Pepperoni pizza dip is creamy, rich, and delicious. This comforting appetizer is just what you need to get the party started — and it makes the best late-night snack when you are having a last minute craving. It’s easy to make, easy to prepare ahead of time, and easy to eat. With three layers of cheesy, saucy goodness, topped with your favorite pizza toppings which is then popped into the oven until warm and bubbly, it's no surprise that everyone loves this total crowd please. Serve pizza dip with any bread side, including crackers, breadsticks, and sliced French baguettes.
Why You'll Love Pizza Dip
- It’s pizza dip. What more do I have to say? This three-layer pizza dip features a rich layer of seasoned cream cheese on the bottom, a generous helping of marinara sauce with an extra cheesy layer of mozzarella and parmesan on top, and topped with pepperoni (or your favorite pizza toppings). It’s dreamy. It’s cheesy. It’s pizza dip. What’s not to love?
- It’s incredibly easy to make. Baked dips are an easy hot appetizer to serve at parties. There’s no complex assembly, careful organizing, or painstaking details to worry about. Just throw it together, bake it in a dish, and let it get gooey and bubbly before serving it up with some bread. It's the perfect warm dip to serve on Game Day.
- It's 100% customizable. You can use your favorite toppings to this pizza. For instance, omit the pepperoni and make a veggie pizza. Add meatballs, sausage, and more for a meat lover's pizza. Want onions and peppers? No problem. Light sauce and extra cheese? You can do that, too. Enjoy the freedom of customizing your pizza dip just the way you like it.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this easy Pepperoni Pizza Dip, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):
- cream cheese - use a block of cream cheese for the best results (creamier and richer), but other types will still work.
- mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- marinara sauce - feel free to use marinara sauce or substitute with pizza sauce. You can use store-bought sauce or homemade. We love using our homemade marinara sauce here.
- pepperoni slices
- bread - serve with your favorite bread for dipping.
You will also need measuring cups, mixing bowl, and 1 quart baking dish.
How to Customize the Toppings
We kept things simple and topped our dip with pepperoni. You can get creative and use any of your favorite pizza toppings. Try:
- Ham and pineapple for a Hawaiian twist
- Sausage and green bell pepper
- Mushroom, olive, pepperoni, and onion
- Spinach, broccoli, and ricotta cheese
- Sliced meatballs, sausage, and pepperoni
- Fresh diced tomatoes and crumbled bacon
How to Make the Best Pizza Dip
- Make cheese mixture. In a medium mixing, stir to combine cream cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Layer the dip. Spread onto the bottom of a 1 quart baking pan. Top with marinara sauce, remaining mozzarella, and pepperoni slices.
- Bake. Bake in a 425F preheated oven for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes and serve warm with bread for dipping.
How to Serve
You can serve this Pepperoni Pizza with anything that would taste good with cheese. My favorites to serve with this are:
- Garlic Breadsticks
- Sliced French Baguettes
- Salted Soft Pretzels
- Pita Bread
- Ciabatta Rolls
- Crackers
- Pull Apart Garlic Bread
Storing Instructions
- Make ahead instructions: You can assemble the dip a few hours in advance (follow the recipe until just before baking). Then cover it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic cling wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- How to store: You can store this pizza dip in its original container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Cover it with plastic cling wrap or aluminum foil before storing.
- How to reheat: Pizza dip is best served warm. You can reheat the leftovers (or a portion of the dip) in an oven-safe container in your conventional or toaster oven at 375F for 5-15 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat it in the microwave until warmed through.
More Dip Recipes
- 20 Best Dip Recipes
- Baked Spinach Dip
- Queso Mexican Cheese Dip
- Marinara Sauce
- Baba Ganoush Eggplant Dip
- Spinach and Artichoke Dip
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Recipe
Pizza Dip
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Pepperoni pizza dip is creamy, rich, comforting, and delicious. This appetizer is easy to make, easy to prepare ahead of time, and easy to eat.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese (one block), softened
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 ½ cups marinara sauce (or pizza sauce)
- 6-10 pepperoni slices
- bread (for dipping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- In a medium mixing, stir to combine cream cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, and Parmesan.
- Spread onto the bottom of a 1 quart baking dish. Top with marinara sauce, remaining mozzarella, and pepperoni slices.
- Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Let it cool for 5-10 minutes and serve warm with bread for dipping.
Notes
Make ahead instructions: You can assemble the dip a few hours in advance (follow the recipe until just before baking). Then cover it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic cling wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
How to store: You can store this pizza dip in its original container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Cover it with plastic cling wrap or aluminum foil before storing.
How to reheat: Pizza dip is best served warm. You can reheat the leftovers (or a portion of the dip) in an oven-safe container in your conventional or toaster oven at 375F for 5-15 minutes until warmed through. You can also reheat it in the microwave until warmed through.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dip
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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