Rotel dip blends hearty taco-seasoned ground beef, creamy Velveeta cheese, and Rotel tomatoes with chiles! It combines to make an amazing game day dip to satisfy your queso cravings! All you need is a bag of tortilla chips!
The perfect game-day dip for a crowd! Serve with crispy tortilla chips and other game-day favorites, like my air fryer frozen chicken hot wings!
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Who doesn’t love Rotel Dip? It’s super cheesy and loaded with incredible Tex-Mex flavor that everyone loves!
I brown lean ground beef and mix it with creamy Velveeta and Rotel—delicious diced tomatoes and green chiles that make the dip extremely flavorful.
My Rotel dip is perfect for almost any occasion! It's great for parties, potlucks, game days, or even holiday appetizer spreads!
The kids will love the delicious gooey cheese!
If you love RoTel, try my Chicken Spaghetti With RoTel! It's an easy dinner recipe the whole family will enjoy!
🥘 Ingredients
This dip will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters! You can use store-bought taco mix or make my super simple homemade taco seasoning recipe.
- Ground Beef – 1 pound of ground beef. You can use lean ground beef here for a lighter dip! I like an 85/15 or 90/10 blend of lean-to-fat, so the dip isn’t too greasy.
- Taco Seasoning Mix (optional) – 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning. As stated above, you can either use store-bought or make my easy homemade taco spice mix recipe. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make taco seasoning—plus, you can make extras for any time you want more Rotel dip or tacos! Or omit the seasoning entirely; it's up to you!
- RoTel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles – 1 10-ounce can of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles. These tomatoes and chiles have so much delicious flavor! You should drain the can of tomatoes so you don’t water down the dip.
- Velveeta Cheese – 8 ounces of Velveeta is perfect for Rotel dip! It stays creamy and has the perfect cheesy flavor. Cube the Velveeta into 1-inch chunks for the best results!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
📖 Variations
- Spice it up - If desired, you can add a freshly chopped jalapeno or canned diced jalapeños to the Rotel dip to add a little extra spice!
- Sausage Rotel Dip - If you’re not a fan of ground beef, you can also use 1 pound of ground sausage (or ground turkey) for the Rotel dip! Just make sure to drain all the extra fat off before adding the other ingredients.
- Add some stir-ins - You can also add extras like diced onion, extra cheese, chopped cilantro, corn, or anything you love in your Rotel dip! The possibilities are endless and always delicious!
🔪 How To Make Cheesy Rotel Dip
This is seriously the easiest dip you’ll ever make! It takes just 20 minutes, browning the ground beef most of the cooking time! You'll need your measuring utensils, a can opener, a skillet, and a spatula to get started.
This recipe makes 12 servings of dip, so it's perfect for parties!
- Brown ground beef. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown 1 pound (453.59 grams) of ground beef, making sure to chop up the meat finely with a spatula or wooden spoon as it browns. When it’s fully cooked through, drain the excess fat off as much as you can and return to heat.
- Add taco seasoning (optional). To the ground beef, add 2 tablespoons (5 grams) of store-bought or homemade taco seasoning and stir until well incorporated.
- Add Rotel. Next, add 10 ounces (283.5 grams or 1 can) of drained Rotel diced tomatoes with green chiles to the ground beef and stir. (Here is where you can add in optional jalapeños for extra spice or other add-ins.)
- Melt the Velveeta. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add 8 ounces (226.8 grams) of cubed Velveeta cheese. Stir continuously until all the cheese has melted and everything is well combined. You can reduce the heat to low if the dip starts sticking or burning. When everything is melted, serve hot and enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Cheese Alternatives: If Velveeta isn't your preference, try using 8 ounces of full-fat cream cheese combined with 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese for a rich and flavorful alternative.
- Consistency Awareness: Initially, the Rotel dip may appear thin but thickens as it cools. Avoid adding extra Velveeta to prevent the dip from becoming too thick.
- Adjusting Thickness: If your Rotel dip becomes overly thick, gradually thin it out by adding a tablespoon of milk until you reach the desired consistency.
- Slow Cooker Method: You can prepare Rotel dip in a slow cooker. Start by browning the ground beef in a skillet, then transfer it with the other ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the dip is melted and smooth. Keep it warm in the slow cooker if needed.
- Creative Use of Leftovers: Leftover dip is versatile and can be repurposed in various ways. Use it as a topping for pasta, rice, tacos, or over tortilla chips with additional toppings to create the ultimate nachos.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
If you do happen to have any leftover Rotel dip, it’ll keep in your fridge for about a week! Make sure it’s stored in an airtight storage container for the best quality.
Freezing
Transfer the cooled dip to an airtight container and place a layer of plastic cling film over the top, pressing the film down on top of the dip. Put on the lid, and freeze for up to 2 months! It’s perfect for Super Bowl Sunday!
Reheating
I think the best way to reheat this Rotel dip is on the stove! Transfer the dip to a saucepan or skillet and warm over low heat until the dip is steaming and heated all the way through!
You can also use the microwave, however! Cover the microwave-safe container you’re reheating the dip in with a paper towel and use short 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until it’s melted and heated all the way through.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
If the Rotel dip isn’t being kept warm (held at 135° F (57° C) according to USDA guidelines) in a chafing dish or slow cooker, then it can only sit out for 2 hours maximum. After this, the dairy will start to spoil—so make sure everyone eats it quickly!
You decide according to your spice preference! If serving a lot of guests, I would recommend using mild or medium and then having options for hot sauce or chopped jalapeños for a little kick.
Velveeta is a processed cheese made from whey concentrate and milk protein and flavored like cheddar cheese. So, it’s not technically cheese, but because of the processing, Velveeta is the perfect melting consistency for a dip like my Rotel dip! If you’d like to stay away from the Velveeta—I have a substitution listed above!
🫕 🥒 😋 More Tasty Dip Recipes
- Dill Pickle Dip - Potato chips and crisp veggie sticks taste wonderful in this pickle-flavored dip!
- Sour Cream Chip Dip - This easy sour cream chip dip makes a delicious appetizer for any occasion!
- Buffalo Chicken Dip - Zesty buffalo sauce, tender chunks of chicken, and creamy creamed cheese come together to make this delectable dip!
- Tuna Dip - Tuna dip makes a tasty snack or light lunch with some crackers!
- Cream Cheese Salsa Dip - The perfect appetizer for any Mexican or Tex-Mex-inspired meal!
- French Onion Dip - French onion dip is always a crowd favorite. Everybody loves it!
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📖 Recipe Card
Cheesy Rotel Dip
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 tablespoon taco seasoning mix (optional - see recipe or use your favorite brand)
- 10 oz RoTel diced tomatoes with green chilies (drained)
- 8 oz Velveeta cheese (cubed into 1 inch chunks)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the 1 lb ground beef. Drain the excess fat off.
- Add the optional 2 tablespoon taco seasoning mix, and mix it into the browned beef.
- Add the whole can of drained 10 oz RoTel diced tomatoes with green chilies to the ground beef.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, add the cubed 8 oz Velveeta cheese.
- Stir until all the cheese has melted and well combined. Garnish as desired and serve.
Notes
- Not a fan of Velveeta? Try using 8 ounces of full-fat cream cheese and 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese instead!
- The Rotel dip will start out kind of thin but will thicken up generously as it cools! It’s important not to add extra Velveeta for this reason! You don’t want it to become too thick!
- If the Rotel dip does get too thick, you can thin out the dip with a tablespoon of milk at a time until it is the desired consistency.
- You can make Rotel dip in the slow cooker! Start by browning the ground beef in a skillet, then add the beef and other ingredients to the slow cooker. Set to low and cook for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the dip is melted and completely smooth. Serve the dip immediately or turn on the warm setting and keep it in the slow cooker.
- Leftover dip can be used in a variety of ways! Try as a topping for pasta, rice, tacos, or over tortilla chips with extra toppings for the best nachos ever!
Anonymous says
Thank you. Love this dip. And it's easy!
James B Spoonhoward III says
I checked your recipe to see if I had the correct ingredients to make this over the weekend and I think I need to point out a mistake you made. You put "2oz" of taco seasoning but I think you meant "2tablespoons" 2 ounces of taco seasoning is enough for a few batches of this in my opinion.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thanks James! It's updated in the recipe and post now. 🙂