This Vegan Rotel Dip is cheesy, creamy, slightly spicy, and full of delicious flavor! One pan, a few ingredients, and about 20 minutes are all you need. Pair it with tortilla chips or fresh veggies for the perfect appetizer!
Sautéed onions and plant based crumbles are combined with puréed white beans, vegan cheeses, and Ro-tel. Yum!
If you aren’t familiar with Rotel, it’s a brand that is known for its can of diced petite tomatoes and green chilies.
Someone came up with the idea of dumping this flavorful can into the classic chili con queso dip that’s made with processed cheese such as velveeta.
This velveeta cheese dip with sausage, or hamburger meat, diced tomatoes, and green chilies became known as “Rotel dip.”
I would like to venture to say that my dip is even better than the original! I use nutritious beans and vegan cream cheese for a tasty creaminess factor and a few spices that take it to the next level.
Set this irresistible vegan cheddar dip out on game day or bring it to a party and watch it disappear in minutes!
For more incredible vegan dips, be sure to try my Buffalo Dip, Jalapeño Popper Dip, and Queso Fundido!
Reasons To Love This Dip
- Dairy-free
- Quick & easy
- Full of healthy beans
- Naturally gluten-free
- No cashews or veggies to boil
- Great game-day and party food
Get updates on my latest recipes sent right to your inbox! Click Here To Subscribe To My Email List!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Oil – Use just a bit of olive oil or another favorite to sauté the onions and plant based meat.
- Onion – I like the strong flavor of white onion here, but other kinds work as well. You can even use onion powder.
- Garlic – Fresh is best but garlic powder can work in a pinch.
- Vegan Meat – Make this cheese dip meaty with plant based beef or even sausage crumbles for a sausage and cheese dip.
- Seasoning – Kick up the flavor with taco seasoning, chili powder, and turmeric. You can also add salt and pepper but it’s not necessary.
- Beans – Use a can of drained white beans unless you have some extra time to make them from scratch. Here’s my tasty White Beans recipe to follow if you’d like.
- Broth – A splash of low-sodium vegetable broth or water helps to thin the bean mixture.
- Ro-tel – It doesn’t have to be this brand. Any can of diced tomatoes and green chilies can work. In fact, you can use salsa or leave the chilies out if you don’t want a spicy dip.
- Vegan Cheddar Shreds – Use one that tastes good to you and melts well such as Violife.
- Vegan Cream Cheese – Miyokos is so delicious here, but Kite Hill or Trader Joe’s would be good too.
How to Make Vegan Ro-Tel Dip
Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.
While the vegan cream cheese starts to soften, purée the white beans and cut the onions and garlic.
Next, sauté the onions, vegan beef crumbles, and garlic.
Once the onions are soft and translucent, stir in the remaining ingredients.
Cook the Rotel dip for 10-15 minutes or until the vegan cheese has melted. It will seem very thick at first but loosens up as it cooks.
Garnish the dip with jalapeño slices and enjoy it with chips or fresh veggies!
Recipe Variation Ideas
- Sauté fresh jalapeno slices with the onions for a spicier bite.
- Use vegan sausage crumbles for a cheese and sausage dip.
- Try new combinations such as pinto beans and vegan mozzarella shreds.
- Add more broth to make this a thinner queso and pour it over tortilla chips for nachos.
No-Waste Ideas
- Use up remaining onions in this delicious Enchilada Soup.
- Make Baked Spaghetti or Mexican Pizzas with leftover crumbles.
Storage & Reheating
Store this homemade vegan Rotel dip in a covered dish in the refrigerator for 4 days or in the freezer for 2 months. Reheat it over the stovetop on medium-low heat or in the microwave at 30-second intervals until it’s heated through. If the cheese dip is too thick, thin it out with a splash of water, vegetable broth, or plant-based milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Make it ahead of time by following the steps on the recipe card. Store it in the refrigerator in a covered dish, not the cast-iron skillet. Reheat the dip over the stovetop or microwave before serving it. Add some water, broth, or plant milk if you would like a thinner consistency.
Just like the original chili con queso, this vegan cheese dip can be made in a crockpot. First, you’ll have to cook the onions, “beef” crumbles, garlic and seasoning in a pan as listed on the recipe card. Then, transfer it to the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients. Cook it on low for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
I hope you loved this recipe! If you try it, please let me know what you think with a rating and comment below. Your feedback really supports my blog and is helpful to other readers! 🙂 You can stay updated on my latest recipes by following me on Pinterest and joining my Email List.
Vegan Rotel Dip
Bonnie – Serene Trail
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup white onions (75g) diced
- 2 medium garlic cloves minced
- 12-16 ounce vegan ground crumbles (340g) beef or sausage style
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 15 ounce canned white beans (439g) drained
- 1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth (60ml)
- 10 ounce can of Ro-tel original (283g) (diced tomatoes and green chilies)
- 7-8 ounce vegan cheddar shreds (227g)
- 8 ounce vegan cream cheese like Miyokos (227g)
Instructions
- Take the vegan cream cheese out of the refrigerator so it can start to come to room temperature.
- Purée the white beans with the vegetable broth in a blender until they are smooth and creamy. Dice the onions and mince the garlic.
- Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions and vegan beef crumbles until the onions have softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and seasoning to the pan. Stir as they cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the beans, vegan cheddar shreds, vegan cream cheese, and Ro-tel. Stir them together.
- Cook the Rotel dip for 10-15 minutes or until the vegan cheese has melted. It will seem very thick at first, but loosens up as it cooks. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Add 1/4 cup of water or broth if the dip starts to dry out before the cheese has melted.
- Garnish with jalapeño slices and enjoy with chips or fresh veggies!
Video
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate from third-party calculations.
Just made this for the Super Bowl. My non-vegan husband said no one would be able to clock it as vegan, and he actually uttered the words “bravo” after eating it. This was super delicious and easy to make—I used the Hodo Adobo Mexican Crumbles for the meat replacement. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!
Woohoo! I’m so happy to hear that you all like it! I bet it was so good with the Mexican Crumbles!