooth, creamy, and evenly speckled with browned sausage. The mixture should be bubbly around the edges and lightly golden on top where it touches the hot cast iron.
Once the dip is fully melted and bubbling, taste and adjust the heat to the lowest setting just to keep it warm and melty. If serving at a potluck, you can bring the whole cast iron skillet straight to the table on a heat-safe trivet so it stays hot and picture-perfect.
Serve the sausage cheese dip immediately while still bubbling and golden, right in the cast iron skillet, with plenty of chips or dippers nearby. Give it a quick stir every so often to keep the sausage evenly distributed as people dig in.
Variations & Tips
If you want to tweak this while keeping the 3-ingredient spirit, you can swap the mild breakfast sausage for hot or spicy sausage to give the dip more kick. A maple or sage breakfast sausage will lean a little sweeter and more savory, which is fun for brunch gatherings. You can also use a hot version of the diced tomatoes with green chiles if your crowd likes things extra spicy, or a mild version for church potlucks and kid-heavy parties. For a slightly thicker dip, use only 3/4 of the tomato can liquid and add more if needed as it melts. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, brown the sausage in any skillet, then transfer everything to an oven-safe dish and keep it warm in a low oven until serving. To make this more make-ahead friendly, brown the sausage the night before and refrigerate it; when you’re ready to go, rewarm the sausage in your skillet, then add the tomatoes and cheese and melt together right before the event. Leftovers (if you’re lucky enough to have any) reheat well in the microwave or on low on the stovetop with a splash of milk or extra tomatoes to loosen it back up.
