Made with three simple ingredients, our creamy Rotel dip recipe is packed with flavor and perfect for your favorite dippers. You’ll love how easy it is to make, and your guests will love how cheesy, creamy, and delicious it is!
Could our Rotele Dip be any easier to make? All you need is Italian sweet sausage, cream cheese, and a can of Rotel tomatoes. If you feel like adding a garnish, sliced green onions and chopped fresh cilantro will add a pop of color to our easy dip recipe.
The best part about our sausage Rotel dip is how very easy it is to make! You can do it all in one pan, prepare and put into a baking dish, and bake, or even prepare, then “set and forget” in a crock pot (bonus points if you use a crock pot liner to minimize clean up). Our Rotel cheese dip is the perfect addition to your next family gathering or game day appetizer spread.
If you love creamy cheesy dips, try our cheddar cheese lobster dip and slow cooker Buffalo chicken dip recipes.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our easy Rotel Dip recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I change up the recipe?
Absolutely! You can kick up the flavor of our Rotele dip and make it spicier by substituting hot Italian sausage or chorizo for the sweet Italian sausage. If you’re not a fan of sausage, you can use ground pork or lean ground beef. You can even use shredded chicken or turkey to make the recipe.
You can also add green chilies or jalapenos to amp up the flavor. Your favorite hot sauce or chili powder will also do the trick.
We used cream cheese to make this flavorful creamy cheese dip, but you can use Velveeta cheese (or add it to the mixture) to create an extra cheesy dip. You can also add cheddar cheese, American, or any of your favorite types of cheese to the mixture. After all, you can never have too much cheese!
For a change of pace, add corn, bell peppers, onions, spinach, black beans, or garlic to the easy recipe.
This is the most forgiving, easiest dip you’ll ever make, and your options are endless!
How to Make Rotel Dip
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make Rotel Dip in your home kitchen.
- Add the sausage to a cast iron skillet (or large skillet) over medium heat, breaking up the big pieces.
- Cook until no pink remains. Drain all grease off of prepared meat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the room temperature cream cheese to the pan.
- Stir to slowly mix in the cream cheese as it melts into the cooked sausage.
- Once the cream cheese has been mixed in, add the can of Rotel tomatoes.
- Stir to combine. Heat until the mixture has reached a temperature of 165 degrees F.
Garnish the cheesy dip with chopped green onions and serve with tortilla chips, corn chips, or your favorite dippers.
Our creamy Rotel Dip is definitely a crowd pleaser! It’s perfect for a potluck, family get-together, or game day celebration. After one taste, you’ll understand why it’s one of my favorite dip recipes.
How to Store and Reheat
Any leftover Rotel dip should be stored refrigerated in an airtight container or well covered with plastic wrap for 2-3 days. It can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place the Rotele dip in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add a splash of milk, cream, or water and heat until the dip reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. You can also heat it in the microwave with 15-second bursts, stirring after each, until the dip is fully heated.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. You can add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika or sweet paprika, black pepper, and cumin. You can also use premade seasonings like our homemade taco seasoning, Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, or any of your favorite seasoning blends.
Absolutely. Just brown the meat first, then add everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 2–3 hours or until melted and hot, stirring as needed.
Yes. You can make it a day ahead of time. Keep it refrigerated and reheat it on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in a slow cooker. If needed, add a splash of milk when reheating to loosen the dip.
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Rotel Dip Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese -cut into cubes (2 blocks at room temperature)
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage -or meat of choice
- 10 oz Rotel tomatoes -one can
- 2 tbs green onions -chopped
- tortilla chips -for serving (or thinly sliced baguette)
Instructions
- Brown the sausage in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, breaking up the big pieces. Cook until no pink remains.
- Drain all grease off of prepared meat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Add the room temperature cream cheese to the pan. Stir to slowly mix in the cream cheese as it melts into the cooked sausage.
- Once the cream cheese has been mixed in, add the Rotel tomatoes.
- Stir to combine. Heat until the mixture has reached a temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Garnish with chopped green onions and serve with tortilla chips or your favorite dippers.
Hunter says
Can’t wait to make this again during football season. We were scraping the bottom of the pan to get the last bites.
Chef Dennis Littley says
That’s what I like to hear!