The BEST Sausage & Pepper Dip You Can't Stop Eating

Why Is this dip so addicting?

It’s the ratio of ingredients, my friends. At last, a sausage and pepper dip with the exact right ratio of creamy to chunky and the perfect amount of building heat. And while this sausage and pepper dip has the variety of freshly roasted peppers to thank for best dip award, the combo of mild and spicy sausages gives it that winning edge. But why can’t you stop eating it? Because you can actually taste the magical combination of ingredients in every mouthful, not just the cream cheese. So, you keep going back for more. Every bite is the perfect bite. No really, it is. Serve piping hot with bread, chips or even cut up veggies and just stand back and wait for the recipe requests to come rolling in.

Why all the peppers?

Yes, it’s a bit of work to roast and peel all those peppers but its undeniably worth it. You can taste the freshness of the peppers roasted and peeled with love. And the variety brings more complex flavors to the dip, not to mention color. The peppers are where it’s at to bring this sausage dip to life. Best part is, you can roast, peel and chop the peppers a day ahead of time. You can even assemble the whole thing the day before so that all you have to do is bake it for 30 minutes and sit back and devour this deliciousness.

Here’s the breakdown of the peppers I tend to use but just go with what you can find. It doesn’t need to be exact as long as you get some that are hot and some that are mild and a few in between. Feel free to add more even.

Bell Peppers

We all know bell peppers for their mild flavor and crunch. Look for the yellow and orange ones for sweetness and color. They help bring that balance to the dip so it’s not too over the top spicy and they add to the ratio of peppers and sausage to cream cheese ratio. Remember that perfect bite!

Shop for Bell Peppers

Poblano Peppers

Poblano peppers are typically mild with a slight kick to them and usually come in this beautiful dark green color. If you find a red one, then it’s ripened longer and will be spicier. They kick of the building flavor and spice in this sausage and leek dip. Use two if they are smaller. Once they are roasted and peeled, they really cook down to very little.

Shop Poblano Peppers

Fresno Peppers

Here’s where the spice in this sausage and pepper dip really kicks in. Red Fresno peppers are a little spicier than a jalapeno pepper but not quite as spicy as a serrano pepper. If you can’t find them then you could substitute either of those varieties. I like the color of the Fresno and that it’s somewhere in between.

Anaheim Peppers

To be honest I initially added this pepper to the mix for the color. It’s a bright green and added contrast to the dish but it turns out to be perfect in the mix of peppers because it has a little spice to it but, again, not as much as a Jalapeno pepper. More in line with a Fresno or not even that spicy. They look big when raw, but they really cook down so grab a couple at least.

Sausage Dip: The Mash Up

Roasted and peeled here’s the mash up. You can roast them under the broiler or directly over a flame. You want to get a nice char on the outside to make it easier to peel the skin off but if you let them go too far then sometimes the flesh can start to breakdown and that’s not ideal. Once you get that char just place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to help steam off the skin. Peel, remove seeds and chop and then wait to add to the sausage and leeks later.

Sausage & Leek in the creamy base

Fresh Roasted Peppers Mixed In

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Sausage & Pepper Dip Ingredients:

1-2 Poblano peppers
2 Anaheim peppers
2 Jalapeno peppers
2 red Fresno chili
1 Red bell pepper
1 Orange bell pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large leek (white and light green parts only), cleaned and chopped
½ lb spicy Italian ground sausage
½ lb mild Italian ground sausage
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened to room temp
½ cup Mayonnaise
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
4-5 generous dashes Tobasco sauce
¾ cup grated parmesan, plus ¼ cup for topping
2 teaspoons lemon zest and 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and Pepper

Serves 8-10

Sausage & Pepper Dip Method:

Rub a small amount of oil onto each pepper and place under a broiler or on a gas grill and turn with tongs until all sides are charred. The bigger peppers will take a little longer to char all the way around so watch and turn carefully. Remove from oven or grill and place in a glass bowl and cover with saran wrap. This step helps remove the skins. When cool enough to handle, and wearing latex gloves if your hands are sensitive, remove the skins, tops and seeds from the peppers and chop into even pieces. This step can be done several hours ahead of time or even a day ahead and refrigerated.
Heat a medium skillet over medium to medium high heat and then add the olive oil and leeks and sausage. While cooking break the sausage down into smaller even sized chunks with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is browned and then remove from heat and let cool.
In a large bowl place the softened cream cheese and mayonnaise and add in the onion and garlic powder, Tobasco, ¾ cups parmesan cheese and lemon zest and juice. Season with a little salt and pepper and mix to combine with a rubber spatula until all the flavors are incorporated evenly.
Gently fold in the roasted peppers and the cooked sausage and leeks. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed. Place in an oven proof baking dish and top with the remaining parmesan cheese. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
Bake on 350 for approximately 25 minutes and then place under the broiler for 3-4 minutes to brown the top.

What to serve with this Sausage & Pepper Dip

This dish is hearty and satisfying so I like to lighten things up when I serve it. These salmon sliders are the perfect addition to the menu along with a nice salad for balance.