Ready in just 20 minutes and truly easy to make, this hot pizza dip gives you the perfect pizza experience without a crust. To keep it low-carb, I like to use fresh-cut veggies and pork rinds (homemade or store-bought) for dipping.
When it comes to party appetizers, easy is the way to go, and this recipe fits the bill. Spinach artichoke dip requires some prep work. Here, you simply layer cheeses, tomato sauce, and toppings, then melt everything in the oven. Much like sour cream dip and cream cheese dip, it's a forgiving recipe, so you can change the ingredients according to what you have.
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this dip. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Cream cheese: It's best to use full-fat cream cheese in this recipe.
- Spices: I use oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes.
- Pizza sauce: My favorite brand is Rao's. It has no added sugar and is delicious.
- Shredded mozzarella cheese: Another cheese that works well in this recipe is provolone. But I almost always use mozzarella.
- Toppings: I like to use pepperoni. Other options include olives, anchovies, peppers, and mushrooms.
Variations
As mentioned above, you can use different cheeses and toppings. Mascarpone is a good substitute for cream cheese, and I sometimes like to use provolone instead of mozzarella.
Two other nice additions I sometimes use are torn basil leaves scattered on top of the dip after it emerges from the oven. When I'm in the mood for something spicy, I like to sprinkle the finished dip with red pepper flakes.
Instructions
Making this dip is so easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Your first step is to soften the cream cheese in the microwave. Once it's soft, mix in the spices. Mix them well so that they are evenly distributed.
Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a baking dish. Top it with pizza sauce, mozzarella, and toppings.
Bake the dip in a preheated 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, until it is heated through and the cheese is melted. Serve with dippers such as pork rinds and raw veggies.
Expert Tip
Any 1-quart ceramic or glass baking dish will work in this recipe, but I almost always use a ceramic 9-inch pie plate. There's no need to grease the pan.
Recipe FAQs
You can use whatever cheese you like! For example, you can use mascarpone instead of cream cheese.
As for the shredded cheese, mozzarella works well, and that's what I normally use. Provolone and fontina are two other excellent options. Or you could use a store-bought mix of shredded Italian cheeses.
The toppings can be whatever you want them to be. Pepperoni is a classic, but I often use Spanish chorizo instead.
Olives, sauteed mushrooms, and sliced bell peppers are all delicious and work well as toppings.
Yes. Although marinara sauce intended for pasta is usually more watery and chunkier than pizza sauce, you can use it in this recipe, especially if you use Rao's marinara sauce, which tends to be fairly thick.
Serving Suggestions
A perfect party appetizer, this dip is a crowd-pleaser even when served with fresh-cut veggies rather than bread or crackers. So, I usually serve it with vegetables for scooping. Mini peppers, celery, cauliflower, and broccoli florets are especially good. Other tasty options include plain pork rinds and almond flour crackers.
Storing Leftovers
If you have any leftovers, you can keep them in the baking dish and allow them to cool. Wrap the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap as shown in the image below and place it in the fridge:
The leftovers will keep this way for up to 4 days. When it's time to reheat them, remove the plastic wrap and reheat them in the microwave at 50% power until the cheese is fully melted.
More Pizza Recipes
Eat Well, Live Well Newsletter
Sign up for weekly meal ideas, cooking tips, and real food recipes straight to your inbox! We won't send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
Recipe Card
Hot Pizza Dip with Pepperoni
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese - cubed
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup pizza sauce
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese - 4 ounces
Toppings:
- 1 ounce pepperoni slices - or your favorite toppings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the cream cheese in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds to soften. Mix in the oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes.
- Transfer the mixture to a ceramic or glass 1-quart baking dish (such as a 9-inch pie plate). Spread it evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Spread the pizza sauce on top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella on top, then add your toppings.
- Bake the dip until the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.
- Serve with fresh-cut veggies and pork rinds or almond flour crackers for dipping.
Notes
- Any 1-quart ceramic or glass baking dish will work in this recipe, but I almost always use a ceramic 9-inch pie plate. There's no need to grease the pan.
- If you have any leftovers, you can keep them in the baking dish and allow them to cool. Wrap the baking dish tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. The leftovers will keep this way for up to 4 days. When it's time to reheat them, remove the plastic wrap and reheat them in the microwave at 50% power until the cheese is fully melted.
Nutrition per Serving
Save this Recipe!
We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
We will also add you to our weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. See healthyrecipesblogs.com/privacy/ to learn how we use your email.
Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.