Our Crockpot Rotel Dip Recipe is a game day favorite for good reason! Just toss everything into the slow cooker, let it get hot and creamy, and dig in. It’s quick, easy, filling, and one of those signature party recipes your guests will ask you to make again and again.
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Recipe Highlights
- ⏱️ Cook Time: About 1½ hours
- 🍽️ Serves: About 12 people
- 👩🏽🍳 Difficulty: Easy
- 🎯 End Result: A spicy, cheesy slow cooker Rotel dip that’s perfect for game day, parties, or feeding a crowd.
It's football season, which means you definitely need to make this slow cooker Rotel dip for your next game day!
This recipe is similar to our Smoked Queso Recipe, except this version uses spicy breakfast sausage and is made right in the slow cooker.
What is Rotel Dip?
Rotel dip is a warm, cheesy party dip made with melted cheese, meat, and tomatoes with peppers. It’s especially popular for game day, parties, holidays, and anytime you need an easy appetizer that can feed a crowd.
Why This Game Day Recipe Is Worth the Hype
- Uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients.
- Stays warm and creamy in the slow cooker for serving.
- Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, pita chips, or crostini.
- Works well for game day, parties, potlucks, and casual get-togethers.
Ingredients
- Spicy breakfast sausage: Look for one pound of bulk breakfast sausage, such as Jimmy Dean or your favorite store brand. We like spicy sausage because it adds a little heat and seasons the dip at the same time. You can use mild or regular breakfast sausage if you prefer less spice.
- Velveeta cheese: Velveeta is what gives this dip its smooth, creamy texture and helps keep it from getting grainy as it sits in the slow cooker. You’ll only need 12 ounces, so you can cut what you need from a larger block.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes: We use a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a little more flavor than regular canned tomatoes. You can find them near the other canned tomatoes at most grocery stores. There is no need to drain them because the liquid helps loosen the cheese as it melts.
- A note about Rotel: Even though this is our Crockpot Rotel Dip, we use fire-roasted tomatoes instead of a traditional can of Rotel tomatoes and green chiles. If you prefer the classic version, you can substitute a 10-ounce can of Rotel for the fire-roasted tomatoes.
See the recipe card below for full ingredient and quantity information.
How to Make Crockpot Rotel Dip with Sausage
- Brown the sausage, then cook the peppers and onions in the same skillet until softened.
- Add everything to the slow cooker and cook until the cheeses are melted and the dip is hot and creamy.
- Serve warm with your favorite chips or crackers.
See the recipe card below for the full measurements and cooking instructions.
What to Serve with Rotel Dip with Sausage
For game day or parties, serve it alongside these Hot Honey Old Bay Wings, slow cooker birri sliders, our famous seafood nachos, or other easy appetizers.
This slow cooker Rotel dip pairs well with anything sturdy enough to scoop. Tortilla chips are the classic choice.
Slow Cooker Rotel Dip FAQs
No. This recipe uses fire-roasted tomatoes for a little extra flavor, but you can use a can of Rotel tomatoes and green chiles instead.
Yes. You can leave out the sausage and make the dip with just the cheeses, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. You can also add extra vegetables if you want a heartier dip.
Stir the dip about every 20 minutes while it cooks, especially around the bottom and edges of the slow cooker. Once the cheese is fully melted, switch the slow cooker to warm instead of continuing to cook it on high.
Yes. Make the dip ahead, refrigerate it, then reheat it in the slow cooker or microwave before serving.
Store leftover Rotel dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave in short intervals, stirring between each one. You can also reheat it in the slow cooker on low.
More Game Day Recipes
Looking for more game day recipes? Try these:
If you tried this Crockpot Rotel Dip Recipe or any other recipe on our blog, consider leaving us a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments!
📖 Recipe
Crockpot Rotel Dip Recipe
Equipment
- Crockpot / slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound spicy breakfast sausage
- 12 ounces Velveeta cheese cut into cubes
- 8 ounces Pepper Jack cheese cut into cubes
- 1 10.5-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes , undrained
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ green bell pepper diced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
Instructions
Brown the sausage.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the breakfast sausage and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon or spatula, until browned and fully cooked. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside. Leave about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the sausage drippings in the pan.
Sauté the vegetables.
- Add the diced red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and onion to the same skillet. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. Remove from the heat.
Add everything to the slow cooker.
- Add the cooked sausage, sautéed vegetables, Velveeta, Pepper Jack cheese, and undrained fire-roasted tomatoes to the slow cooker. Stir everything together as well as you can.
Cook the dip.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 to 1 ½ hours, stirring about every 20 minutes, until both cheeses are completely melted and the dip is smooth, hot, and creamy.
Adjust the consistency.
- If the dip is thicker than you like, stir in a small splash of milk until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Serve.
- Once the cheese has fully melted, switch the slow cooker to WARM if you are serving the dip over a longer period. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving with tortilla chips, pita chips, crackers, pretzel crisps, crostini, or fresh vegetables.
Notes
- Cube the cheeses into equal, bite-sized pieces so they melt faster and more evenly.
- Stir the dip every 20 minutes or so while it cooks to keep the cheese from sticking to the bottom.
- Don’t drain the tomatoes. The liquid helps keep the dip creamy and easy to scoop.
- Cook the peppers and onions in the sausage drippings for extra flavor.
- Keep the slow cooker on warm once the cheese has melted if you’re serving it for a party or game day.
- For less heat, use mild breakfast sausage and Monterey Jack instead of Pepper Jack.
- For more heat, use hot sausage, extra Pepper Jack, or a can of hot Rotel in place of the fire-roasted tomatoes.
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