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You are going to love my recipe for Pizza Dip. I say that because everyone does! Pepperoni pizza dip with cream cheese is an awesome appetizer for parties, game day, and family movie nights. But, I guarantee you'll want to make it "just because"! The best part is that pizza dip uses simple ingredients and is ready in under an hour, so there's no reason not to!
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Pepperoni Pizza Dip
In this post, I'll share with you how to make the most amazing pepperoni pizza dip using a handful of simple ingredients all in just 40 minutes. I've been making this pizza dip for years, and every time I bring it to a party, someone new asks me for the recipe! Well, let me tell you: it's easy, and you're going to love it.
Plus, I'll share what to serve with cream cheese pizza dip, expert tips, storage instructions, and answer the most frequently asked questions about making pizza dip!
I am loving this because even though I LOVE pizza crust it does not love me. So this dip gives me more of the good stuff!
Tools to Make Pizza Dip
- A baking dish. Although I used a deep round baking dish for this recipe, you can use any baking dish of a similar size that you have on hand, such as a square baking dish. Whenever I want to double it, I use a 9 by 13-inch baking dish instead, and it works just great. Don't stress over- or under-cooking it. You'll know when it's done!
- A sharp knife and cutting board for cutting the pepperoni.
Ingredients in Pizza Dip
- Whipped Cream Cheese: I'm using whipped cream cheese because it is already soft and spreadable and easy to use. However, if you have regular cream cheese you'd like to use, all you have to do is let it soften first so it's easily spreadable.
- Pepperoni: Chop your pepperoni up to spread throughout the dip. I usually cut mine into quarters. Make sure to leave a few whole to place on top of the dip!
- Garlic Powder: A little bit of extra garlic powder adds a bit of garlicky flavor that is a must for pizza dip.
- Italian Seasoning: I use my own homemade Italian seasoning. It's fantastic, and I can adjust the flavors just how I like them. But, you can use your favorite store-bought seasoning, if you prefer.
- Tomato Sauce: If you have the time, try making your own tomato sauce for this recipe, like my Sunday Sauce (just leave out the meat). Otherwise, use your favorite jarred sauce.
- Mozzarella Cheese: For the best flavor and consistency, grate your own mozzarella cheese rather than using pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese comes packed with an anti-caking powder that keeps it from clumping together, but this means it doesn't melt as well. Of course, pre-shredded will still work just fine if that's what you have or what you would prefer to use.
- Green Onions (optional): While optional, green onions add a pop of freshness and color to pepperoni pizza dip. I always make mine with sliced green onions on top! Alternatively, you could use fresh herbs like basil, depending on your taste preferences.
For detailed instructions, variations, answers to FAQ, expert tips, storage instructions, and serving suggestions, scroll under the recipe card below! And please, leave a comment and review. I love to hear from you, and your feedback helps my site grow so I can continue to share recipes with you!
Pizza Dip Recipe
Equipment
- Baking dish
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whipped cream cheese - if using regular cream cheese, allow to soften 1 hour
- 1 cup pepperoni - chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese - I recommend shredding your own
- sliced green onions - for topping, optional but SO tasty!
Instructions
- Spray baking dish and preheat oven to 375°F. Spread 8 ounces whipped cream cheese evenly into the baking dish.
- Cut 1 cup pepperoni into small pieces and sprinkle evenly over the cream cheese. Reserve extra for topping if you prefer.
- Spread 1 cup tomato sauce over the pepperoni evenly.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon garlic powder evenly over top the sauce.
- Top with 8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese and spread to cover evenly.
- Evenly sprinkle ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning over top.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and extra pepperoni if desired.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. Serve with crackers, chips, or garlic bread, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use whipped cream cheese. If you're using regular cream cheese, let it sit for an hour until it reaches room temperature to soften. If it's still cold, it will be difficult to spread.
- Spread all of the ingredients in as even a layer as possible to get the most flavor in every bite.
- Green onions are optional, but add a nice pop of fresh flavor to the dip.
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Hi, I'm Isabel! I've been sharing my recipes online, in cookbooks, and in TV specials since 2012. The most important thing to me is Sunday supper with my family, and inspiring togetherness with my recipes!
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Cream Cheese Pizza Dip Recipe Detailed Instructions
Step 1: Spray your baking dish and preheat the oven to 375°F. While I'm using a round baking dish, you can use whatever you have - square, rectangular, or otherwise. If you want to make a double batch for a party, I recommend using a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. I do this all the time!
Step 2: Spread whipped cream cheese evenly into the baking dish. If you don't have whipped cream cheese and have plain cream cheese instead, make sure to let it soften for an hour at room temperature so it's easily spreadable. Otherwise, you'll be fighting your cream cheese to get it to spread evenly.
Step 3: Cut pepperoni into small pieces and sprinkle it evenly over the cream cheese. Reserve extra for topping if you prefer. I like to always have some whole pieces of pepperoni on top to keep it looking like a pizza! If you're making one of my variations below, this is where you would add in substitute ingredients for pepperoni.
Step 4: Spread tomato sauce over the pepperoni evenly. Personally, I love to use my homemade meatball sauce (linked in the variations section) for pizza dip. The flavor is out-of-this-world delicious.
Step 5: Sprinkle garlic powder evenly over top the sauce. Fresh garlic runs the risk of burning, so I always use garlic powder. It adds that nice garlicky flavor without burning.
Step 6: Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and spread to cover evenly. If you can, I recommend shredding mozzarella cheese yourself off of a fresh block of mozzarella. It melts better that way. Otherwise, you can use bagged shredded cheese.
Step 7: Evenly sprinkle Italian seasoning over top. Without exception, I always use my Italian seasoning recipe for this dip. It has all of the flavors you want in an Italian seasoning, but you can adjust it to your liking!
Final Steps: Garnish with green onions and extra pepperoni if desired (optional). Then, bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
Expert Tips
- Use whipped cream cheese. If you're using regular cream cheese, let it sit for an hour until it reaches room temperature to soften. If it's still cold, it will be difficult to spread.
- Spread all of the ingredients in an even layer as possible to get the most flavor in every bite.
- Green onions are optional, but add a nice pop of fresh flavor to the dip!
- My meatball sauce is the perfect sauce for this pepperoni pizza dip. But if you are in a rush, your favorite canned or jarred sauce also works perfectly.
- Try my Pizza Monkey Bread next! If you enjoy my pizza dip recipe, you will LOVE that bread.
What to Serve with Pepperoni Pizza Dip
- Bagel chips
- Pita chips
- Tortilla chips - I love using the scoops kind!
- Crispy bread slices; even better when paired with my garlic butter to make them into garlic bread
- For a low carb option, use pork rinds!
- Plus, pair it with a nice light salad on the side!
Storage Instructions
Store leftover pepperoni pizza dip in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. But honestly, it won't last that long - you'll finish eating it much sooner, I guarantee you!
Can pizza dip be frozen? The short answer is, no. I would not freeze pizza dip. The inclusion of cream cheese means this dip is not very freezer-friendly, because cream cheese can separate and become grainy when frozen.
Pizza Dip Variations
- Italian Sausage: Brown crumbled sausage in a pain, then add it to the pizza dip with sauteed mushrooms and onions plus chopped green peppers for a classic sausage pizza flavor.
- Bacon Cheddar Pizza Dip: Use my crispy air fryer bacon or even my super flavorful candied bacon recipe, crumbled into pieces, with shredded sharp cheddar cheese to make this a cheddar bacon pizza dip.
- Buffalo Chicken Pizza Dip: Pair pulled chicken with homemade buffalo sauce to make a buffalo chicken pizza dip that is just fantastic. Pair it with my homemade blue cheese dressing and crumbled blue cheese to make it over-the-top delicious.
- BBQ Pulled Pork Pizza Dip: Instead of using pizza sauce, use my fantastic pulled pork recipe with homemade BBQ sauce to make a BBQ pulled pork pizza dip. I recommend adding some sour cream for flavor contrast.
- Meat Lovers Pizza Dip: Make my Sunday Gravy meatball sauce using all the included meat ingredients. Add in some sliced or diced ham and bacon, and make the dip as normal!
- Pineapple Pizza Dip: If you love pineapple on pizza, don't worry. I get it. So do I! Add pineapple to pizza dip with cubed Canadian bacon or diced thickly-sliced ham. Pineapple tidbits work best because they're already small pieces, but you can use rings, too.
- Chicken Alfredo Pizza Dip: One of my absolute favorite variations on this pizza dip recipe uses my recipe for chicken alfredo. You can easily meal prep for this recipe by preparing pan-fried chicken breast and my popular alfredo sauce recipe separately. Replace the pizza sauce with alfredo sauce. Sometimes I also like to make steak alfredo pizza. It's awesome!
FAQ
I always do, but depending on the baking dish you're using, it might not be necessary. If you're worried about anything sticking to the dish, then definitely spray it!
If you leave out the pepperoni and mix in your favorite veggie pizza toppings instead, you can make vegetarian pizza dip. I recommend green peppers with sauteed mushrooms and onions (linked above) - this combo is SO tasty! However, keep in mind that some cheeses are made using rennet, which is not strictly vegetarian. Most brands of mozzarella are 100% vegetarian, and so is cream cheese, but if you want to add any shaved Parmesan, make sure to double-check it for rennet.
You can make the pepperoni dip recipe up to 3 days ahead of time. Assemble as instructed, then store covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Bake and serve as normal! You may need to add a bit of time to the baking time, as it will be chilled.
Emerson says
I love this dip. I've made it several times now and never get tired of it. It's great if you want to avoid too much bread!