Description
Whip up a batch of creamy Hot Ranch Sausage Dip, a flavorful, cheesy appetizer that brings comfort and joy to any gathering. Simple ingredients, big taste!
Ingredients
Scale
- Hearty Base Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground pork sausage (I swear by spicy, like Jimmy Dean’s Hot)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Creamy & Cheesy Elements:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes (full-fat, please!)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- Flavor Boosters:
- 1 (1 oz) packet ranch seasoning mix (Hidden Valley is my pick)
- 1–2 tsp hot sauce (like Frank’s RedHot, to taste)
- For Serving:
- Tortilla chips, sturdy crackers, or veggie sticks
Instructions
- Brown the Sausage & Onion:: First up, grab your biggest skillet and get it nice and hot over medium-high heat. Crumble in your ground pork sausage. Break it up with a spoon, you want those lovely, browned bits! As it cooks, the kitchen starts to smell so savory, it’s honestly the best. Once it’s mostly browned, toss in your diced yellow onion. Keep cooking, stirring often, until the sausage is cooked through and the onion is softened, about 7-8 minutes. This is where I always forget to drain the fat, but trust me, you want to drain off any excess grease from the pan now. Don’t skip this, or your Hot Ranch Sausage Dip will be oily!
- Add the Aromatics:: Once the sausage and onion are looking good, reduce the heat to medium-low. Now, add your minced garlic to the pan. Stir it around for just about 60 seconds, until it smells fragrant. You don’t want it to burn, because burnt garlic is a sad, bitter thing, and we want happy Hot Ranch Sausage Dip! This step is quick but so important for building that deep flavor. I once walked away for ‘just a second’ and came back to slightly crispy garlic. Learn from my mistakes, hon!
- Melt in the Creaminess:: Time for the good stuff! Add the cream cheese, cut into cubes, and the sour cream to the skillet. Stir, stir, stir! The cream cheese will start to soften and melt into the sausage mixture, creating this beautiful, creamy base. It’s a bit of an arm workout, but so worth it. The mixture will get wonderfully thick and luscious. Keep the heat low during this step to prevent anything from scorching at the bottom of the pan. This is where the magic really starts for our Hot Ranch Sausage Dip!
- Stir in the Flavor Boosters:: Now for the ranch seasoning mix. Sprinkle that whole packet over the creamy sausage mixture. Give it a really good stir until it’s completely incorporated. You’ll instantly smell that familiar, zesty ranch aroma. If you’re feeling brave, add a few dashes of hot sauce here too. I usually go for about 3-4 dashes, but you do you! Taste a tiny bit (carefully, it’s hot!) and adjust the heat if you want more zing. This is what truly makes it a Hot Ranch Sausage Dip.
- Cheesy Goodness:: Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in about half of the shredded cheddar cheese and half of the Monterey Jack cheese. The residual heat from the dip will help them melt into gooey perfection. Keep stirring until the cheese is mostly melted and totally incorporated. It’s going to be thick and wonderfully stringy. I sometimes get a little impatient and add too much cheese at once, which makes it harder to stir, but it always melts eventually!
- Bake to Perfection:: Transfer the Hot Ranch Sausage Dip mixture to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses evenly over the top. Pop it into a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and beautifully golden brown on top. When it comes out, the whole kitchen will smell incredible. Let it sit for just a few minutes before serving, it’s going to be screaming hot. It’s perfect when it’s still bubbling slightly and the cheese has that irresistible crust.