Description
A creamy and flavorful Rotel Cheese Dip made with ground beef, a blend of spices, Rotel tomatoes, salsa verde, and rich cheeses. Perfect for serving warm with tortilla chips and garnished with diced tomatoes, cilantro, and hot sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 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
- 1 10 oz. can MILD Rotel (with juices)
- 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’s almost cooked through. Add the flour and all the spices: chili powder, salt, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium heat for one more minute until the beef is fully cooked and spices are fragrant.
- Add Ingredients and Simmer: Stir in the entire can of MILD Rotel with juices, the mild salsa verde, and the milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer while scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to blend flavors.
- Make it Cheesy: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the very soft, cubed cream cheese until fully melted and incorporated. Gradually add the shredded cheddar cheese in handfuls, stirring continuously until each addition melts smoothly into the dip.
- Adjust and Serve: Taste and adjust with additional hot sauce or cayenne pepper and/or salt as desired. If the dip is too thick, thin it out by stirring in a little more milk. Serve warm with tortilla chips and additional garnishes like diced tomatoes and cilantro. For keeping warm, transfer to a crockpot on the warm setting.
Notes
- Rotel: Use MILD Rotel with juices and do not drain. If opting for spicy Rotel, omit the cayenne pepper and add heat to taste.
- Cheddar Cheese: Avoid sharp cheddar to ensure a smooth, creamy texture. Sharp cheddar tends to become grainy due to lower moisture content and protein structure.
- Cream Cheese: Use very soft cream cheese for easy blending. Cube the block, spread on a plate, microwave for 30 seconds, then continue in 10-second increments until super soft and almost melty to avoid lumps.
- Keep the dip warm in a crockpot if not serving immediately for best texture and freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 recipe
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
