Pizza Dip Recipe | Easy Baked Pizza Dip With Ricotta Cheese

Get ready for this baked Pizza Dip recipe! With just a few ingredients and 30 minutes, you’ll have an appetizer your friends will be begging you to make for every party. It’s quick, easy, and absolutely bursting with your favorite pizza flavors.

Why You’ll Love This Amazing Appetizer

• Minimal ingredients. This awesome baked appetizer only a handful of ingredients to create a bite that is packed with pizza flavor.
• Ready in a flash. Have this delicious dip on your table and ready to dig into in less than 30 minutes.
• Totally customizable. Pick a combination of your favorite pizza toppings to create a pizza dip that will please everyone at your gathering.

Whether you’re prepping appetizers for a gathering of friends or just want something to snack on while you watch the big game, this baked pizza dip is guaranteed to be a hit with friends and family alike.

What Does Pizza Dip Taste Like?

This Baked Pizza Dip with Ricotta is absolutely packed with robust Italian flavors. This dip has a creamy base of your favorite soft cheese, salty pepperoni, zesty Italian sausage, tangy pizza sauce, and the perfect blend of Italian spices.

Imagine the flavors of your favorite pizza toppings all blended together into one tasty bite—but without the pesky crust to keep you from eating as much as your tastebuds are begging for.

What Is The Difference Between Pizza Dip and Regular Pizza?

The difference in pizza and pizza dip is all in the crust! The flavors of both are relatively the same, thanks to the flavors the toppings lend to each bite. Pizza can be made with a variety of crusts depending on which variety you prefer. Pizza dip skips the crust completely and doubles down with the amount of cheese packed into every bite.

Ingredients To Grab

• Ricotta Cheese
• Cream Cheese
• Mozzarella Cheese
• Pizza Sauce
• Italian Sausage
• Pepperoni
• Italian Seasoning

How To Make Pizza Dip

Prepare the meats. Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat until no pink is remaining. use a paper towel to absorb any excess grease in the pan. Ensure that you are breaking it up into small pieces that resemble taco meat with your spatula. Either use mini pepperoni or cut traditional pepperoni into 4 pieces so you get a little bit of pepperoni flavor in each bite.

Mix together the cheeses. Mix together the softened cream cheese and ricotta cheese in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir in the shredded mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning.

Layer the pizza dip. Prepare a small baking dish (8×8 or similar size) with nonstick spray. Place the cheese mixture into the bottom of the pan. Layer on a generous amount of marinara or pizza sauce. Place the pepperoni and Italian sausage mixture on top of the sauce.

Bake to perfection. Place the pizza dip into an oven preheated to 350F. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dip is hot and bubbly.

Serve and enjoy! Serve the baked pizza dip with ricotta cheese with your favorite dippers or sides for an unforgettable game day appetizer.

Tips And Tricks

For an absolutely fool-proof recipe that will turn out perfect every time, read over the tips and tricks below before you get started:

• Make the meat bite-sized pieces. Breaking the Italian sausage into small pieces with your spatula and cutting the pepperoni into bite-sized pieces will ensure you get a little bit of that robust meat flavor in every bite.
• Don’t skimp on the sauce. The amount of sauce you add before baking may seem excessive, but it will reduce while it cooks. Remember, sauce equals flavor, and no one wants a bland bite.
• Bake until bubbly. The ingredients in this dip will be safe to eat as soon as you assemble the dish. The cream cheese that works as the base of the appetizer has a tendency to harden as it cools. To keep this dip easy to eat for your guests longer, make sure you bake it until it is hot so it stays thin and easy to dig into.

Variations

One of the perks of making this dip is how versatile it can be. Whether you love meat, veggies, or lots and lots of cheese and sauce, you can customize this appetizer to tantalize any tastebuds. Here are some of my favorite versions to snack on:

• Make it vegetarian. Believe it or not, you don’t need meat to add flavor. Sauté onions and bell peppers before layering them on top of your dip. Consider adding on olives, jalapeños, or even mushrooms for a flavorful and healthy bite.
• Swap out the cheeses. Soft cheeses can be a polarizing ingredient. If your family doesn’t love ricotta cheese, or isn’t a fan of cream cheese, just double the variety you choose to leave out. For an earthier flavor, consider using half of the mozzarella cheese the recipe calls for and sprinkle in some parmesan cheese, too!
• Try different sauces. Marinara sauce isn’t the only sauce you can use for this delicious dip. Try swapping it out for Alfredo sauce, buffalo sauce, or even BBQ sauce for a tasty twist.

What To Eat With Pizza Dip

If you’re not sure what to serve with this baked pizza dip with ricotta cheese to create the perfect bite, consider choosing one of these delicious dippers to create an unforgettable flavor bomb:

• Garlic bread
• Pretzels
• Crackers
• Wonton chips
• Pepperoni chips

How Long Does It Last?

This baked Pizza Dip recipe can last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The cheesy base may begin to separate the longer it sits, so you may need to mix the layers together when you reheat the dip. It may not be quite as pretty as the day you made it, but it will taste just as good!

Can You Freeze It?

Soft cheeses have a tendency to change texture and become gritty when they are frozen and defrosted. For the best bite, it’s not recommended to freeze this pizza dip. Instead, consider cutting the quantities in half and making a partial portion if you aren’t expecting a big crowd.

More Amazing Appetizers

• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Cashew Chicken Dip
• Elote Dip
• Pepperoni Pizza Bombs
• Spinach Dip with Bread Bites

If you love this Pizza Dip recipe as much as we do, make sure you share it with your friends on social media so they can try it too! Don’t forget to save it so you can make it next time you need an easy appetizer to feed a crowd.