Pizza Dip

What You’ll Need

Here’s everything you need to make this pizza dip recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.

• Cream cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese for the best flavor and texture.
• Mozzarella cheese – I recommend using whole milk mozzarella, if you can find it, for its supreme flavor and melting.
• Cheddar cheese – I like to use a medium cheddar, but use whatever you like.
• Parmesan cheese – This adds a saltier cheese to the mix. Mix some into the dip and sprinkle a bit over the top.
• Italian herb seasoning – Use this flavorful blend or substitute a combination of dried basil, oregano, and/or thyme.
• Seasonings – Garlic powder and red pepper flakes offer extra flavor, with ease.
• Pizza sauce – Use my homemade Pizza Sauce or your own favorite sauce.
• Pepperoni – Use regular or spicy pepperoni, or even turkey pepperoni.
• Basil – I love to finish this dip with fresh basil!

• Beat the cream cheese. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese until fluffy.
• Add cheeses & seasonings. Now add 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella, all of the cheddar, and ¼ cup of the Parmesan, plus the seasonings. Mix to combine.

• Spread in a pan. Spread the cheese mixture evenly in an oven-safe pan or pie plate.
• Add pizza sauce. Top the cream cheese mixture with pizza sauce.

• Finish with cheese & pepperoni. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the sauce and top with pepperoni slices.

• Bake, garnish, and serve. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly to your liking. Let cool a few minutes, then garnish with fresh basil and serve!

Tips & Variations

You can easily play around with some of the ingredients in this dip. Here are a few ideas:

• Broil. While I add this as an optional step, I personally like to set the dip under the broiler for a few minutes at the end of the cooking time. This gives the cheese a lovely browning and crisps up the pepperoni a bit, making it even more irresistible.
• Change up the meat. In addition to or instead of the pepperoni, add cooked Italian sausage or bacon crumbles, or chopped Canadian bacon.
• Garnish. Think about your favorite pizza toppings – do you like spinach? Olives? Onions? Sprinkle some of these over the top if you like.
• Make it vegetarian. Skip the pepperoni to make this a vegetarian pizza dip.

Serving Suggestions

Here are a few great ways to serve this dip:

• Baguette. Toast or grill some baguette slices, or just warm them up and leave them soft. To make perfectly toasted bread, slice a baguette on the diagonal, into ½ ” slices. Lightly brush both sides of each slice with olive oil, then add a very light sprinkle of kosher salt to one side of each slice. Toast or grill the baguette slices over medium heat in a large skillet on the stovetop or on a grill, turning to brown them on both sides. You could also place the slices on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until lightly toasted.
• Crackers. This is a super easy choice – offer a variety of sturdy crackers. I like to seek out crackers that have some Italian herb seasoning.
• Breadsticks. I grew up on breadsticks from Olive Garden and Pizza Hut, so this suggestion brings back a lot of delicious memories!
• Other hot, cheesy dips. Serve cheesy pizza dip alongside other decadent hot dips like Reuben Dip, savory Spinach Artichoke Dip, and an easy Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip.
• Drinks. Hot dip pairs wonderfully with cocktails like a Classic Gin & Tonic, Manhattan, or a Bootleg Cocktail. See my drinks section for a complete list of amazing cocktails.

Proper Storage

• Fridge – Store cooled leftover dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer – You can freeze this dip in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months, just know that the texture won’t be quite the same as when it’s freshly baked.
• To Reheat – Place the dip in an oven-safe dish and warm it in the oven at 350°F until the cheese is melted and the dip is heated all the way through. If frozen, let dip thaw overnight first.