Football season is in full swing. At every part you will find decadent dips – usually loaded with cheese. This doesn’t work in my lactose free world, so I set out to make a creamy, rich, melty appetizer with my favorite cheese tricks.
This Italian Sausage Dip isn’t Dairy free so I have to exercise self control to not overdo, but a little goes a long way when you use a fiber rich veggie for dipping. My favorite is very lightly grilled zucchini slices that are still crisp enough to handle a heavy dip.
But, truth be told, even though this was meant to be an appetizer – Trevor ate most of this as a main meal over zucchini noodles.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbs Olive Oil
- 1/2 Sweet Onion, diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 lb Ground Chicken Italian Sausage
- 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 can Petite Diced Roasted Tomatoes
- 1 Roasted Red Pepper, diced (from a jar or homemade)
- 4 ounces Lactose Free Cream Cheese, cubed
- 4 ounces Buffalo Mozzarella, sliced
Instructions:
- Preheat broiler to 500 degrees and coat a small casserole dish with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook about 5 minutes until soft. Then, add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Add sausage to the skillet, breaking up with a wooden spoon until cooked through. Drain excess fat from pan.
- Stir in tomato, red pepper, Italian seasoning and cream cheese until combined and cheese is melted.
- Transfer to a casserole dish and top with sliced mozzarella. Place under broiler until top is bubbly and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.*
- Serve warm with your choice of dippers (zucchini, celery, gluten free bread or crackers).
*If you want to make this ahead – allow the mixture to cool, cover, and refrigerate. When ready to serve bake at 350 degrees for 15 until warmed through and then place under the broiler for about 5 minutes until bubbly.
