This Cheesy Sausage Bean Dip is the ultimate party appetizer! Made with spicy sausage, sautéed onions, bell pepper, garlic and spinach, combined with cream cheese and cannellini beans. Topped with freshly grated Parmesan and served with toasted bread or Frito corn chips.
Get ready to fall in love with this Cheesy Sausage Bean Dip. It’s built from simple, wholesome ingredients but delivers bold, savory flavor. Spicy sausage and creamy cannellini beans make the dip hearty, while sautéed onions, red pepper, garlic and fresh thyme add aroma and depth. Bright baby spinach adds color and balances the richness. It’s a favorite for holiday parties, game day, or any gathering where a crowd-pleasing appetizer is required.
Why You’ll Love This
- Comforting and hearty – rich cheese and browned sausage create an indulgent, satisfying dip.
- Real ingredients – onions, red pepper, garlic, spinach, thyme and white beans add flavor and texture.
- Crowd-pleaser – this dip disappears fast at parties. Plan to double it for large groups.
- Perfect for holidays – the red and green colors make it a festive addition to holiday spreads and potlucks.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Hot pork sausage – 1 lb for a little kick. Swap sweet Italian, chicken or turkey sausage if you prefer.
- Sweet onion – 1 large, diced (or yellow/white onion or shallots).
- Red bell pepper – 1, finely diced. Roasted red peppers work too.
- Baby spinach – 2 cups, roughly chopped (or thawed frozen spinach, kale or arugula).
- Garlic – 1 tbsp, minced.
- Cream cheese – 8 oz package, softened.
- Cannellini beans – 1 (15 oz) can, drained and rinsed. Great Northern or white beans are fine substitutes.
- Fresh thyme – 1 tsp, for a bright herb note.
- Salt – 1/2 tsp, or to taste.
- Freshly grated Parmesan – 1/2 cup to sprinkle on top before baking.
- Serve with – toasted baguette slices, crackers or Frito corn chips.
How to Make the Dip
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Brown the sausage. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and cook the sausage until nicely browned and no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add diced onion and red bell pepper to the skillet and cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook 1 more minute.
- Blend in the cheese and greens. Reduce heat to medium and add the softened cream cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Stir in chopped spinach and salt, cooking until the spinach wilts. Add the drained cannellini beans and combine gently.
- Assemble and top. Transfer the mixture to an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish (or keep it in the oven-safe skillet) and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan. If making ahead, let cool, cover and refrigerate without the Parmesan until ready to bake.
- Bake and serve. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Serve warm with toasted baguette slices, crackers, red pepper strips or Frito corn chips.
Tips for the Best Dip
- Soften the cream cheese so it blends smoothly—leave it at room temperature 20–30 minutes or cut into cubes to speed melting.
- Brown the sausage well to develop caramelized flavor and slightly crisp edges for better texture.
- Mash a few beans if you want an extra creamy texture—use the back of a spoon to lightly crush some of the beans into the mixture.
- Don’t skip the spinach—it brightens the dip and balances the richness; chop roughly so it wilts evenly.
Favorite Dippers
- Toasted baguette slices
- Frito corn chips
- Crackers or pita chips
- Red bell pepper strips and celery
- Tortilla chips
Variations
- Protein swaps – use sweet Italian sausage, chorizo, breakfast sausage or ground turkey for different flavor profiles.
- Extra veggies – add corn, jalapeños, mushrooms, zucchini or kale for more texture and color.
- Different cheeses – try mozzarella, fontina, Asiago, white cheddar, pepper jack or Gruyère to alter meltiness and flavor.
- Looser texture – stir in a splash of milk, cream, chicken broth or white wine for a creamier consistency.
- Crispy topping – sprinkle panko, crispy fried onions or crushed crackers before baking for crunch.
Prepping and Storage
- Make ahead – prepare the dip through step 4, skip the Parmesan, let it cool and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before baking or add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Storage – store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or warm in the oven at 300°F until heated through.
Recipe Card
Cheesy Sausage Bean Dip
Spicy sausage, sautéed vegetables, cream cheese and cannellini beans blended into a warm, cheesy dip.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 1 lb hot pork sausage
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Serve with toasted baguette slices, crackers or Frito corn chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the sausage and break it up. Cook until browned and no longer pink; drain excess grease.
- Add the chopped onion and red bell pepper and cook until softened, about 4–5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook 1 more minute.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the softened cream cheese, stirring until melted and combined. Add spinach and salt and cook until wilted. Stir in the cannellini beans and mix until combined.
- Transfer to an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish (or bake in the skillet) and sprinkle with Parmesan. If making ahead, omit the Parmesan and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Bake 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve warm with your favorite dippers.
Nutrition (approx.)
Serving: 1/10 of recipe | Calories: 337 kcal | Carbs: 9.8 g | Protein: 12.6 g | Fat: 25.2 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
If you enjoy this Cheesy Sausage Bean Dip, please leave a review or photo of your version. Enjoy!