My Rotel Dip Recipe (Without Velveeta)
My Rotel dip recipe is made without Velveeta cheese or Rotel tomatoes! It's a wholesome swap that tastes, in my husband and I's opinion, even better! It's cheesy, savory, and has all the chilli spice you crave. Make it on the stovetop or in a crock pot. Either way works great! We love serving this cheesy dip during football season when we're cheering on the Tennessee Vols!
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/3 cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp salted butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk (or any you desire)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (salt-free)
- 1/2 tsp chili powder (salt-free)
- 1/4 cup canned crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (I like to get an organic option with few ingredients)
- 1 1/2 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese (when shredded at home it melts better)
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. When it's hot add ground beef, diced onions, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until fully cooked, about 8 minutes. Break beef into small chunks while it cooks.
- When the beef is fully cooked, place into a bowl BUT leave the grease behind in the pan (we're using it to make a roux for thickening).
- Turn heat to low and add butter to the beef grease in the pan.
- When butter is melted, add flour. Whisk the roux continually for 1 minute over low heat to cook out the flour flavor. It will clump up, that's okay!
- Add milk and whisk until combined. No lumps should be left.
- When the mixture is smooth, turn the heat to a low-medium and add in garlic powder, chili powder, and fire-roasted tomatoes. Whisk to combine.
- Add in shredded cheese and whisk until combined (it's okay if it's not melted all the way yet).
- Add cooked ground beef back into the pan and stir to combine.
- Let dip simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, uncovered. Stirring occasionally.
- Take off heat and enjoy right away or place in a slow cooker on the warm setting to keep warm for up to 4 hours. Add an additional 1/4-1/2 tsp of sea salt to taste, if desired.
Notes
Please see blog post for crock pot version, helpful tips and storage information.
Did you make this recipe?
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This recipe was developed from scratch in my kitchen by me, Molly LaFontaine, and tested many times to ensure success. Just like all of my recipes on Plum Branch Home. They're created with purpose, cherished in our own home, and developed with my experiences, trial and error, and skills. NEVER AI (artificial intelligence).