Recipes and Cooking Slow Cooker Rio Grande Dip 5.0 (2) Add your rating & review This easy dip recipe simmers in your slow cooker with you finish the rest of the menu. Italian sausage and refried black beans make this slightly spicy slow cooker appetizer hearty, too. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Published on June 14, 2011 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs Total Time: 3 hrs 20 mins Servings: 16 Yield: 8 cups Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 8 ounce bulk Italian sausage 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 15 ounce cans refried black beans 1 ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (6 ounces) 1 ½ cup bottled salsa 1 4 ounce can diced green chile peppers, undrained Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional) Scoop-shape tortilla chips and/or corn chips Directions In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium-high heat until meat is brown. Drain off fat. Transfer meat mixture to a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in refried beans, the 1 1/2 cups cheese, the salsa, and chile peppers. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours or on high-heat setting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir well before serving. If desired, keep warm in the slow cooker on low-heat setting for up to 2 hours. If desired, sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve dip with tortilla and/or corn chips. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 70 Calories 4g Fat 5g Carbs 4g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 16 Calories 70 % Daily Value * Total Fat 4g 5% Saturated Fat 2g 10% Cholesterol 10mg 3% Sodium 279mg 12% Total Carbohydrate 5g 2% Total Sugars 1g Protein 4g *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.