Loaded Rotel Dip Recipe
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This Rotel Dip Recipe is loaded with crisp cooked bacon, ground beef, caramelized onions, cheese, and homemade Pico de Gallo for an incredible appetizer. To this day, this dip is still one of my most requested recipes when going to parties.
My favorite part of any meal is the delicious appetizers. The assortment of different flavors always makes the experience that much better. If you can’t get enough dip appetizers, then definitely check out my Queso Fundido and my Bean Dip.
Rotel Dip
Rotel dip is a simple appetizer dip of cheese and canned tomatoes with chiles. It’s a popular simple-to-prepare dip that comes together in minutes. Ro*tel started in Elsa, Texas, at a canning processing plant by Carl Roettel, who canned tomatoes with green chiles.
The dip itself became popularized in Texas because it simplified the process of making Chile con queso and the struggle of preparing the tomatoes and chiles. It became an easy recipe by combining the pre-prepared can of Ro*tel with Velveeta and ground beef. While it’s good as is, I take it to the next level in my recipe, which is a cross between chile con quest and Ro*tel dip with some additional ingredients and techniques.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cheese – You will need full-fat cream cheese and Velveeta or American cheese. You can use a lower-fat cream cheese or American cheese if you’d like.
- Beef – I prefer to use 80/20 ground chuck for a beefier flavor. However, you can use 85/15 or 90/10 ground sirloin.
- Bacon – Smoked uncured bacon is best to use.
- Tomatoes – I like to use Roma tomatoes as a good all-year-round tomato. Feel free to use any fresh tomato for this recipe. In addition, you can use 2 cups of canned, drained, diced tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes.
- Peppers – Pithed and seeded jalapeños are what I used. You can use more of the pith and seeds to make it spicier. Also, you can use whichever hot pepper you like if you like spice.
- Limes – Since we are making a Pico de Gallo with caramelized onions to go into the dip, I like to use some clean acid, like lime juice, to brighten it up. You could also use lemon juice.
- Onions – I used yellow onions and garlic cloves. Substitute the yellow onion with a red, white, or sweet onion. Yellow onions offer the best flavor when caramelized, which is why I used them.
- Beer – An amber ale is used to finish my Rotel dip. You can use any beer that you enjoy. In addition, if you do not drink beer, substitute with some lemon or lime Perrier.
How to Make Loaded Rotel Dip
Add the sliced bacon to a large 12” stainless steel, non-stick, or cast-iron skillet and cook over low to medium heat until crisp, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
Set the crispy bacon lardons aside and pour the remaining rendered bacon fat through a strainer into a medium-sized bowl.
Return the pan to the burner, add in 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat, and heat up over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke lightly.
Add the ground beef, flatten it out to make a large burger, and cook it untouched for 3 minutes.
Break up the ground beef until it is in small bite-size pieces, browned, and cooked throughout. Set the beef to the side in the bowl with bacon.
Place the pan back on the burner with 2 more tablespoons of rendered bacon fat over medium-high heat and add in the onions, season lightly with salt, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until they begin to brown slightly.
Turn the heat down to low-medium and cook while occasionally stirring for 30 to 35 minutes or until well caramelized.
In the meantime, add the cream cheese and Velveeta to a slow-cooked and cook over high heat. This procedure will allow the cheese to melt without sticking or burning. This takes about 25-30 minutes to fully melt.
Once the onions are caramelized, you can optionally deglaze them with 3 tablespoons of beef stock or water to release any fond and then add them to the slow cooker with the melted cheeses along with the cooked beef and crispy bacon.
Next, place in the tomatoes and jalapeños and stir to combine. Cover the slow cooker and heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and mixed with the other ingredients.
Finish by pouring the beer, lime juice, green onions, and cilantro and stir to combine.
Garnish with additional sliced green onions and chopped cilantro, and serve with tortilla chips.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to one day ahead of time for freshness. In addition, you can make it 4-6 hours before serving it by keeping it warm, covered in a slow cooker on the “warm” setting.
How to Store: Cover it and keep the Rotel dip in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, cover with plastic wrap or place in a plastic container and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.
How To Reheat: To reheat it, add it back to the slow cooker on low heat until it is melted and hot.
Chef Notes + Tips
- You can cook with the rendered bacon fat or try it in my Best Pie Crust Recipe.
- If your cooktop burner can go to low heat without burning anything, you can cook the cheeses while constantly stirring to prevent them from sticking or burning.
- Another cooking method for melting the cheese would be to heat it over a double boiler to prevent sticking or burning.
- You can also add additional cheeses like cheddar, gouda, Havarti, etc.
- Feel free to serve this dip with tortilla chips, carrots, celery, crostini, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, or Soft Pretzels.
More Appetizer Recipes
Video
Loaded Rotel Dip Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 strips julienne sliced bacon
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 cups yellow onions
- 3 finely minced garlic cloves
- 1 pound full-fat cream cheese
- 2 pounds pasteurized cheese product, like Velveeta or American cheese
- 2 cups diced Roma tomatoes, seeds removed
- 1 pithed, seeded, and small diced jalapeño
- ½ cup amber ale beer
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 bunch thinly sliced green onions
- ¼ cup finely minced fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Add the sliced bacon to a large 12” stainless steel, non-stick, or cast-iron skillet and cook over low to medium heat until crisp, which takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Set the crispy bacon lardons aside and pour the remaining rendered bacon fat through a strainer into a medium-sized bowl.
- Return the pan to the burner, add in 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat, and heat up over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke lightly.
- Add in the ground beef, flatten out to make a large burger and cook untouched for 3 minutes.
- Break up the ground beef until it is in small bite-size pieces, browned, and cooked throughout. Set the beef to the side in the bowl with bacon.
- Place the pan back on the burner with 2 more tablespoons of rendered bacon fat over medium-high heat and add in the onions, season lightly with salt, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until they begin to brown slightly.
- Turn the heat down to low-medium and cook while occasionally stirring for 30 to 35 minutes or until well caramelized.
- In the meantime, add the cream cheese and Velveeta to a slow-cooked and cook over high heat. Using this procedure will allow the cheese to melt without it sticking or burning. This takes about 25-30 minutes to melt fully.
- Once the onions are caramelized add them to the slow cooker with the melted cheeses along with the cooked beef and crispy bacon.
- Next, place in the tomatoes and jalapeños and stir to combine. Cover the slow cooker and heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and mixed with the other ingredients.
- Finish by pouring the beer, lime juice, green onions, and cilantro and stir to combine.
- Garnish with additional sliced green onions and chopped cilantro, and serve with tortilla chips.
TU such a joy 🤩👋😁