Description
This creamy and cheesy pizza dip is the perfect appetizer for pizza lovers, combining cream cheese, sour cream, marinara sauce, and plenty of mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses with classic pizza toppings like pepperoni. Baked until bubbly and golden, it’s deliciously served warm with crusty bread or chips for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup sour cream (can substitute with mayonnaise)
- ½ teaspoon dried garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more for topping
Toppings
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 ¼ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 15 slices pepperoni
For Serving
- Crusty bread (pita, tortilla, or bagel chips, or vegetables as alternatives)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the dip.
- Prepare Base Mixture: In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, garlic powder, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Make sure the sour cream isn’t cold to keep the dip smooth when baked.
- Assemble Dip: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan, baking dish, or cast iron skillet.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Spread 1 cup of marinara sauce over the cream cheese layer, then sprinkle evenly with Parmesan and shredded mozzarella cheeses.
- Top with Pepperoni: Arrange pepperoni slices or your choice of pizza toppings over the cheese layer.
- Bake: Place the assembled dip in the oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes until the top is bubbly and starts to brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven, optionally garnish with extra red pepper flakes, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped parsley. Serve warm with crusty bread or your preferred dipping items.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: Assemble the dip, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking. Let it rest at room temperature for 25 minutes before baking.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan and shredded mozzarella from blocks for better flavor and texture.
- Rao’s or homemade marinara sauce works best for full flavor.
- Additional topping options: sausage, mushrooms, olives, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, beef, ham, pineapple, feta cheese.
- Sour cream can be substituted with mayonnaise, plain Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese.
- Serve with crusty bread like a no-knead loaf, pita, tortilla chips, bagel chips, or vegetables for dipping.
- Try pairing with homemade pizza recipes for a themed meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 310 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
