Pizza Dip is going to be your new favorite appetizer. It is easy to make, can be prepped ahead of time, and it is absolutely delicious.
I want to live in a world where calories from appetizers don’t count because they are my very favorite. Finger food and delicious dips are so good that I want to make a meal out of them. This pizza dip is just another on the list of amazing appetizers to drool over.
This fantastic dip comes together with just a handful of ingredients, so many that are already in your pantry. It goes in the oven for just over 20 minutes and is delicious when served piping hot with bagel chips or toasted baguettes. You too will want to make a meal out of it!
How to Make Pizza Dip
Here is a brief overview of how this pepperoni pizza dip recipe comes together. For the full recipe including all measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Make the cream cheese mixture. Beat the cream cheese, pizza sauce, seasonings, and some of the cheeses together until smooth.
- Put the dip together. Spread the cream cheese mixture into the pie pan or baking dish. Top with the remaining one cup of mozzarella cheese, two tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and mini pepperoni.
- Bake the dip. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and broil for two to three minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble and brown.
Homemade Pizza Sauce
Once I started making my own pizza sauce, I never looked back. I think it often surprises people how easy it is to make it from scratch, and how simple the ingredients are. Not only is the flavor amazing, but you know exactly what is in it and skip the added preservatives that can be found in store-bought pizza sauce, which is something to feel good about. You will love it in this pizza dip recipe and for your homemade pizza night!
Pizza Sauce Recipe
Pro Pepperoni Tip
An important key to this recipe is to not mix the pepperoni into the dip itself. I’ve tried making this recipe a number of different ways and each time I found that when the pepperoni was mixed into the dip, once baked it made the dip way too greasy. The mini pepperoni on top is the perfect way to get that great pepperoni taste without adding in so much grease to the recipe.
How to Serve Pizza Dip
This easy dip recipe is best served hot. I love to sprinkle some fresh parsley on top after I pull the dip out of the oven. Toasted baguette slices or bagel chips are perfect for dipping and holding the cheesy goodness. Because bagel chips already have salt on them, I recommend omitting the salt from the dip if you plan to serve it with bagel chips.
See below for how to make toasted baguette slices. Bonus, this step can be done ahead of time!
How to Make Toasted Baguette Slices
- Slice the baguette into thin slices, about 1/2-inch thick.
- Toast the slices on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until light brown.
- Enjoy right away with the dip or store the toasted bread in an airtight bag or container for up to two days.
Variations
If you love this, but want to bulk it up a little bit, you can add some of your other favorite pizza toppings.
- Vegetables: Sauté onions, green bell peppers, and mushrooms in a little bit of butter. Make sure they are drained well, and then they can be added to the cream cheese base before spreading in the dish you are baking it in.
- Olives: These an be added right to the cream cheese mixture and also you can top the dip with them before baking.
- Sausage: Italian sausage would be great in this recipe. Cook up 1/4 pound and make sure it is fully cooked, well browned, and drained very very well of the grease before adding it to the cream cheese mixture.
Tips and Tricks
- Room temperature cream cheese. It will blend with the other ingredients more smoothly and have a better texture than a cold block of cream cheese.
- Watch the dip closely in the oven. It can go from golden and bubbly to burnt very quickly when broiling so be sure not to walk away from it. It only takes a minute or two.
- Shred cheese from a block. While buying pre-shredded cheese may seem like a convenient option, it is covered in preservatives that prevent it from clumping together in the bag. They also prevent the cheese from melting well. Because this recipe is made up of so much cheese, I highly recommend buying blocks and shredding it yourself.
Making Ahead
If you want to make this pizza dip ahead of time, prepare the dip in the baking dish or pie plate up to the point of putting it in the oven. Cover tightly with foil and keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, remove it from the fridge and bake according to the directions on the recipe card.
If you are making this for a party and want to keep it warm, combine all the dip ingredients (except the pepperoni) and add them to a small crock pot like the one linked in the box below. Cook the dip for two hours, stirring occasionally to help it cook evenly. In the last 20 minutes of cooking, add the pepperoni to the top. Enjoy when it is heated through and the cheese is melted. Keep on the warm setting for up to two hours.
Small Slow Cooker
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover pizza dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in the oven or microwave until heated through.
Other Great Dip Recipes
If you try this pepperoni pizza dip recipe or any of my other recipes, let me know what you think by leaving a comment. It makes my day to hear from you!
Pizza Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature (227 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese shredded and divided (169.5 grams)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese shredded and divided
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (if using table salt, start with half, see note)
- dash freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup mini pepperoni
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Please read through the whole recipe before starting.
- Combine the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, pizza sauce, spices, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Beat together until well combined.8 ounces cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup pizza sauce, 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano, 1/2 tablespoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, dash freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- Spray a 9 inch shallow pie pan or oven-proof skillet with cooking spray. Spread the cream cheese mixture into the pie pan. Top with the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and mini pepperoni.1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup mini pepperoni, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble and brown. Serve with bagel chips or toasted baguette slices and enjoy!
Notes
averie @ averie cooks says
Is anyone else ready to just sign off of Facebook for good? <— I was literally about to cry last night reading all the hatred, rants, and venom spewing from people. So I poured a glass or three of champagne and ate cheese :) This pizza dip would have been even better!
Right? I don’t understand how people can speak so unkindly to one another over differences in opinions. Even with the differences in opinions are over such important issues.
Auntiepatch says
My goodness, that’s too bad. Why can’t we all live by the Golden Rule or listen to Thumper’s mom?
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
YES OMG. There is this Emergency Kitten video on Twitter I’ve been watching over and over wanting to share in on FB to make people happy again. Also: THIS CHEESE!
Cat says
Nutrition information not showing…
My apologies, it is in there now.