Rotel Dip

Rotel Dip is an easy recipe for classic cheese dip with a spicy kick. This recipe is very popular for many family gatherings, parties, and game-day festivities. This Rotel dip recipe is made with Velveeta Cheese and Rotel Tomatoes. You will love this classic cheesy Rotel dip, it’s always a crowd pleaser.

rotel dip in a bowl and tortilla chips


Rotel Cheese Dip

Rotel cheese dip is a popular appetizer enjoyed for decades. The next time you sit down to watch the big dame why not make the best dip around and grab your favorite chips and dig in and enjoy this Velveeta cheese dip?

It’s party time any time you serve this perfect party dip. Whip up this two-ingredient cheesy dip that has a little bit of a kick during the time it takes for a commercial break. This Rotel dip recipe is sure to become one of your big game party foods.

Do I Really Need to Use Velveeta Cheese?

Velveeta is perfect for melting and is known for its cheesy goodness. Nothing melts quite as good as Velveeta!

If you are looking for an alternative to Velveeta, you can find other processed cheese products in the supermarket. I recommend American cheese you get from the Deli department of your grocery store. It will melt very nicely and will help you create this easy dip recipe.

Modernist Cuisine has a fascinating recipe for using sodium citrate to turn almost any cheese into a creamy sauce for those who prefer to use unprocessed cheese and are willing to turn their kitchen into a science lab.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make Rotel cheese dip:

  • Velveeta Cheese – this is a blend of cheese that makes for a creamy cheese dip.
  • Rotel canned diced tomatoes with chopped green chilies, 1 can of rotel does wonders!

That’s it! Just 2 simple ingredients. Plus a bag of tortilla chips to serve with the dip.

rotel dip ingredients

Recipe Variations

Are you wondering “how can I customize Rotel cheese dip”? Well, it’s easy to do and there are lots of choices.

This is one recipe that begs you to add your own touch. Whether you want to tweak it a little or a lot, there are almost endless options. Here are several that you should try.

  • Add some cooked beans. You can use your favorite Southwestern-style bean recipe or reach for a pre-seasoned canned variety. About 5 ounces of beans, or a third of a standard can of beans, is a good starting point. Feel free to add more or fewer beans based on your preference. I personally love to add some cooked black beans to this recipe.
  • Switch out the variety of Rotel tomatoes you use. With ten different types, there is one that you will love. The lime and cilantro and the serrano chili varieties are particularly delicious in this queso dip.
  • Toss in some meat. This is a great recipe to use up any leftovers you have in your fridge. Try adding ground beef, shredded chicken, ground sausage, or ground turkey prepared with taco seasoning it a perfect addition to the dip. Just make sure to cook the meat before using it in this recipe.
  • Sprinkle on your favorite toppings. Chopped pickled jalapenos are a fantastic addition if you like things a bit on the spicy side; otherwise, stick to milder toppings like sliced chives, green onions, and black olives.

How to Make Rotel Dip

  1. The first thing you must do is cut Velveeta cheese into chunks.
  2. Place cheese and tomatoes in a saucepan over low heat on the stovetop.
    velveeta cheese and rotel tomatoes in a saucepan
  3. Heat until the cheese melts. Stir occasionally to combine melted cheese and tomatoes.
    rotel dip in a saucepan
  4. Serve hot dip with tortilla chips, fresh vegetables like carrot or celery sticks, or even some bagel chips.
bowl of rotel dip beside tortilla chips

Tips for Making and Storing Rotel Cheese Dip

  • Make in the microwave. Place all the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl and heat on high for 4 minutes. Remove from the microwave carefully; it will be hot. Stir well. Heat for one additional minute and stir. Continue heating in 1-minute increments until the cheese melts.
  • Make in a slow cooker. Spray the insert of the slow cooker with oil to help keep the cheese from sticking. Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and set it on low for 2 hours. Cover and stir after an hour. This nacho cheese dip has the perfect consistency when made in your crockpot.
  • Serve hot. Keep the queso dip warm by using a mini slow cooker set to warm setting or a fondue set.
  • Throw away any Velveeta Rotel dip you served. You can store unserved Rotel cheese dip for 4-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. If you add meat to the Rotel dip recipe, you should eat it within two days.

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I hope you enjoy this recipe! It has to be one of the easiest dips you can prepare. This is one of the cheesy dips that make frequent appearances at my house.

rotel dip with a tortilla chip in it

More Cheese Dip Recipes

Here are a few additional cheese dips you must try:

Great Wings for Game Day

Some tasty recipes for chicken wings to make and enjoy while watching the game:

Check out more of my easy dip recipes and the best game day food here on CopyKat!

rotel dip in a bowl and tortilla chips

Rotel Dip

Everyone loves Rotel Cheese dip! This easy appetizer is great for parties and game day.
4.88 from 8 votes
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Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Rotel, Rotel Cheese Dip, Rotel Dip
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 175kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Velveeta Cheese
  • 10 ounces Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

Instructions

  • Cut Velveeta cheese into cubes.
  • Place cheese cubes and tomatoes in a saucepan over low heat.
  • Heat until cheese melts, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve hot with tortilla corn chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 1203mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 800IU | Vitamin C: 4.4mg | Calcium: 449mg | Iron: 0.6mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle Anson

    4 stars
    I only recently discovered that Rotel also makes a MILD version of their amazing tomatoes and peppers. It’s just as fantastic as ‘regular’ Rotel, just less spicy, for those of us with older teeth that can actually burn when in the vicinity of jalapenos. LOL, BUT…
    I don’t understand how it can be any sort of “Queso” or nacho dip using Velveeta (AMERICAN) cheese. I’ve made it that way but it never tasted right.
    Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup works great, or I use Ragu’s Double Cheddar pasta sauce. Sometimes I’ll use the pasta sauce and a bit of Velveeta, if the Cheddar is really biting – the American cheese flavor of the Velveeta sort of smooths the edges off the bite of the Cheddar.

    It’s the closest thing I’ve found to the flavor of ‘commercial’ nacho cheese (think ball games) without resorting to buying one of those institutional sized cans that they actually use at the ballfield! (I’ve done that too – my quest for “real” nacho cheese sauce has been long term.)

  2. Nealla St. Clair

    5 stars
    This recipe is even better if you replace the Velveeta with 2 cans Campbell’s Nacho Cheese Soup. If you want less spice, you may substitute 2 cans Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup.

    • Jane Wilcox

      We did that in college ages ago. Velveeta took up too much space. Two cans of stuff, no problem. That was before microwaves, we used a hot pot or what looked like a pyrex coffee pot on a small burner.

  3. melissa

    add a dash of cumin for a really great taste. also i use hot sausage and fry and drain add to cheese dip along with can of mushrooms. if you dont like sausage you can add black pepper. changes the whole taste… hope you will try this.

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