Rotel Dip

By Lidey Heuck

Published June 13, 2024

Rotel Dip
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(125)
Notes
Read community notes

Named for its core ingredient, Ro*Tel, a Texan brand of canned tomatoes and chiles, this dip is a variation of chile con queso that often includes ground beef. It’s a pantry-friendly appetizer made in one skillet, and cooks up in just 15 minutes. While the recipe title refers to the spicy tomatoes, the key ingredient is the processed cheese, typically Velveeta, which gives the dip a luxuriously creamy texture. If you prefer not to use processed cheese, a combination of cream cheese and mild Cheddar may be used instead (see Tip). The flavor and texture will be slightly different, but the tomatoes and chiles will still shine through. And there’s a mild heat, even with the addition of chili powder. For more of a kick, use a “hot” variation of canned tomatoes and chiles, up the chili powder to taste or add a pinch of cayenne to the dip as it cooks.

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Ingredients

Yield:3⅔ cups (about 8 servings)
  • 1tablespoon olive oil
  • 1pound ground beef
  • 1(1-pound) block processed cheese, such as Velveeta (see Tip)
  • 1(10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, such as Ro*Tel Original
  • ¼teaspoon chili powder, plus more for serving
  • Thinly sliced scallions, for serving
  • Tortilla chips, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

682 calories; 63 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 22 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 914 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high. Add the beef and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon until browned and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Decrease the heat to medium and add the cheese, tomatoes and chiles with their juices, and the chili powder. Cook, breaking up the block of cheese with a spoon, until the dip is smooth and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Serve hot, sprinkled with chili powder and scallions, and with tortilla chips for dipping.

Tip
  • If you prefer not to use processed cheese, you can substitute 8 ounces cream cheese and 8 ounces shredded mild Cheddar cheese (preferably yellow.) To make this substitution, add the cream cheese with the tomatoes and chiles in Step 2, along with ¾ teaspoon salt. Cook until the cream cheese is melted and incorporated, then add the shredded cheese and cook, stirring until just melted.

Ratings

4 out of 5
125 user ratings
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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Christi

Use a breakfast sausage like Jimmy Dean. Use 2 cans of Rotel if you're using the large block. Place "cheese" and Rotel in crockpot. Once melted, add sausage. Heat until ready to dip. That's it. From Texas

Jon

A well-known trick to making any cheese melty like Velveeta is to combine sodium citrate with the cheese and liquids, using about 3% of the weight of the cheese and liquids as the measurement for the amount of sodium citrate. So in this recipe, with 1 pound of Velveeeta, you could use 1 pound of cheddar instead. That 1 pound of cheddar is 454 grams, and 3% of 454 grams is about 13 grams, so use 13g of sodium citrate. It's a great way to use up extra cheese from the warehouse store!

Ann

This is overdoing it, Velveeta and Rotel is all that is needed!

Vicky

Criminy, do not use olive oil. Meat is gonna be greasy or have liquid that you'll need to drain off. You'll need 2 cans of Ro-Tel with that 1-pound block of Velveeta. Consider, instead of ground beef, a roll of Jimmy Dean or similar spicy breakfast sausage, browned and well-drained. Sincerely, from a veteran Texas queso cook.

Leigh

Mine is even easier. Melt the Velveeta in the microwave, then stir in the Rotel, then heat it all up for about a minute. You're done. Back in my college days, this was Sunday night dinner, because food service was closed and we could make it in a popcorn popper. Now that I'm older, the microwave is a big improvement, and I use one can of Rotel for a small (not large) Velveeta box. This is football watching food!

Kace

In west Texas, we use Jimmy Dean’s hot sausage and not ground beef, but otherwise this recipe is the backbone of my childhood culinary memories.

Nancy

Aldi's has a product called Cheesy Melt. It's taste and ingredients are far superior to Velveeta at about half the price.

mary

All you need is the Velveeta and Rotel to make the most authentic Tex-Mex queso ever. No need to make it more complicated.

LHS from STL

No meat needed! Just the yummy messy cheesiness. It MUST be made in a crock-pot and served with Fritos scoops. Perfect for New Year's Day.

Heath

This was a ‘70s weeknight treat in my Memphis house growing up - but my mother kept it much simpler, as I do now: one can of Rotel, a diced block of Velveta, and a microwavable bowl. Heat in short increments, stirring periodically, until it’s creamy and delicious.

kathy

Chorizo instead of ground beef

Lynn

In southern Ohio, we use Jimmy Dean hot sausage, too. We don't add chili powder.

Annette

Made gallons of this stuff in college. No meat, just cheese and Ro*Tel. And chopped up pickle jalapeños from trip to Mexico at first of semester. Used a double boiler.

Laura

Can you leave out the meat?

kateb

I've been making this for years (I'm in Texas), but have never heard of subbing cream cheese and cheddar, July 4th, here I come!

Michael

I tried this with ground hot sausage and Velveeta and it was so salty as to be inedible. It totally put me off of trying it again.

Wendy

The Ro*Tel label says two cans per big brick of Velveeta which has been cut into 1 inch cubes. Make it as fancy as you want, but this is really all you need. Oh—get some “stand up” tortilla chips that can withstand dragging them through the queso. And seeing this “recipe” on this site made my heart giggle.

Bob

Sorry, this is gross. There are hundreds of better salsas than Rotel. Velveeta has the texture of melted rubber with some grease thrown in. There are lots of good cheese and salsa dips but this isn't one of them.

tristan

Made the recipe as written and here are my thoughts. Quite bland as a finished product, really had to jack up the chili powder content for any sort of flavor and topped with some crushed red pepper flakes as well. Olive oil and browned beef made for a lot of fat. I ended up draining quite a bit off before adding the cheese and rotel. Ended up getting a lot of compliments though with those changes!

Lyn

I add mild ground Italian sausage to mine- it's DELICIOUS- game changer.

Alison

Bless NYT Cooking’s heart for trying to make Rotel Dip into a “recipe.” And preparing it in a cast iron skillet and garnishing it with fresh scallions and all. The rules of Rotel Dip are simple and finite: 1. All ingredients must come directly from a can, box or plastic tube, and B. It must be prepared in a microwave (for self/household) or crock pot (for cumpny).

Char

Queso - We’ve always just called this queso in Texas, which means cheese in Spanish. It’s never called Rotel dip or cheese dip. Here’s a no-fail recipe that I’ve used for years. Put it in a crockpot for parties. 2 lb velveeta (store brand is fine) 1 can cream of mushroom soup Milk to thin 1 can of Rotel (store brand is fine) 1 lb hamburger with 1 pkg taco seasoning 8 oz can of Hatch chopped green chilies, medium heat Melt, stir well, serve.

Kathi

This has been a staple in our house for decades. We do not add any beef, just the velvets and rotel. Add other spices if you want. My mom used to make it every Christmas Eve in a crock pot with loads of tortillas chips. Always a favorite.

Carol McT

We add all kinds of things, depending on the mood. It’s a good way to get in some vegetables. It’s a lot of glunky Velveeta, but it’s a treat once in a while.

nicole

Y’all, use equal parts Velveeta (for texture) and cheddar (for flavor), and chorizo instead of ground beef.

Firedog 49, San Antonio, TX

This is an ubiquitous dish in Texas served at Youth Groups, Church gatherings, pot lucks, picnics, wakes, receptions, and similar events. There are thousands of variations, with one of the best using Mexican Chorizo or a decent breakfast sausage instead of the ground meat. It is one of the reasons many Texans owned and kept fondue pots as long as they did.

Alice

I thought I made this up! Lol. I add canned refried beans just becasue I like them and think they work well with the 'cheese', tomaotes and beef. I haven't subbed sausage but it sounds yummy so will give it a try the next time I make this.

Mary Young

As others have said, the ratio is one can Rotel per 8 oz cheese. And it does work to use 8 oz Velveeta and 8 oz of cheddar/jack or 8 oz cream cheese and 8 oz cheddar. Meat or sausage is not added in the dip unless you make a separate “layered” dip with meat, queso and guacamole. 47 years in Texas!

Denise

We call this dip Qey-so in TX.

Leslie

Grew up in Texas and made it often. Added meat isn’t necessary. I block of Velveeta, 1 can of Rotel (drain some of the liquid), a splash of milk to add some creaminess. Heat and eat. That’s it!

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