If you’re looking for a new warm dip to serve at your next party, this is it.

The flavors meld together beautifully in this cheesy, warm dip. Cut a baguette into slices, lightly oil them, and then toast until crisp and lightly browned. This is perfect for entertaining and can be made in advance up to the point of baking. It is always one of the first dishes to go!

The Ingredients You Will Need

There are no exotic ingredients in this wonderful dip, and it can be adapted to your own tastes, if desired. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

Oil – Olive oil or vegetable oil, for sautéing.
Onion – Finely chopped.
Garlic – Minced.
Italian sausage – Hot or sweet. We usually prefer sweet Italian sausage, but the hot works really well in this dip. You can also go with ground turkey Italian sausage.
White wine – Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc are two great choices. We don’t recommend cooking wine. If you don’t want to cook with wine, substitute chicken or vegetable broth.
Seasonings – Dried oregano, smoked paprika, and salt.
Cream cheese – Softened to room temperature.
Spinach – Fresh, mature spinach is best. Baby spinach is a fine substitute. Frozen can be used in a pinch. Allow it to fully thaw and then squeeze all excess liquid out of it.
White beans – Canned is just fine. Cannellini or Great Northern beans are wonderful options.
Sun-dried tomatoes – In oil, drained, and then julienned or roughly chopped.
Mozzarella – Shredded.
Parmesan cheese – Grated.
Toasted crostinis – For serving. See NOTES.

EXPERT TIP: When using fresh spinach, be sure to rinse it thoroughly first. Dirt and grit will cling to the spinach, even if the bag says it’s been washed. Also, give the leaves a rough chop. They will reduce in size while simmering with the other ingredients.

Tips for Making the Perfect Sausage, Spinach, and White Bean Dip

Use Top-Notch Ingredients – Go with quality. Use high-quality Italian sausage, fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese for the best flavor and texture. Don’t use cooking white wine.

Use White Beans – White beans add creaminess and protein to the dip, and pair well with the Italian sausage. Cannelloni or Great Northern are excellent choices.

Bake Until Bubbly and Golden – Bake the dip until it’s bubbly and golden brown on top, which will give it a nice crispy texture and melt the cheese. Let the dip rest for a few minutes, but definitely serve it piping hot.

EXPERT TIP: Intermingle the shredded mozzarella with the grated parmesan. You can even combine them in a separate bowl and then top the dip with it. Be sure to go with good-quality cheese!

How To Serve

As mentioned, this dip is definitely best served warm.

We slice up a baguette and then lightly oil each slice and then toast (directly on the grates) until brown and crisp. This can be done 24 hours in advance. Chips and crackers are great to serve with it, too.

Serve the dip directly from the baking dish and provide cocktail plates and a large spoon so guests can get as much as they desire.

EXPERT TIP: The dip can be prepared all the way up to baking one or two days in advance. Cover and keep in the fridge. About 30 minutes before baking, remove it from the fridge and then bake it just before guests arrive.

Other Amazing Party Appetizer Recipes to Try and Serve

If you want to take your next party to the next level, try a combination of any of these scrumptious recipes:

Southern Crab Beignets

Homemade French Onion Soup
Bacon Parmesan Gougères (Puff Balls)
Creamy Basil and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip with Artichokes
Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms
Grilled Oysters with Roasted Tomato Compound Butter
Steamed Veggie Dumplings
Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls

Ultimate Hot Bacon and Cheddar Dip

These are all, hands-down, some of the best party appetizers you will ever make and serve. But, in the meantime, isn’t this dip catching your eye?

There is just something timeless about a delicious warm dip to serve at social gatherings.

This one is a little different, but it is always such a huge hit.

One word of warning: be prepared, guests will be asking you for the recipe. We’ve got your back!

Ready to make the best dip on the block? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Sausage, Spinach and White Bean Dip

This Sausage, Spinach and White Bean Dip is perfect for parties. It has just enough heat to give it a nice zip. Serve with toasted baguette slices, or pita chips. Really good!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Resting time5 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 289kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Equipment

• 1 2 quart baking dish or 8x8" or 9x9" baking dish.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for greasing the dish
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage casings removed, if links
• ½ cup dry white wine
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
• 4 oz fresh spinach washed, stems removed, and roughly chopped
• 1 15 oz can white beans drained
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, chopped (can also use 1 cup chopped tomato)
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
• Toasted crostinis or crackers for serving

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Use a paper towel to grease the baking dish with the softened butter.
  1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion until just starting to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds. Crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook it, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until fully cooked and no longer pink. Drain excess grease, if necessary.
  2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 onion, 4 garlic cloves, 1 lb hot Italian sausage
• Stir in wine, oregano, salt, and paprika. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated.
  ½ cup dry white wine, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• Add cream cheese and stir until melted.
  8 oz cream cheese
• Stir in spinach, beans, and tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until spinach is wilted.
  4 oz fresh spinach, 1 15 oz can white beans, 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• Transfer to a greased 8-inch square (or 1½ quart) baking dish.
• Sprinkle with the two cheeses.
  1 cup mozzarella cheese, ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• Bake until bubbly and lightly golden on top, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve with toasted crostinis and/or crackers.
  Toasted crostinis or crackers

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 

We recommend using fresh, mature spinach, rather than baby spinach. Although baby spinach will work okay. If using frozen, let it completely thaw and then squeeze as much of the liquid out as possible. 

The dip can be fully assembled up to 2 days in advance (up to baking). Cover and keep in the fridge. About 30 minutes before baking it, take it out of the fridge and uncover it. Bake until bubbly and golden. 

Leftovers are delicious and can be reheated in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.  They will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 350mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 369IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 2mg

POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in December 2016, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography and a fabulous new video in November 2023!