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If you’re looking for the ultimate easy game day appetizer, you can’t go wrong with Rotel Dip Recipe! Just 3 ingredients – Velveeta, Rotel, and sausage – a little heat, and a whole lot of cheesy goodness. This Velveeta Cheese Dip with Sausage is always the first thing gone at parties, right alongside Buffalo Chicken Dip and Velveeta Queso Blanco Dip.
Why You’ll Love This Game Day Recipe
⭐️ Only 3-Ingredients – Velvetta, Rotel, and sausage.
⭐️ Quick and Easy – Ready in under 15 minutes.
⭐️ Crowd Favorite – Best Rotel Dip With Sausage for game day snacks, tailgates, or family-get togethers.
⭐️ Multiple Cooking Methods – stovetop and slow cooker instructions.
Looking for more game day dips? Try my Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip or Velveeta Chili Cheese Dip.
Table of Contents
Rotel Dip Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
For this Velvetta Cheese Dip you only need three ingredients – that’s it!
- Velvetta Cheese – the creamy, melty base for this dip.
- Rotel Original diced tomatoes – Rotel Tomatoes, are petite diced tomatoes with green chilis and spices. I also love using them in my Easy Cheesy Potato Casserole for a little kick! There’s so much you can do with can Rotel!
- Sausage – pork sausage ( I like spicy the best and love it in my Sausage Balls, too!
TIP: If you like spicy recipes, you can also add in some green chiles as well as an extra can of rotel tomatoes. Some people even add in some taco seasoning for a little bit of extra flavor.
Variations
- Rotel Cheese Dip with Ground Beef – change up the sausage with lean ground beef for a milder version of this easy Rotel dip, or try ground turkey.
- Rotel Dip with Cream Cheese – you can substitute cream cheese for the Velvetta cheddar cheese in this recipe.
- Serve with veggies – Leave the chips in the bag and use chopped-up veggies to serve with this dip instead.
How To Make Rotel Dip
Stovetop Method:
- Brown the Sausage: Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat until browned.
- Add the Ingredients: Stir in the Rotel tomatoes and cheese, mixing them with the browned sausage.
- Melt the Cheese: Continue cooking on low heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese is fully melted and smooth.
Pro Tip: This dip is just as delicious made in the crockpot buffalo chicken dip style — slow cooker set-and-forget convenience!
Serve with tortilla chips, veggies, or even over baked potatoes. For a full Tex-Mex spread, pair it with Black Bean and Corn Salsa and Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips.
Slow Cooker Method (Game Day Favorite!)
- Brown sausage: Cook it separately on the stovetop.
- Combine Ingredients: Add sausage, Velveeta cubes, and Rotel to a slow cooker.
- Cook: Cook on LOW for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally. Switch to warm to keep dip ready all day.
Serving Suggestions
- Tortilla chips
- Crackers
- Pretzel bites
- Fresh veggies like celery or bell peppers
Try spooning leftovers over a Perfect Baked Potato or using it as a nacho topping!
Frequently Asked Questions
Classic Rotel Dip has just 3 ingredients: Velveeta cheese, Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, and ground sausage. That’s it!
Rotel Dip gets its creamy, smooth texture from Velveeta cheese. Unlike shredded cheese, Velveeta melts evenly without separating, giving the dip that silky, rich consistency everyone loves. If you want it even creamier, you can stir in a little cream cheese or a splash of milk to adjust the thickness. You’ll notice a similar effect in my Homemade Mac and Cheese.
No – traditional Rotel Dip doesn’t require cream cheese. But adding it makes the dip extra thick and creamy, so it’s a great variation if you want more richness. A little richer like my Million Dollar Chicken Casserole.
Skip the flour! To thicken naturally, add more Velveeta, stir in cream cheese, or let the dip cook a little longer so excess liquid evaporates.
More Delicious Dip Recipes
Appetizers & Snacks
Crock Pot Sausage Cheese Dip
Appetizers & Snacks
Queso Dip
Appetizers & Snacks
Million Dollar Dip
Appetizers & Snacks
Creamy and Cheesy Refried Bean Dip
Rotel Dip is one of those family favorite dip recipes you’ll come back to again and again. Simple, quick, and always a hit. For more crowd-pleasers, don’t miss my full roundup of easy crock pot appetizer recipes.
Rotel Dip
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Velveeta
- 10 ounce Rotel
- 1 pound sausage
Instructions
- Brown sausage in a skillet on the stove.
- Add Rotel tomatoes and cheese to the skillet with the sausage.
- Continue to cook on low, stirring often until the cheese is melted.
- Serve with cut-up veggies, crackers, or tortilla chips!
Video
Notes
- Sausage Options – Use regular, spicy, or Italian sausage. Ground beef or turkey also work well.
- Velveeta Substitutes – If you don’t have Velveeta, try cream cheese + shredded cheddar or Colby Jack.
- Spice Level – Choose mild, original, or hot Rotel depending on preference. Add diced jalapeños for extra heat.
- Slow Cooker Tip – After melting, keep dip warm in the slow cooker on low or warm – perfect for parties and game day.
- Thinner Dip Fix – If dip is too thick, stir in a splash of milk or cream until it reaches your desired consistency.
I lost my original Rotel recipe which also called for wocestershire sauce & cumin. Can u tell me the amounts please. Thank you.
Can you use ground beef instead of sausage?
sure! That would be a great idea!
I lost my original Rotel recipe which also called for wocestershire sauce & cumin. Can u tell me the amounts please. Thank you.
I made this for my boyfriends family and it was a hit! I was told I should have made one more pan :). I used sweet Italian Turkey sausage instead of beef or pork since I don’t eat that. Still delicious! I also used mild and chunky rotel tomatoes because they didn’t have original. It was still super good.
Thank you! We’re so glad it was a hit!
Swap out velvetta and use 8 oz cream cheese. Also Turkey sausage a better choice. Peggy
Very good recipe
What measurement is 1 serving? My daughter loves this dip but is Type 1 diabetic.
Hi Jill! My son is also T1D, so I speak from years of counting-carb experience 😉. Allow your daughter to have 1/4 to 1/3 cup and treat her only for the carbs in the chips or crackers that she eats with it. This dip would be extremely low carb unless you would use a sweet sausage or some other sweet ingredient that is not listed in Kasey’s recipe. I hope your daughter enjoys it!
Can you use just diced tomatoes instead of Rotel?
That’s what i do. Family hates rotel.
I put some tube biscuits in oven and use the dip as “Gravy” biscuits and gravy! I’m from Texas and my family LOVES this at dinner! Yes, it’s very redneck, but they have no idea how hard I’ve slaved over this yummy dinner!
Top 5 Rotel dips!!! Had these for Superbowl. They were a huge hit. Especially when we decided to dip
Sweet and savory bacon crackers in this Rotel dip. The bacon crackers are almost as easy as the Rotel dip. Cut cracker size bacon strips and put on cracker. Sprinkle Cajun rub, brown sugar, and red pepper flake and bake. This combo was amazing!!! I’ll be making them together from now on!!!
I have made this for years, but I leave out the sausage. Everyone loves it!
Your picture shows 32oz of velveeta, but recipe says 16oz. How many servings is it with the 16oz?
How can I fix it if it is to runny
Let it come closer to room temp. The hotter it is, the less it is set up.
Do you serve this warm or cold?
Do you drain the Rotel?
No need to drain the Rotel. The little bit of liquid in the can will be absorbed by the sausage.
What if my dip starts getting clumpy?
REheat it and you’ll be good! Or keep it in a crock pot. 🙂
I use one cream of mushroom soup and add Worcestershire sauce to the meat that you cook in the skillet before you put it in the crockpot it is delicious
DELICIOUS. VERY EASY TO MAKE
There is no video
This is was a great recipe I will be looking forward to making it again in the near future.
Can I use cube cheese instead of Velveeta cheese?
Not cheddar as it will just be clumpy and stringy. Velveeta is creamy and smooth and melts completely.