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The cheese melts into a thick, bubbling dip while the sausage gives every scoop a savory bite. I learned not to judge Hissy Fit Dip by the edges alone: they heat first, while the cubes in the middle need a little more time to disappear.

Using both processed cheese and cream cheese gives the dip a smooth, hearty base, and sour cream adds a gentle tang. The diced tomatoes and green chiles go in undrained, so their juices become part of the dip instead of disappearing down the sink.

I brown the sausage separately before it goes into the baking dish, which gives it color and lets me drain off excess fat. A single stir halfway through helps the cheese melt evenly, and a short rest after baking brings everything together into a warm, scoopable dip.

Why One Mid-Bake Stir Makes Such a Difference

A baking dish doesn’t heat every part of a cheese dip at the same pace. The edges warm first, so the cheese around the perimeter may be bubbling while the center still has visible cubes. If you leave the dip untouched from start to finish, the outside can get looser before the middle has fully melted.

Stirring once halfway through moves the hotter, softer cheese from the edges into the center and redistributes the sausage. That gives the cubes in the middle a chance to melt without repeatedly interrupting the baking. After the stir, spread the dip back out in the dish and let the oven finish the job. Look for melted cheese throughout and bubbles around the edges; those cues matter more than expecting every spot to look identical at the same moment.

The dip also benefits from being baked uncovered. You can see the edges as they bubble, and the surface stays easy to stir. It’s a small detail, but it makes the finish much easier to read.

What the Sausage and Cheese Bring to Hissy Fit Dip

• Pork sausage — Mild sausage keeps the dip savory without adding much heat; hot sausage gives it a more pronounced kick. Bulk sausage is convenient because it breaks into small pieces as it browns. If you’re using links, remove the casings before cooking.
• Processed cheese — This is what gives the dip its smooth, cohesive melt. Velveeta is a familiar choice, and another processed cheese made for melting is a better fit here than swapping in an equal amount of shredded cheese.
• Cream cheese — Softening it and cutting it into cubes makes it easier to mix with the other ingredients before baking. Regular cream cheese gives the dip a rich body; reduced-fat versions can make the finished texture less creamy.
• Sour cream — Its tang cuts through the richness of the sausage and cheese. Stir it in with the other ingredients rather than adding it at the end, so it’s distributed through the dip.
• Diced tomatoes and green chiles — Add the can undrained. The juices contribute moisture as the cheese melts, and the green chiles bring a mild, savory warmth. Choose a mild or hotter can to suit your preference.
• Worcestershire sauce and dried seasonings — Worcestershire adds a savory, rounded note, while cumin, parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder season the rich base without adding extra chopping. Dried parsley works well here; fresh herbs aren’t needed for the baked dip.

Brown the Sausage, Then Let the Oven Melt the Dip

Brown the sausage in the skillet

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat and break the pork sausage into small pieces as it cooks. Let the pieces brown rather than rushing them with high heat; cook until browned and cooked through to 160°F. Drain the excess fat before adding the sausage to the baking dish, or that grease can leave an oily layer on top.

Combine everything in the baking dish

Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Add the cooked sausage, cubed processed cheese, softened cubed cream cheese, sour cream, undrained tomatoes and green chiles, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder. Stir until the sausage and seasonings are distributed throughout; the cheese will still be in cubes at this point.

Bake until the cheese melts and the edges bubble

Bake the dish uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through. When you stir, scrape along the edges and fold the softened cheese toward the center. The dip is ready when the cheeses have melted and it’s bubbling around the edges; if you still see unmelted cubes, give it a little more oven time and check again.

Rest, stir, and serve warm

Take the dish out of the oven and let the dip rest for 5 minutes. Give it a final stir to bring the melted cheese and sausage together. Serve it warm while it’s creamy and easy to scoop.

Two Simple Ways to Change the Sausage

Questions That Come Up When Making Hissy Fit Dip

Hissy Fit Dip

Hissy Fit Dip is a baked sausage cheese dip with a creamy, savory texture and a bubbling edge. Brown the sausage, stir it with the cheeses, sour cream, tomatoes and seasonings, then bake until melted.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

resting 5 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Calories: 410

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb pork sausage mild or hot
• 1 lb processed cheese such as Velveeta, cut into cubes
• 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese softened and cut into cubes
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and green chiles undrained
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp dried parsley
• 0.5 tsp onion powder
• 0.5 tsp garlic powder

Equipment

• 1 12-inch skillet
• 1 2 1/2-quart baking dish

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly grease a 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
3. Cook the pork sausage in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked through to 160°F.
4. Drain excess fat from the sausage.
5. Add the sausage, processed cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, diced tomatoes and green chiles, Worcestershire sauce, ground cumin, dried parsley, onion powder, and garlic powder to the prepared baking dish and stir to combine.
6. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the cheeses are melted and the dip is bubbling around the edges.
7. Let the dip rest for 5 minutes.
8. Stir the dip and serve warm.

Notes

For the smoothest dip, cut the cheeses into cubes before adding them to the dish. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the dairy may turn grainy. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat sour cream and cream cheese.