Crock Pot Ro-Tel Dip With Ground Beef and Cheese

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/30/24
Tested by
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Tested by Colleen Graham
Writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 100 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 2 quarts

For a quick and easy crowd-pleasing dip, this classic Ro-Tel dip will do the trick. Ro-Tel is a brand of canned diced tomatoes with chiles that's become famous as a base for a creamy appetizer. If you don't have a can handy, you can always use your favorite chunky salsa.

Ro-Tel dip with ground beef and cheese in a crock pot, tortilla chips to the side

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Using the cheese product Velveeta ensures that this dip will be decadently creamy and won't turn into a hard mass of "cheese" as your gathering progresses. Browned ground beef adds meaty deliciousness, and you can add optional mix-ins like extra green chile peppers or mushrooms. If you're vegetarian, you can swap the beef for drained pinto or black beans.

This easy, cheesy dip is a casual party and game-day favorite, and it is super easy to fix in the slow cooker. After half an hour in the crock pot, switch the cooker to low and use it to keep the dip perfectly warm and at a creamy consistency. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers for dipping and watch it disappear in a flash—it's like a creamy, gooey nacho dip.

Tips for Making Ro-Tel Dip Recipe

  • Make it thick - If the dip isn't as thick as you'd like, cook it for another 20 or 30 minutes on high.
  • Keep warm - You can keep it warm on the low setting for up to a few hours until it's time to serve. Stir every 30 minutes or so to keep a skin from forming on top.


What You'll Need to Make This Crock Pot Ro-Tel Dip Recipe
Slow cookers we recommend on a yellow background
A Handy Dandy Slow Cooker
Best Skillets
A Sturdy Skillet
spruce eats chef's knives lab testing photo
A Sharp Chef's Knife

"This tasty cheese and burger dip is a snap to prepare, and since it’s not spicy, you can make it for almost anyone. Get creative and serve at your next gathering with various hot sauces, lots of tortilla chips, or even tacos. Consider a disposable crock pot liner for easy clean-up." —Colleen Graham

Crock Pot Ro-Tel Dip Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds Velveeta, shredded or cubed

  • 1 (10-ounce) can tomatoes with green chiles (or a favorite salsa)

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion

  • 1 pound lean ground beef

  • 1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained, optional

  • 1 (4-ounce) can mild green chiles, chopped, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for crock pot Ro-Tel dip recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Melt 1 1/2 pounds Velveeta (shredded or cubed) along with 1 (10-ounce) can tomatoes with green chiles (or a favorite salsa) in the slow cooker on high.

    Melted Velveeta cheese and Ro-Tel tomatoes stirred together in a crock pot

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Meanwhile, brown the 1/4 cup finely chopped onion and 1 pound lean ground beef in a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the 1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms (drained) and 1 (4-ounce) can mild green chiles (chopped), if using.

    Browned beef with onion. mushrooms, and green chiles in a frying pan

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Drain off the excess grease. Add the meat mixture to the slow cooker cheese mixture and cook on high for about 30 minutes.

    Beef and cheese mixture being stirred with a wooden spoon in the crock pot

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Turn to low and serve the dip from the slow cooker with tortilla chips or crackers.

    Dipping a tortilla chip in the ground beef and cheese dip in the crock pot

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

How to Store Crock Pot Ro-Tel Dip

Any leftover Ro-Tel dip can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat to serve.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • For vegetarians -omit the ground beef or use substitute vegetarian crumbles or drained pinto or black beans.
  • For an extra-flavorful dip - replace the ground beef with cooked and crumbled Mexican chorizo (or Soyrizo for vegetarians).
  • For a spicier dip - use more chiles or add some of your favorite hot sauce.
  • For a less spicy dip - A mild salsa or diced tomatoes (minus the chiles) can be used for an extremely mild dip.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
317 Calories
20g Fat
8g Carbs
24g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 317
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 1173mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 24g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 331mg 25%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 464mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)