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This cream cheese corn dip is made with Rotel tomatoes and Tex-Mex seasonings for a delicious and easy to make appetizer. It’s a quick recipe that’s ideal for year-round entertaining!
Love corn? Try my Creamy Corn Chowder, this Cajun Grilled Corn on the Cob, or Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad next!
Why you’ll love it
You know how corn dip just kind of appears at parties and potlucks, and you try it and every single time think “Dang, this is really tasty” and can’t stop eating it, but you don’t even know how it got there or who made it? Now you can be the person who mysteriously brings the best party dip there is! I kid… mostly.
This Rotel corn dip may look humble, but it’s loaded with bold flavors. It’s so cheesy and creamy, has a gentle kick from the tomatoes, uses a homemade seasoning blend, and it’s perfectly balanced with the sweetness from the corn. Grab some tortilla chips, and you’re all set for satisfying snacking. It’s great when you need to whip something up at the last minute for a potluck, BBQ, or tailgating.
What you’ll need
- Corn – I’m using frozen corn for convenience, but you can use canned corn if you prefer; just be sure to drain it well. If using fresh corn, I’d cook it first. Either boil or grill it and then cut it off the cobs.
- Cream cheese – for the creamy base. I like using Philadelphia best.
- Rotel tomatoes – grab a can of the original variety with green chilies for that signature Tex-Mex taste
- Seasoning – our irresistible homemade seasoning mix has chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika
- Scallions – these mild green onions give a pop of freshness and contrast
Pro tips
- If you can’t find Rotel tomatoes, try using regular petite cut diced tomatoes but also including a 4 ounce can of green chilies. You could even use two cans. It really makes a difference in the flavor of this recipe, so I wouldn’t skip it.
- Original Rotel has a bit of a kick to it, so use their mild variety if you don’t want any heat.
Do I eat corn dip hot or cold?
- Whichever way you prefer! This corn dip is pretty versatile. It’s tasty served hot, but as it cools a bit, it’ll be just as tasty. You could even eat it cold straight out of the fridge if you like. I do prefer it warm myself, though.
- Try keeping this corn dip with cream cheese warm in a small Crockpot if you’re bringing it along to a gathering and want to make it ahead of time.
How to make corn dip
This is an overview, and full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Take the cream cheese out of the fridge an hour ahead, or microwave until soft.
- Add everything except the corn and scallions to a skillet. Cook until the cream cheese is melted, stirring constantly.
- Stir in the corn and scallions, and continue to cook until warmed through. Season with salt & pepper. Serve hot, or chill first if desired.
Substitutions and variations
- There’s so many different versions of this American classic, and it’s easy to use this as a base recipe and tweak it to make it your own! Try adding in some crumbled Oven Cooked Bacon.
- If you want to make this dish even more cheesy, stir in a cup of shredded cheddar at the end.
- I’ve seen versions of this recipe add some ranch seasoning.
- Try adding in a drained can of black beans for even more Tex-Mex flavors.
- This corn dip is not particularly spicy, so if you want to increase the spice level, try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or 1/2 teaspoon (or more) of red pepper flakes.
What to serve with corn dip
- It’s delicious with Fritos, tortilla chips, or Ritz or other crackers. I’ve been known to eat it with thick-cut plain chips too. Baguette slices would also be good. Try toasting them first for extra crunch.
- Veggies work as well and add color to your dip platter. Serve it with baby carrots, celery, broccoli, and cucumber slices.
- Or even eat it as a side dish. Try it with Easy Baked Chicken Legs/Drumsticks. It’s basically a Tex-Mex spin on creamed corn.
Leftovers and storage
- This corn dip will last in the fridge for a few days no problem. Just make sure it’s stored in an airtight container.
- If it’s been sitting out, especially in the sun for a long time, I’d discard the rest.
- As mentioned, it’s great as a cold dip as well, but you could pop it into a saucepan over a low heat to rewarm it if you’d like.
More delicious appetizers
Questions about this corn dip recipe? I hope you’ll enjoy it! Talk to me in the comments below, or tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you made this or any of my recipes.
Super Easy Cream Cheese Corn Dip
Ingredients
- 3 cups frozen corn
- 8 ounces cream cheese (1 block of Philly) softened
- 1 (10 fluid ounce) can Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies with juices
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/3 cup scallions chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Take the cream cheese out of the fridge about an hour or so prior to starting the recipe or microwave it for 20-30 seconds so it becomes nice and soft.
- Add all ingredients except for the corn and scallions to a skillet or large saucepan over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring it until the cream cheese has melted into a nice sauce.
- Add the corn and scallions and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until it's heated through (stir it often and turn the heat down if it starts to bubble too much and dry out). If you want to thin it out a bit, add a splash of chicken broth. Taste and season with salt & pepper as needed.
- Serve hot or chill first. Can be eaten as a dip (hot or cold) or as even as a hot side dish like you would serve creamed corn.
Notes
- You may use canned corn instead of frozen corn.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This totally hit the spot during yesterday’s game. Thanks for another great and easy recipe Natasha
Yay!! You’re very welcome!
This did not work for me. DH said it tasted good but it looked like corn soup. It was so thin! Clearly I am not meant to make appetizers, guess it’s my DH’s job from now on
Hi! I’m sorry that happened. I am not sure why it was so thin?
Delicious! And so quick to put together! I used canned corn since its what I had, it turned out so great. My son tried it and said “I just can’t stop eating this”. 🙂 Thank you again for another fantastic recipe. I just come to your site for inspiration on what to try now or to make a classic dish since everything always turns out fantastic. I appreciate how well your recipes are to follow and how you make every day staple ingredients, seasonings, etc come together to create truly wonderful dishes. I’m SO happy I found your site!
That’s awesome!! Thank you for your sweet comments, Lori. I’m so glad you found my website and are enjoying the recipes.
Will be making this soon can i use vegan cream cheese as am a vegan perfect for my snacks will dm you if i make this and let you know how it goes Thanks Ramya
You could try!