this past sunday was super bowl sunday which meant, for many of us, lots of eating, drinking, commercial-discussing + football-watching. i knew i wanted to make at least one type of dip, + was leaning towards spinach + artichoke dip until a few days before the super bowl, when i saw guy fieri make this pepperoni pizza dip on his food network show.
it looked so delicious + flavorful, + i knew that this had to be my super bowl dip. while it has a pretty long ingredient list, we already had 95% of the ingredients, which made it surprisingly inexpensive to make. the result? this dip is delicious! the vegetables add lightness + texture to the dish, while the fresh + dried herbs add layer after layer of flavor. the dip is surprisingly light, which i loved, as some dips can be oh-so-heavy. i served it with toasted baguette slices, although it would also be great with pizza dough strips or pita chips. looking for a dip for your next party? try this!
pepperoni pizza dip
makes 8-10 servings, adapted from guy fieri
ingredients
for the pizza sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (recommended: fire roasted muir glen)
1 tablespoon julienned fresh basil leaves, plus sprig for garnish
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepperfor bottom layer
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakesfor pizza toppings
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 cup thinly sliced pepperoni
1/2 cup diced (1/4-inch) red bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 cup quartered + thinly sliced crimini mushrooms
1 cup small-dice buffalo mozzarella cheese (* after reading reviews of this recipe, i used shredded mozzarella rather than diced buffalo mozzarella, since people said it made the dip too heavy).
1/4 cup grated parmesanserving suggestions: toasted pizza dough strips, toasted pita strips, or crackers
directions
preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
for the pizza sauce: add the olive oil to a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat +, when hot, add the onion. saute until translucent. add the garlic + red chile flakes, cook for 1 minute, + then add the crushed tomatoes. reduce the heat to a simmer + cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. when the mixture has thickened, stir in the fresh + dried spices. simmer for an additional 15 minutes + adjust seasoning, if necessary. remove from the heat.
for the bottom layer: in a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, ricotta, parmesan, egg, garlic + spices. spread the mixture evenly into an oven-safe casserole (2-quart capacity or a 9-inch pie pan). set aside.
for the toppings: in a small saute pan over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil + the pepperoni. saute until the pepperoni is just crisp, 4 – 5 minutes, + then drain on a paper towel-lined plate. add the remaining olive oil + the red bell peppers, sauteing over medium-high heat until just starting to soften. add the shallot, cook for 2 minutes, + then add the mushrooms. cook for 7 – 10 minutes + remove from the heat.
to assemble: spread the pizza sauce over the top of the bottom layer of cheese, sprinkle with the pepper/mushroom mixture, + then the pepperoni. evenly distribute the mozzarella over the top + bake for 20 minutes. remove from the oven + sprinkle with parmesan. garnish with the basil sprig + serve hot with pizza dough strips, toasted pita strips, or crackers.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
This looks amazing, I can’t wait to try it!
it was absolutely perfect for the super bowl! let me know what you think of it when you try it. =)
looks awesome!
it was great! a big hit with the adults at the super bowl parties, + i imagine the kiddos would love it, too. everyone wins!
This looks like something my hub would LOVE! Saving…football season may be over, but basketball is warming up…and baseball’s around the corner!! How’s the wedding planning coming?
i agree – you can always find an excuse/sport to cook for, even once football season is over!
wedding planning is going fabulously – in fact, we’re booking our honeymoon flights tonight (we’re going to st. kitts + nevis)! so far, engagement party / wedding / honeymoon planning is getting two big thumbs up from me. =)
this looks amazing.my bambino’s would sure gobble this right up.I would totally serve this as a meal with some bruschetta and a nice salad on the side.Thanks for sharing.
sounds great! you can also change the veggies in there depending on what your kiddos like, maybe even sneak some in green veggies? i also think it would be nice to play around with a few different adaptations. i might try a dressed-up version with prosciutto + arugula in the future!
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