This Rotel Dip is easy to make and is filled with savory sausage, diced tomatoes, and jalapenos! Serve it with tortilla chips and watch it disappear!

Bonus: It’s easy to make ahead of time and reheat in the crock pot!

A platter of tortilla chips with a bowl of Rotel dip with diced tomatoes and cilantro on top.

Rotel Dip

You can’t beat a super quick and easy appetizer recipe and this Rotel Dip is always a crowd pleaser. You’ll love the smooth, velvety cheese with savory sausage, diced Rotel tomatoes, jalapenos, hot sauce, and seasonings.  

It takes no time at all to make this recipe and you can prepare it up to 2 days ahead of time and serve it in a warm crock pot with tortilla chips! It really is a life saver.

How to Make It

Note: This is an overview. See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Cook the sausage and diced jalapenos in a skillet. Remove and set aside. Add butter and flour, gradually stir in milk.

A cast iron skillet with cooked ground sausage next to a skillet with milk being added.

Add the cubed Velveeta and stir until melted. Add undrained Rotel tomatoes, hot sauce, and seasonings and stir to combine.

Adding Velveeta and Rotel tomatoes to a skillet of cheese dip.

Add the sausage and jalapenos back and stir to combine and heat through. Stir in cilantro. Garnish with diced tomatoes and more cilantro if desired and serve with tortilla chips!

Adding sausage to a skillet of Rotel dip.

Pro Tips

  • Heat Level: This recipe has a mild kick to it as written.
    • Spice Lovers: Add a little extra hot sauce and a pinch of cayenne. Spicy sausage and the hot Rotel or extra hot Rotel may also be used.
    • Non-Spice Lovers: Omit the hot sauce and jalapenos (or use a little diced bell pepper instead), and use mild Rotel. The chili powder can also be omitted if needed.
  • Sausage: I highly recommend Jimmy Dean regular sausage for this recipe, it’s delicious. I find it near the bacon and breakfast sausage. They also have a hot variety (which really isn’t very hot). You can also use Italian sausage if preferred.
  • Hot Sauce: I use Frank’s Hot Sauce for this recipe.
  • Make Ahead Method: This can be fully prepared up to 2 days ahead of time and reheated in a warm crock pot or in the microwave. I recommend using 50% power for 30-60 second intervals, stirring in between. You may need to add a little milk or chicken broth to thin out the consistency slightly.
  • Adding beans, beer, and onions: Try my Velveeta Queso recipe for a fully loaded version of this recipe!
  • Serve this Rotel Dip with Guacamole and Salsa!

Storage

  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • This dip does freeze/reheat well, let it thaw completely before reheating in a warm crock pot or in the microwave as outlined in the pro tips above.

A hand dipping a tortilla chip into a white bowl of Rotel Dip.

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Rotel Dip in a white bowl on a platter with tortilla chips.

Rotel Dip

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 12 people
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This Rotel Dip is easy to make with melty Velveeta, savory sausage, diced tomatoes, and a hint of jalapeno! Serve it with tortilla chips and watch it disappear!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • ½ lb. ground breakfast sausage, see notes
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
  • 2 tablespoons butter, or sausage drippings
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup milk, plus more as needed
  • 16 oz. Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes
  • 1 (14.5 oz.) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
  • ½ teaspoon EACH: Chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, oregano, mustard powder
  • 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce, I use Frank’s
  • 3 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro, plus more to garnish
  • ½ Roma tomato, finely diced, to garnish. (Optional)

Instructions

  • If possible, temper (heat) the milk in the microwave for 45 seconds. This brings it to a warmer temperature to ensure it doesn’t curdle. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
  • Cook and crumble the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes. Add the diced jalapenos and cook for 3-4 more minutes, or until the sausage is cooked through. Remove and set aside.
  • Add the butter (or use sausage drippings) to the same skillet over medium-low heat. Add the flour and use a silicone spatula to stir until combined and smooth, 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the milk gradually, stirring continuously, until incorporated.
  • Add the Velveeta cubes and increase the heat to medium. Stir until melted and smooth.
  • Add the Rotel tomatoes with the juices from the can, the seasonings, hot sauce, and cooked sausage/jalapeños. Stir to combine. If a slightly thinner consistency is desired, add more milk in splashes and stir to combine.
  • Stir in the cilantro and remove from heat. If desired, garnish with more cilantro and diced tomatoes. Serve with tortilla chips!

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • Heat Level: This recipe has a mild kick to it as written.
    • Spice Lovers: Add a little extra hot sauce and a pinch of cayenne. Spicy sausage and the hot Rotel or extra hot Rotel may also be used.
    • Non-Spice Lovers: Omit the hot sauce and jalapenos (or use a little diced bell pepper instead), and use mild Rotel. The chili powder can also be omitted if needed.
  • Sausage: I highly recommend Jimmy Dean regular sausage for this recipe, it’s delicious. I find it near the bacon and breakfast sausage. They also have a hot variety (which really isn’t very hot). You can also use Italian sausage if preferred.
  • Hot Sauce: I use Frank's Hot Sauce for this recipe.
  • Making-Ahead Method: This can be fully prepared up to 2 days ahead of time and reheated in a warm crock pot or in the microwave. I recommend using 50% power for 30-60 second intervals, stirring in between. You may need to add a little milk or chicken broth to thin out the consistency slightly.
  • Adding beans, beer, and onions: Try my Velveeta Queso recipe for a fully loaded version of this recipe!
Storage
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • This dip does freeze/reheat well, let it thaw completely before reheating in a warm crock pot or in the microwave as outlined in the pro tips above.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per serving. There are 12 servings in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 182kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 37mg, Sodium: 756mg, Potassium: 289mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 595IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 256mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Author: Stephanie