Description

This Rotel Cheese Dip is a creamy, flavorful, and zesty appetizer perfect for any gathering. Made with lean ground beef, a blend of spices, Rotel tomatoes and chilies, salsa verde, and a combination of cream cheese and cheddar, it offers a rich and melty texture without using processed cheese. Serve warm with tortilla chips and garnish with diced tomatoes, cilantro, and hot sauce to taste for an irresistible party favorite.

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

Liquids and Dairy

1 10 oz. can MILD Rotel
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)

To Serve

Tortilla chips
Diced tomatoes
Cilantro
Hot sauce to taste

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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, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for one more minute to fully incorporate the flavors and complete cooking the beef.
Add Ingredients and Simmer: Stir in the can of mild Rotel with its juices, salsa verde, and milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Continue to simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to meld the flavors.
Make it Cheesy: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cubed cream cheese until melted and smooth. Gradually add the shredded cheddar cheese in handfuls, stirring continuously until each addition melts completely into the dip.
Adjust and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning by adding extra cayenne pepper or hot sauce and salt as desired. If the dip is too thick, thin it out with additional milk. Serve warm immediately with tortilla chips, garnished with diced tomatoes and fresh cilantro. For serving later, keep it warm on the crockpot’s warm setting.

Notes

Use mild or medium cheddar cheese, not sharp, to balance the zesty flavors and achieve a smooth melt.
Cream cheese should be at room temperature and very soft to ensure it melts evenly into the dip.
Adjust the cayenne pepper and hot sauce for your preferred level of heat.
If the dip thickens after sitting, stir in a little more milk to return it to the desired consistency.
This recipe can be kept warm in a crockpot on the warm setting for easy serving at parties or gatherings.
For a thicker dip, reduce the amount of milk slightly; for a thinner dip, increase milk gradually.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/10 of recipe
Calories: 320 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 550 mg
Fat: 24 g
Saturated Fat: 12 g
Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
Trans Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 8 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 18 g
Cholesterol: 65 mg