Melty Rotel Dip with Ground Beef (Printable)

Creamy, spicy cheese dip with seasoned ground beef, Rotel tomatoes, and tangy sour cream. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 pound lean ground beef

→ Vegetables & Canned Goods

02 - 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
03 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Dairy

04 - 16 ounces processed cheese, cubed
05 - 3/4 cup sour cream

→ Seasonings

06 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Serving

10 - Tortilla chips, for serving
11 - Sliced green onions or chopped cilantro for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and chopped onion until browned and fully cooked, about 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat thoroughly.
02 - Pour in the Rotel tomatoes with their juices. Add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine and let simmer for 2 minutes.
03 - Reduce heat to low. Add cubed processed cheese to the skillet. Stir frequently until cheese is completely melted and mixture is smooth and creamy, about 5–7 minutes.
04 - Remove from heat. Gently fold in sour cream until fully incorporated and dip is uniformly creamy.
05 - Transfer to serving bowl or slow cooker set to warm. Top with sliced green onions or fresh cilantro if desired. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of tangy sour cream and melted processed cheese creates the perfect velvety texture that coats every chip evenly
  • Ground beef transforms this from a basic cheese dip into something substantial enough to be dinner
  • Ready in 25 minutes but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
02 -
  • Processed cheese melts differently than natural cheese and creates the creamy texture everyone expects from this dip
  • Always remove from heat before adding sour cream because high heat causes it to separate and become grainy
  • This dip thickens significantly as it stands so have extra liquid or more sour cream ready if reheating leftovers
03 -
  • Cube your cheese while it is cold because warm processed cheese becomes impossibly sticky and difficult to cut
  • Use a wooden spoon for stirring because metal scrapers can sometimes scratch nonstick skillets when cheese gets stuck

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