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Whether you’re gearing up for game day, hosting a backyard barbecue, or need an effortless holiday party appetizer, this classic Rotel Dip is always the first dish to disappear. Made with just 3 simple ingredients—creamy Velveeta cheese, savory browned sausage, and zesty Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies—it melts into the ultimate rich, scoopable party dip in only 15 minutes.
Why This Recipe Works
With just 3 pantry staples (Velveeta, canned Rotel, and browned breakfast sausage), this crowd-pleasing dip comes together in 15 minutes on the stovetop or slow-cooks hands-free in a Crockpot. It keeps warm for hours without separating, making it the ultimate no-fuss appetizer for parties, tailgates, and holiday gatherings.
Planning a Party Menu? Complete your game day spread by pairing this with our famous Million Dollar Dip, Buffalo Chicken Dip, and Frito Pie Casserole. Browse our full collection of Easy Party Dips & Appetizers for more crowd-pleasing finger foods!
Why We’ve Made This Dip for 15+ Years
If there’s one recipe that has made an appearance at nearly every single tailgate, birthday party, and holiday get-together at our house over the past 15 years, it’s this classic 3-ingredient Rotel Dip.
What I love most about it (besides how outrageously good it tastes) is that it’s completely stress-free. There’s no fancy grating, no long list of spices, and no complicated steps. Just three simple grocery staples you can keep in your pantry and fridge for whenever company drops by.
Whether you’re feeding a house full of hungry teenagers, bringing an appetizer to a neighborhood potluck, or just craving the ultimate warm, cheesy comfort food, this recipe never lets me down. I hope your family loves it just as much as mine does!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
For this Velveeta Cheese Dip you only need three ingredients – that’s it!
- Velveeta 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 It
Stovetop Method:
- Brown the Sausage: Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium heat until browned. Drain excess grease after browning the meat before stirring in the cheese and tomatoes to keep the dip from becoming oily.
- 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.
Kasey’s Kitchen Testing Notes
- Drain vs. Undrained Rotel: In our test kitchen batches, we tested both draining and keeping the liquid from the Rotel can. Do not drain the Rotel! The juices from the diced tomatoes and green chilies provide the exact amount of acidity and moisture needed to thin the thick Velveeta into a velvety, dip-friendly consistency.
- Meat Choice (Sausage vs. Ground Beef): While classic seasoned ground beef works, regular pork breakfast sausage (like Jimmy Dean) or hot Italian sausage produced the best flavor profile by adding sage, pepper, and spice without needing extra taco seasoning packets.
- Low Heat is Non-Negotiable: When melting the cheese on the stovetop or in the slow cooker, keep the heat on low. High heat can scorch the cheese on the bottom of the pan and cause the oils in the processed cheese to separate, leaving a greasy top layer.
- Slow Cooker “Keep Warm” Secret: If serving this at a party in a Crockpot for longer than 2 hours, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of whole milk or evaporated milk halfway through to keep it silky smooth without scorching the edges.
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 is made with just 3 ingredients: 1 block (16 to 32 oz) of Velveeta cheese, 1 can (10 oz) of undrained Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, and 1 pound of browned breakfast sausage or ground beef.
To keep Rotel dip warm, transfer the melted dip to a small slow cooker set to the “WARM” setting. Stir occasionally and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm milk if the dip becomes too thick after sitting.
Yes, but processed cheese melts most smoothly without separating. To use real cheese, combine 8 oz of cream cheese with 2 cups of freshly shredded sharp cheddar and melt gently over low heat with the undrained Rotel and cooked meat.
More Delicious Dip Recipes
Appetizers & Snacks
Crock Pot Sausage Cheese Dip
Appetizers & Snacks
Queso Dip
Appetizers & Snacks
Million Dollar Dip
Dips & Dressings
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.
Need help with this recipe?
Click the buttons below to summarize it, adjust for diets, swap ingredients, or ask your own questions!
Rotel Dip
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Velveeta
- 10 ounce Rotel
- 1 pound sausage
Instructions
- Brown sausage in a skillet on the stove, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks. drain excess grease after browning the meat before stirring in the cheese and tomatoes to keep the dip from becoming oily.
- Stir in 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. Drain the grease for a less oily dip.
- Velveeta substitutes — No Velveeta? Use 8 oz cream cheese + 8 oz shredded cheddar or Colby Jack. Melt low and slow.
- Spice level — Choose mild, original, or hot Rotel. Add diced jalapeños or green chiles for extra heat.
- Slow cooker tip — After melting, keep warm on low or warm — perfect for parties.
- Make ahead — Refrigerate up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of milk.
- Too thick? — Stir in a splash of milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
What about draining the grease off the sausage?
We don’t find it necessary for this recipe, but you definitely can!
Amazing!!!
Thank you! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Can I use cheez whiz??
We don’t recommend it! The taste and texture won’t be the same.
16oz of cheese or 32oz?
16 oz for one batch!
I would like to use half cream cheese and half cheddar cheese. How much of each should I use?
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!