Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground sausage and ground beef together, stirring frequently to break up meat and ensure even cooking.
- Cook until meat is no longer pink, approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove cooked meat from the pan and place on a paper towel to drain excess fat.
- While the meat cooks, cut the Velveeta and cream cheese into 1-2 inch cubes for easier melting.
- Transfer the drained meat to a slow cooker along with the cheese cubes, Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilis, and Tapatio hot sauce.
- Add 2 teaspoons of Kinder's Buttery Steakhouse Seasoning to the slow cooker and stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Cook on high for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure even melting and flavor distribution.
- Once the cheese is completely melted and the mixture is hot throughout, reduce the slow cooker to the warm setting.
- Transfer the dip mixture to a baking dish and spread the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
- Place under the oven broiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheddar cheese is bubbly and golden brown—watch carefully to prevent burning.
- Remove from broiler and allow to cool for 1 minute. Garnish with sliced green onions.
- Serve immediately with toasted sourdough crostini, tortilla chips, or crackers and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- Brown for color, not just doneness — Medium-high heat, constant movement, until the beef and sausage have real color. Pink-gone is the floor; browning is the goal. Skipping this produces a greasy, flat-tasting base.
- Cube the cheese before it goes in — Cut both the Velveeta and cream cheese into 1–2 inch pieces. Small cubes melt faster and more evenly, leaving no pockets of unmelted cheese in the final dip.
- Stir occasionally, not constantly — Every 20–30 minutes during the 2-hour cook is the right cadence. Constant stirring drops the temperature; ignoring it creates hot spots and a lumpy texture.
- Hold on warm, not high — Once the dip is fully melted and broiled, set the slow cooker to warm for the party. High heat during a long hold tightens the texture and can break the cheese.
- Fix a thick dip in seconds — If the dip stiffens during the hold, add 1–2 tablespoons of whole milk and stir. It recovers the texture without losing any flavor.
- Watch the broiler — Two to three minutes is the window, but broilers vary. Pull it the second the cheddar goes bubbly and golden at the edges — it moves fast from there.
- Cast iron skillet, straight from the broiler, is the move. It keeps the dip hot, looks right on the table, and gives people something to gather around.
- Toasted sourdough crostini hold up better than plain crackers against the weight of the dip. Slice a baguette thin, brush with butter, and toast until crisp. Sturdy tortilla chips work for the casual version. Thick-cut pita chips land somewhere in between.
- For a full spread, set the skillet in the center and build out — crostini on one side, chips on the other, jalapeño slices if the crowd handles heat. The dip is the table. Everything else is orbit.
- Store leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. The texture will firm up once cold — that's the cheese setting, not spoilage.
- Reheat on the low setting in a slow cooker, or covered at 350°F in the oven, stirring occasionally until warmed through. A splash of whole milk brings the texture back if it's tighter than you want. Don't reheat under the broiler — the cheddar finish is a one-time step.
- Make-ahead: cook through step 6 (fully melted, before the broil) up to one day ahead. Refrigerate or hold on warm. Add shredded cheddar and broil 10 minutes before serving.