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Make this easy Rotel Dip in just two steps with melty cheese, seasoned meat, and canned tomatoes. Perfect for parties, game day, or anytime you need a quick appetizer.

Why you’ll love this dip
Rotel dip has been around for a long time, but this version adds a few key upgrades to the classic Velveeta-and-Rotel combo. (Do you remember the commercials?).
- Only 5 ingredients
- Serves 12 as an appetizer
- Easy to double for parties
- Can be made in the crockpot or on the Stove-Top
Magic Ingredients for Rotel Cheese Dip
This creamy, meaty dip comes together with just a few pantry staples. Check the recipe card below for exact amounts and instructions.
- Velveeta Cheese – Melts down into a smooth, rich base for the dip.
- Ro-Tel Tomatoes – Two cans (undrained) add flavor, spice, and the perfect consistency.
- Ground Beef – Browned and drained before mixing in.
- Seasonings – A mix of chili powder and garlic powder adds just the right amount of heat.

How to make Rotel Dip:
To make this easy crockpot dip, just brown the ground beef on the stove, then add everything to your slow cooker—cheese, Rotel, and seasonings. Let it cook until melted and creamy. Stir, switch to warm, and serve it right from the crockpot.


Variations
Make this dip your own with a few easy swaps:
- Swap ground beef for Jimmy Dean sausage
- Use mild Rotel or canned diced tomatoes to reduce spice
- Omit beef and add black beans for a meatless version
- Stir in cream cheese for a richer dip

My Serving Tips
We make this dip often, here is how we like to serve it:
- Rotel dip is best served with corn tortilla chips, which can be store-bought or homemade. Here is the recipe I use: Homemade Tortilla Chips Recipe.
- You can also use “Frito” corn chips – buy the larger kind labeled “Fritos Scoops”.
- For a lower-carb or healthier option, you can serve the dip with vegetables such as carrot chips, sugar snap peas, cucumber, or celery.
- If your dip thickens, add a splash of milk.

Featured Comment
“I followed your recipe and it turned out marvelous! My daughter said it was the best rotel dip I have ever made. I think adding the chili powder gave it that extra flavor it needed .
– Lizzie

Rotel Dip Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 16 oz. Velveeta cheese, (the small box)
- 20 oz. Rotel® diced Tomatoes with & Green Chiles, (TWO 10-oz. cans, undrained)
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
For serving
- corn chips
- chopped cilantro, optional
Instructions
Crockpot Instructions
- Set a large skillet over medium high heat on the stove top. Brown and crumble the ground beef, drain the fat.
- Add the cooked ground beef to the slow cooker, cube the velveeta and add on top of the beef.
- Pour over the can of rotel and sprinkle over the chili and garlic powder. Stir.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or until cheese is melted and the dip is hot.
- Tip: Keep the slow cooker on warm and stir occasionally to prevent sticking as it sits.
Stove Top Instructions
- In a large skillet or pot, brown the beef and crumble over medium high heat, drain off fat.
- Add remaining ingredients and let melt together. When warmed, serve and enjoy.
- Note that cooking on the stove top will evaporate more liquid so you may have to add milk to thin the rotel dip.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Other great dip recipes:
- From Crockpot Queso Dip, made with creamy white cheese and green peppers, to Chili Cheese Dip, these crowd-pleasing recipes are perfect for any occasion.
- Bacon Cheeseburger Dip and Velveeta Bean Dip bring bold, cheesy flavors with minimal effort. For a smoky twist, try Slow Cooker Smoked Queso or the rich and savory Slow Cooker Sausage Dip.
- Slow Cooker Nacho Cheese is a must for nacho lovers, offering a smooth, melty texture that’s perfect for dipping. Slow Cooker Taco Dip has a zesty kick that is one of my most popular dips.
Can I use Swiss cheese instead of velveeta?
I don’t know how it would melt, you may need to add milk.
A little late, but you can use a small amount of sodium citrate to give any cheese that velveeta smoothness.
made this for the super bowl, added elbow macaroni to the left over dip the next day….
That is such a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
Great recipe base. I added a couple of different things. When I cooked the hamburger I added a little taco seasoning to it before adding to the crock pot. After it cooked for an hour and 15 minutes and stirred I thought it was missing something else. So, I added 2 cups of triple cheese shredded cheese and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Then finished out the 45 minutes and man that was perfect! Thank you for the easy recipe. Also, with this recipe crock pot liners are your friend super easy clean up.
An all time favor favorite. Originally published in the Crock Pot recipe book that came with the appliance in the 1970’s. Thanks for sharing as I can’t find my pamphlet!
How long on low will this take in a crock pot
The full recipe is in the recipe card. Crock pot and slow cooker are the same thing.
I also use one large can of cream of mushroom it turns out perfect
Can i use a 7 qt slow cooker?
Yes!
Can you use ground turkey
Yes! Or ground chicken.
Thanks
Looks amazing! How long would I bake in the oven?
I’m unsure, I only test my recipes in the slow cooker.
I followed your recipe and it turned out marvelous! My daughter said it was the best rotel dip I have ever made. I think adding the chili powder gave it that extra flavor it needed because in the past I’ve always only done the cheese, meat and one can of rotel and that was it. So thank you so much! I garnished it with pico de gallo and sour cream.