Description
This Rotel Cheese Dip is a creamy, spicy, and flavorful appetizer perfect for game days and parties. Made with lean ground beef, a blend of spices, Rotel tomatoes, salsa verde, and a blend of cream cheese and cheddar, this dip offers a rich cheesy texture with a mild kick. Serve warm with tortilla chips, garnished with diced tomatoes, cilantro, and hot sauce to taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Spices
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
Liquids and Cheese
- 1 10 oz. can MILD Rotel tomatoes and green chilies
- ½ cup mild salsa verde
- 1 ¼ cup milk (plus more as needed)
- 8 oz. full fat block cream cheese, cubed and very soft
- 2 cups freshly shredded mild or medium cheddar cheese (NOT sharp)
For Serving
- Tortilla chips
- Diced tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- Cook Beef: Brown the lean ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it is almost fully cooked. Add the flour and all the spices (chili powder, salt, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper) and cook over medium heat for one minute more, ensuring the ground beef is fully cooked and the spices are fragrant.
- Add Ingredients and Simmer: Stir in the can of mild Rotel with juices, the salsa verde, and 1 ¼ cups of milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer while scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet to incorporate all the flavors. Let it cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Make it Cheesy: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the softened cream cheese until it melts completely into the mixture, creating a creamy base. Next, add the shredded cheddar cheese a handful at a time, stirring continuously, until all the cheese is melted and incorporated for a smooth cheesy dip.
- Adjust and Serve: Taste the dip and adjust seasoning with additional hot sauce or cayenne pepper for heat, and salt if needed. If the dip is too thick, thin it with more milk to your desired consistency. Serve warm with tortilla chips, and garnish with diced tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and optional hot sauce. For keeping warm, use the warm setting on a crockpot if available.
Notes
- Use mild or medium cheddar cheese, not sharp cheddar, to maintain the ideal creamy texture and flavor balance.
- Adjust cayenne pepper and hot sauce according to your preferred spice level.
- If the dip thickens too much upon standing, thin it out with a little milk before serving.
- Keeping the dip warm in a crockpot is ideal for parties to maintain the best serving temperature.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
