Double Melted Cheese and Red Pepper Dip {aka Ro-Tel Dip or Queso Dip} – Make in the micro in 5 minutes. Dangerously fast and easy for when you’ve just gotta have some cheesy dip!
I was tempted to call this cheese soup rather than cheese dip because then it would have been okay to just dig in by the spoonful, which is what I wanted to do.
I know what you’re thinking. That cheese dip is gluttony in a bowl. And you know what, you’re right, it is. But it’s so good. Then again, I’ve never met a dip, sauce, spread, or condiment that I didn’t love.
I worked in a cup of diced juicy, crunchy red peppers, which lent some texture amidst the oozing smooth cheese so at least you’re getting a few vegetables in.
There’s also a little four-ounce can of fire-roasted green chilis from Trader Joe’s, which added a touch of crunch, a little heat, and a pop of green. Green means vegetable. Vegetable means healthy. You can see how I rationalize my vat of cheese.
The best part of this dip is that it literally takes five minutes to make. Put the cheese, cream cheese, red peppers, and green chilis in a big bow, cover it with plastic wrap, and heat it for three to five minutes in the microwave and the dip is ready.
You could make it on the stovetop or in a slow cooker, but whenever possible I use the quickest and easiest method that dirties the least amount of dishes. I want the shortest path between me and my cheese.
The dip isn’t particularly spicy and I did that on purpose because I didn’t want Scott to complain of heartburn or Skylar to complain that her mouth was burning off. Kids can be a bit melodramatic.
The dip can be made much spicier by adding a pinch of cayenne or chili powder, more peppers, more chilis, about one cup of spicy salsa, or a couple shakes of Sriracha or Tabasco.
I served the dip with whole grain bread, red peppers spears, and carrot sticks to mitigate the gluttony effect from two kinds of melted cheese.
The combination of cheese and cream cheese melted together excites me in a grown-up way similar to how Cheez Whiz excited me as a child. If you will admit to liking Cheez Whiz, you will love this dip.
The cheese dip is a bit like cheese fondue in that anything and everything that you’d like to dunk in it from mushroom caps to sugar snap peas to broccoli crowns to chicken-on-skewers to corn chips is going to taste spectacular. Cheese has that effect on most everything. I resisted buying a bag of corn chips that were the scoop-able style because they would have come in a little too handy.
You can also play with the recipe and add additional protein including a cup of cooked beans, diced leftover chicken, crumbled tofu, tempeh, sausage, or whatever sounds good to you.
The batch makes about 4 cups. A decent amount but not obscene. If you like a little food with your dips like I do, it will go quicker than you think, especially if you have family members clamoring for their share of the silky sauce. I sent little containers of it in both Scott and Skylar’s lunches the next day and I got two containers returned to me that were literally licked clean.
The blessing, or the curse, of this dip is that the leftover portion reheated like a charm and I had hot cheese dip at my fingertips in fifteen seconds flat. Not that that’s a bad thing.
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Double Melted Cheese and Red Pepper Dip
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cheese, try combinations of American, Monterrey Jack, Pepperjack, Havarti, Gruyere, Velveeta, Swiss, Cheddar or favorite easy-melting cheese
- 4 ounces cream cheese, I used Trader Joe’s Whipped Light
- 4- ounce can green chilis, I used Trader Joe’s fire-roasted green chilis
- 4 ounces chicken, diced or shredded (canned is okay or use leftovers) or 1/2 cup crumbled tofu or tempeh (previously pan-seared if preferred), optional
- 1 cup diced red bell peppers
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic-wrap, and heat on high power to melt, about 3 minutes. Stop and stir and continue to heat in 30-second bursts until cheese has melted can dip can be stirred smooth. Serve immediately with crackers, chips, bread, toasted bread rounds, pita chips, baked tortilla strips, vegetables, or your favorite crudites for dipping.
- Extra dip may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and may be gently reheated prior to serving. Based on the type of cheese used, reheating may prove easier with some types (Velveeta, American, Monterrey Jack may be easier to reheat than a sharp cheddar).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Spinach Artichoke and Roasted Red Pepper Cheesy Squares – Like spinach and artichoke dip, which is my favorite dip of all time, but in bar form
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What’s your favorite dip?
Feel free to link up any great dip recipes.
I love a good dip. Actually, I love most any dip from Balsamic Reduction (vegan, GF, 10 minutes to make) to Homemade Peanut Sauce (vegan, GF, 2 minutes to make). I will never turn down dip or sauce of any kind.
Thanks for the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies + KitchenAid Stand Mixer + $200 Williams-Sonoma Gift Card Giveaway entries
I just want to eat cheese in liquid form. Or solid form. Or any form. Or just cheese… ;)
LOL love it :)
This dip looks so festive! It reminds me of the cheese sauce that comes on nachos at hockey or basketball games! You know, the kind that is so much fun to eat!
I have always loved dips; all kinds. Growing up, we would eat onion and/or clam dip with ruffles, spicy nacho cheese dip with Nacho Cheese Doritos or large, crunchy sourdough pretzels, spicy bean dips with Fritos and Cool Ranch chips with ranch dressing (though that is technically not a dip!) Traditional salsas were a favorite, too. Yes, ma’am – we were a dip family! :-)
That’s pretty much what this is, in a slightly classier way. Slightly classier than hockey game nachos, but not by much. Lol
Cool Ranch always played 2nd fiddle to original for me, but…when you wan a C.R.chip, Nothing! else will do :)
oh my this looks heavenly! Looks like the perfect football party dip!
Exactly! Bring on tailgating and this!
“I want the shortest path between me and my cheese.” hahaha and this is how I know we’d be real life bffs. Literally laughed out loud at that one! While I love hot appetizer dips… who has time to bake one? My friend makes a killer hot cheese crab dip – takes 45 mins in the oven. FOR A DIP! Still SO incredibly good though.
I definitely like my food spicy and thankfully Kevin does too! I’d totally add some salsa to this per your suggestion – like a super cheesy queso dip with shredded chicken. oh my word, that sounds SO good right about now. Only if I had fantastic anthro bowls to serve it in. Sigh!
I’d go dip crazy here – celery, more red pepper slices, soft pretzel bites (that sounds SO good!!), pita, pretzels, etc. :) Oh and that second to last overhead shot – GORGEOUS!
I know the type of crab dip you’re talking about and it’s heavenly! It also has $15 worth of lump crab alone in it probably. This one set me back about…$4-5 for the cheese, chilis, and pepper. And takes 5 mins! Some shedded chicken, salsa, make this the next time you’re having one of your little girls nights. Seriously put it all in a bowl, press power on, on the micro for 5 mins, and you’re a star!
And thanks for the pic compliments and the bowl – I’ve now played it out. That’s the thing…I need new ones b/c it’s so identifiable that after a few uses (I have 2 white and 2 teal) and a few recipes, they’re played out!
This looks so delicious. I’m a huge fan of cheese dips, and I have a ton of peppers in my fridge from my CSA! Can’t wait to make it :)
This looks fabulous, must try a vegan version!
I’m with your child on this one – everything is always too spicy for me, hahaha. But I love your idea for a dip, it looks so tasty on pictures.
This dip looks sinful!
It a dip..it’s a dip…Its a SouperDIP!
I meant to say…Its a dip..It’s a soup..it’s a SouperDip!
Holy crap this looks amazing! I think I could seriously bathe in this :)
Looks delicious! My sister makes a spinach-artichoke dip that is definitely *not* vegan, but I’m interested in trying this one.
*Found you via Crepes of Wrath- your blog is beautiful! Looking forward to discovering more great recipes :)
Thanks for finding me and LMK how and for saying hi!
Wow, this looks incredible! However, this would absolutely DESTROY my digestive tract (dairy allergy).
I’m sure you could make it with Daiya or similar dairy-free cheese that melts well.
If only I could reach through the screen! All I need is a spoon!
Thanks for the Pin, too!
Is double dipping allowed? Cause I’d be diving in repeatedly. This looks fantastic.
You can double dip ANY TIME :)
Yes, I will totally eat this with a spoon. Or just drink it.
CHEEEEEESE! So I never was a huge fan of Cheez Whiz, though my family bought it often. I was, however, a HUGE cheese-eatin’ fool, and thankfully, have a job where I work around cheese 5 days a week :) I love that you added peppers and green chiles for color (yes, green = veggie). I want!
I can’t believe you work in a cheese shop – still sorta jealous about that one! It’s like people who work in coffee shops or chocolate shops or work at a Mrs Field’s cookies kiosk. I wonder if it ever gets old? I doubt it :)