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This is a warm, cheesy, and gooey pepperoni pizza dip that I make for just about every game day party! It has herbed cream cheese layered with tomato sauce and chopped pepperoni with plenty of melty mozzarella and parmesan.
Also?! If you’re craving more easy appetizers, definitely check out these cheesy oven-baked pizza rolls and this warm sausage cheese dip made in the slow cooker!
It’s that time of year when I eat my weight in football appetizers every Sunday! Usually, I’m making enough crispy potato skins and cheeseburger sliders to feed a small army of friends. Other times, I’ll whip up my favorite snacks for just hubby and me if we’re watching the game together. It’s basically a feeding frenzy with football on the side. This easy pepperoni pizza dip is THE appetizer I always come back to because it feeds two just as easily as it does a crowd!
Why I Love This Pizza Dip Recipe
- Gooey, cheesy pizza goodness. This dip is everything I love about a deep dish pizza, minus the dough. It’s layer after layer of three types of melted cheese, spicy pepperoni, and savory herbs.
- Quick. There’s really nothing to it. Season the cream cheese before you load everything into a square baking dish, and bake. There’s even enough time to whip up a batch of air fryer potato chips for dipping.
- Easy to scale. I can make this pizza dip for two or dip for a party. Double the recipe if you’re having people over. Speaking from experience (all in favor of abolishing serving sizes, say “aye”).
Dip Ingredients
It’s hard to believe that so much flavor comes down to 7 ingredients, but that’s all it takes to make this pizza dip! I’ve included some notes on what you’ll need here. Be sure to scroll to the printable recipe card for the full ingredient amounts and recipe details.
- Cream Cheese – You’ll want to buy the plain cream cheese that comes in bricks, and not the bagel spread. I flavor the cream cheese with garlic powder and oregano, but you can use Italian seasoning, too.
- Mozzarella and Parmesan – Freshly shredded and grated. You can substitute mozzarella with shredded white cheddar in a pinch.
- Tomato Sauce – This can be store-bought or homemade. You can also use tomato purée.
- Pizza Toppings – I almost always fill this pepperoni pizza dip with chopped pepperoni and fresh parsley. Just about any toppings you’d add to a pizza, you can add to this dip. See below for more ideas!
How to Make Pepperoni Pizza Dip
I’ve been making this pizza dip recipe since the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup (we’re soccer fans), and it never. Gets. Old. It’s always just as delicious as the first time when we inhaled the whole thing and had to make seconds.
A word of wisdom: Soften the cream cheese to room temperature before you start. It makes it MUCH easier to stir in the seasonings. Then, follow these quick steps:
- Start with the cream cheese layer. Fold the garlic powder and oregano into the cream cheese until that’s well combined. Afterward, spread the cream cheese into the bottom of an 8×8” baking dish.
- Add the other ingredients. Mix the mozzarella and parmesan and sprinkle half of that over the cream cheese. Add a layer of tomato sauce, then pepperoni slices and parsley. Top everything with a final layer of mozzarella.
- Bake! Pop the pizza dip into a 350ºF oven for 20 minutes until it’s golden and bubbly. Gather your favorite dippables, and dig in.
Easy Variations
Just like a traditional pizza, there are plenty of ways to change up the pepperoni in this dip for different topping ideas. Here are some ideas:
- Different protein. Swap the pepperoni for cooked diced bacon or ham (with pineapple! Hawaiian pizza dip, anyone?). Or, try a dip version of a BBQ chicken pizza.
- More cheese. Play around with different types of cheese, like blue cheese, feta, or ricotta. A goat cheese pizza-inspired dip would be delicious in the summertime!
- Vegetarian. Make a vegetarian pizza dip filled with sliced onions, diced bell peppers, olives, artichokes, and/or spinach.
- Make it spicy. Use spicy pepperoni, or sprinkle in crushed red pepper flakes.
Serving Suggestions
This pepperoni pizza dip is one of the easiest game day appetizers! I’ll serve it warm from the oven with homemade cheese crackers, chips, or crostini while sipping on a beer margarita. It’s also great with crusty bread slices, like ciabatta or sourdough.
Fill the table with more tasty football snacks like baked battered shrimp, smoky corn ribs and pretzel bites, and avocado hummus with crudités. These pumpkin bars make an easy, shareable sweet treat!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. We rarely have leftovers! If you need to store your pizza dip, cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the leftover dip to an airtight container. It’ll last in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Reheat. Uncover the dip and warm it in the oven at 350ºF until it’s hot throughout and bubbling. You can also reheat smaller portions in the microwave.
More Dips and Appetizers
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Pepperoni Pizza Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup chopped pepperoni sausage, you can also use packaged pepperoni
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 8 to 10 pepperoni slices, for the top
- crackers or chips, for serving
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Make the cream cheese layer. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper; mix until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Then, spread the prepared cream cheese mixture on the bottom of a small 8×8 baking dish.
- Add shredded cheese. In a mixing bowl, combine the mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese; sprinkle half of the mixture over the cream cheese.
- Layer the remaining ingredients. Spoon tomato sauce over the cheese and add the chopped pepperoni. Sprinkle with parsley, top with the remaining cheese mixture, and several slices of pepperoni.
- Bake. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the dip is bubbly. Serve immediately with your choice of crackers or chips.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Hi!!!!! OMG It has been WAY too long since I stopped by. This snack lovin’, football freak would adore this lovely recipe!!! It sounds fabulous, Hugs, Terra
This looks so tasty! Can I just have this for dinner?
That dip looks sooo good and sooo tempting.
I can the hubby and I eating this during a football game. YUM!
I’m not a football fan, but I am a huge futball fan!!
This pizza dip looks perfect for watching those legs…that ball being kicked back and forth (betwixt those legs). 😉