“Allons manger!” That’s French for Let’s Eat.
Cheesy Cajun Sausage Dip
I'm a sucker for buying magazines in the checkout line at the grocery store. Early last year I was grocery shopping in Shreveport LA and picked up the (then) latest issue of Louisiana Cookin' magazine. It had a number of interesting recipes but one in particular caught my eye, Cheesy Andouille Dip. My picks often prove to pay off and this one was definitely a winner!
I'm a bit of a sissy when it comes to spicy food so I try to find alternatives when available. This time, instead of using spicy Andouille (sounds like aan-doo-ee) Cajun sausage, I chose to use Mild Savoie's Real Cajun Hickory Smoked Sausage Mixed (pork & beef). This turned out to be an excellent choice because, in addition to being delicious, it was lower calorie and lower sodium than most other smoked sausages.
The recipe was easy to put together and cooking in cast-iron is always a pleasurable experience. The very first time I prepared this cheesy sausage dip was for a dinner party of six and to compliment the dip, we relied on large corn chips (like Scoops), rippled potato chips (like Ruffles) and pita crackers. The dinner was a frustrating success ... a success because everyone raved about the dip and literally scarfed it all down; frustrating because they filled up on the dip & chips and didn't have enough room left to fully appreciate the dinner's entrée, sides and dessert. Lesson learned ... the next time I make this dish it will be served as the primary appetizer for an event such as a game day! Regardless, I welcome you to try this recipe and then you can decide how you want to serve it for the occasion of your choice.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Assemble the ingredients, ready a 9-inch cast iron skillet, preheat the oven to 375°.
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Place the sausage link(s) on a cutting board. Quarter them lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside 1/4 cup of the sausage pieces.
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Lightly spray the cast-iron skillet with cooking oil and, over high heat, for about 10 minutes, cook the bulk of the sausage pieces until browned and crisp. Carefully remove the cooked sausage pieces and allow them to drain on paper towels. Wipe the skillet clean and set aside.
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In a medium bowl (2.5 qt.), combine the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise until fairly smooth. Add 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup Mozzarella cheese, the tomatoes with chiles, the green onion and shallot, and the Creole seasoning.
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After the contents of the bowl are well combined, fold in the browned sausage just until combined.
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Again, lightly spray the cast-iron skillet with cooking oil. Transfer the mixture from the bowl into the skillet. Top with the reserved 1/4 cup of uncooked sausage pieces, the remaining 1/4 cup of Cheddar and the remaining 1/4 cup of the Mozzarella.
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Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes. If necessary, blot any oil with a paper towel. Serve with chips or crackers or toasted baguette slices of your choice.
Serving Size 1 Tbsp
Servings 60
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 51kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 4g7%
- Saturated Fat 2g10%
- Cholesterol 14mg5%
- Sodium 117mg5%
- Potassium 17mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 1g1%
- Sugars 1g
- Protein 2g4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
It was difficult to properly define the serving size, servings and nutritional values for this recipe for various reasons. Finally I decided on the assumption that one person might eat 10 tablespoons of this delicious dip on chips or crackers at a party. So, it will serve 6 people 10 servings each. Please remember that you still need to consider the nutritional information of the chips and/or crackers if you are counting calories or watching your sodium intake!
It is easy to adjust the spicy heat in this dish by using a spicy Cajun sausage like hot Andouille or something similar. Also, you can add several drops of Louisiana hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes or just plain old spicy hot Cayenne Pepper.
