You haven’t lived until you’ve tried this 5-Ingredient Pizza Dip recipe. Be forewarned, this 25-minute appetizer is highly addictive so get ready to make a batch or two for your next gathering. It’s the perfect football party food!
This simple Pizza Dip recipe is a family favorite of ours. No, it’s not low sodium (at all) like most of my recipes. This easy 5-ingredient dip is the reason cheat days were invented – for us anyway. It’s our go-to addiction for just about anything. Football Sunday? Friends coming over? Having a bbq and the food won’t be ready for a while? Rainy, depressing Saturday and we’re stuck indoors? All of these scenarios always lead to the same answer…PIZZA DIP! Luckily this simple recipe only requires five ingredients plus some spices that I typically have on hand. It pairs with just about any hearty chip too, so that’s never a big deal. It’s ooey, gooey, and oh-so-good.
This pizza dip is all about the layers!
In case you don’t know, cheese is my favorite food group, and pizza is my all-time favorite food. That makes this simple appetizer the best thing since sliced bread (don’t get me started on bread and carbs…also favorites!). The beauty of this dip is not only how delicious it tastes, but how easy it is to make. No fuss here. Just start layering, put it in the oven, let the magic melting happen, and enjoy!
Layer 1: Cream Cheese
I use Philadelphia Spicy Jalapeño Cream Cheese Spread because we like things with a kick. If you’re not a fan of spicy, you can use plain or another flavor variety. Just layer it in the bottom of a baking dish.
Layer 2: The Marinara
Use whatever marinara you’d like for this. For pasta dishes, I always make my totally-from-scratch marinara and I use that if there’s any in the fridge or freezer. Usually, though, for this quick indulgence, I go with a jarred variety and always keep Prego Lower Sodium Sauce on hand.
Layer 3: My favorite food group!
Top the sauce with some cheese. I use a mix of mozzarella, colby jack, and parmesan, then I sprinkle a little Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb seasoning over the layer for added flavor. You can never have enough garlic!
Layer 4: More sauce!
Pizza isn’t pizza unless it’s saucy and this dip is no exception. That second layer of sauce is a must!
Layer 5: More cheese please!
As with all good pizza (dips), they need to be topped with cheese, glorious cheese. This final layer is the one that gets all crispy and bubbly which is always the best part! Then you just put the dish in a 350ºF preheated oven, set the timer to 20 minutes, then once the timer goes off, leave it in the oven for another five minutes because that’s when the browning happens.
Who’s hungry?
All that’s left to do is grab some bagel or pita chips or crackers and hope you can wait long enough for it to cool down before digging in. That last part is pretty important because this golden concoction comes out hot and bubbly. I may or may not have burned my tongue a couple of times…just to test the batch to make sure it was ready for everyone else, of course!
- 1 7.5-oz cream cheese spread
- 1.5 cup marinara sauce (adjust to how saucy you like it)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded colby jack cheese
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Optional: Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning to taste
- For serving: Pita chips, crackers, or bagel chips
- Preheat oven to 35ºF.
- Spread the cream cheese in the bottom of a baking dish.
- Top with a layer of marinara.
- Add a layer of mozzarella, colby jack, and parmesan.
- Sprinkle with seasoning if using.
- Add another layer of sauce.
- Top with cheese mixture and sprinkle with seasoning again.
- Place in middle rack in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
- Allow the dip to sit in the oven for another 5 minutes after the heat has been turned off, until the entire dip is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from oven, let cool about 10 minutes, serve with chips and crackers.
There you have it. Your new favorite dip is as simple as (pizza) pie. If you’d like a meatier version, top with some pepperoni or precooked ground hamburger. You can also top it with your favorite diced veggies if you want to add even more flavor and texture. Just be sure to adjust the baking time up a bit if you’re adding more ingredients. I assure you, no matter how you serve it, no one can resist this simply delightful dip!