This baked Lasagna Dip features a zesty tomato sauce with Italian sausage and melty pockets of cheese, all ready for scooping with garlic bread dippers!
Ingredients
Baguette Dippers
112-ounce baguette, sliced ½" thick on the diagonal
2tablespoonsolive oil
2largecloves garlic, sliced in half
1teaspoonkosher salt
Cheesy Yum
⅔cupfull-fat ricotta cheese
⅔cupwhole milk shredded mozzarella cheese
½cupgrated Parmesan cheese(the kind in the shaker can)
Add baguette slices in an even layer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Brush olive oil lightly over baguette slices (just the top side). Bake for 3-5 minutes, or until lightly golden, without flipping.
Remove from oven, and while the dippers are still hot, lightly rub the top sides with the cut sides of the garlic cloves. The heat will cause the garlic to "melt" into the bread. Sprinkle the dippers lightly with salt and set aside.
Cheesy Yum
While baguette dippers are baking, stir together the Cheesy Yum: In a small bowl, stir together ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and garlic powder. Set aside.
Lasagna Dip
In a 10" cast iron skillet (or similar sized oven-safe skillet) over medium heat, cook the sausage and onion, breaking up the sausage into very small bites. Once the sausage has cooked through and is lightly browned, drain away any grease. Then stir in the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
Stir in crushed tomatoes (do not drain), Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer over medium to medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring a couple times. Then taste test and add more salt and/or pepper, if desired.
Dollop the Cheesy Yum over the top, in 8 similar-sized portions. With the back of a spoon, press dollops down into the tomato sauce a bit.
Sprinkle mozzarella over the top.
Place skillet in 400°F oven and bake for 10 minutes. Then broil, just until the cheese is slightly browned.
Remove skillet from oven and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Then broil briefly, just enough to brown the Parm a tiny bit. Do not let the Parm burn.
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh basil. Serve hot with Baguette Dippers.
Notes
Note: If you do not have a 10" oven-safe skillet, create the sausage/tomato mixture in a skillet on the stovetop. Then transfer the mixture to an oven-safe baking dish, such as a 10" deep-dish pie plate, to finish cooking in the oven.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.