This baked sausage and pepperoni pizza dip recipe starts with a creamy base of cream cheese and sour cream. It’s layered with hearty Italian sausage, mini pepperonis, and tangy pizza sauce. Then it’s topped with lots of shredded cheese that melts into bubbly goodness. It’s an easy, party-ready appetizer that tastes like pizza in every scoop.
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🗝️ Recipe's key points
- This baked pizza dip starts with creamy cream cheese and classic pizza toppings. It’s easy to customize with your favorites.
- Loaded with meat, cheese, and classic pizza flavors, this dip is perfect for easy party appetizers. It’s also a great tailgate snack for your next get-together.
- With just a few simple steps, this dip comes together easily for a crowd-pleasing dish.
One dip, endless pizza possibilities. Just layer, bake, and watch it disappear!
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients for the pizza dip recipe. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- Italian Bread – You may use any style of bread, but I especially love using a long Italian loaf or French baguette. The texture and crispiness is perfect for holding the dip.
- Avocado oil – I love using this oil because of its high smoke point. This helps the bread slices crisp up. You may also use olive oil or melted butter.
- Garlic powder – This adds great flavor. If you like your crostini a bit saltier, you can substitute with garlic salt.
- Italian seasoning – A classic Italian seasoning blend that works perfectly, or you can simply use dried oregano instead. You may also use our Tuscan seasoning blend in this pizza dip.
- Cream cheese + sour cream – This blend is for the best flavor and texture. I always use full-fat version in this recipe.
- Mozzarella cheese – Be sure to shred the cheese yourself from block cheese. The cheese melts much better than the prepackaged shredded cheese, which includes additives.
- Pizza sauce – Use any brand you like. For the best flavor, try our Award-Winning Pizza Sauce or our No-Cook Pizza Sauce.
- Italian Sausage – This adds great flavor, but you can substitute ground beef or ground chicken. Just be sure to drain any excess fat after cooking.
- Mini pepperoni – The mini version works the best for this recipe. They're the perfect bite-sized addition in every layer.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions for the pizza dip recipe. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Slice the bread and grate the mozzarella cheese.
- Transfer the sliced bread to a baking sheet and drizzle oil, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Toss to coat on both sides, then bake for 7-10 minutes. Once done, remove and set aside.
- Add the cream cheese, sour cream, and dried seasonings.
- Mix to combine.
- Smooth with the back of a spoon for an even layer.
- Top with half of the meat.
- Top with the pizza sauce.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese over, followed by the remaining meat.
- Top with the remaining cheese and bake for 20 minutes.
- Broil on high for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and serve.
🥫 Storage
Store leftover pizza dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can freeze this dip for 1 to 3 months. But it won’t taste or feel as good as fresh. That’s because cream cheese can change texture after freezing.
📚 Variations
- Full-fat ingredients give the best flavor. But you can use low-fat ones, too. This pizza dip will still be super delicious
- Use ground meat instead, such as beef (excess fat drained) or ground chicken instead of the Italian sausage.
- For a kick of heat, add in smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or crushed red pepper flakes. You could also use a cheese, such as Pepper Jack.
- Use store-bought jarred pizza sauce for convenience or make a simple No-Cook Pizza Sauce or San Marzano Tomato Sauce instead.
- Make this dip vegetarian by removing the meat and adding layers of vegetables (mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini).
- Mix up the toppings to suit your personal preferences.
- Turn this into a taco-inspired dip by using ground beef and Taco Seasoning. Jalapenos would also be a delicious addition together with a Mexican cheese blend.
- Experiment with other pizza-style toppings, such as black olives, green bell pepper, mushrooms, ham, and pineapple, to name a few.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- It’s best to first allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature before combining it with the other ingredients. This will help it mix better for a smoother pizza dip. If you’re short on time, place the unwrapped block of cream cheese on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave it on low for about 45 seconds.
- Since this pizza dip has dairy, put it back in the fridge when you’re done serving it. This dip shouldn’t be left out for extended periods of time.
- I always grate my cheese for recipes for the best taste. Packaged shredded cheese is often coated to keep it fresh. This can dull the flavor. It can also stop it from melting and mixing well with other ingredients.
- Always use cream cheese in a block, not the variety that is packaged in a tub.
- I like to assemble and serve this pizza dip right in the skillet. If you prefer, you can assemble it in a baking dish instead. That way, you can simply cover with plastic wrap to store in the fridge if you have leftovers.
🤔 FAQs
What Is Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza Dip?
Sausage and pepperoni pizza dip is a warm, baked dip with tasty layers. It’s made with melty cheese, pizza sauce, Italian sausage, and mini pepperoni. Each scoop has a mix of melted cheese, sauce, and savory toppings, just like a slice of pizza in dip form.
What Is the Best Sausage for This Recipe?
Italian sausage works best. You can use mild or spicy, depending on your preference. You can also replace it with ground beef, chicken, or turkey.
What Is the Best Cheese for This Recipe?
Mozzarella is the go-to cheese for this dip. You can also add Parmesan or provolone for extra flavor.
Can I make this pizza dip recipe ahead of time?
Yes! You can assemble the dip ahead of time, cover it, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, just bake as directed (you may need to add a few extra minutes).
What can I serve with pizza dip?
Toasted Italian bread, baguette slices, crackers, tortilla chips, or even fresh veggies all work beautifully.
Can I make this without a cast-iron skillet?
Yes! A regular baking dish works just fine—something like a 9x13 or similar size will do the trick.
Can I freeze pizza dip?
It’s best enjoyed fresh, but you can freeze it. Just know the texture may change slightly due to the cream cheese.
How do I make it extra spicy?
Add crushed red pepper flakes, spicy Italian sausage, or even a drizzle of hot honey on top—SO good!
📗 Related Recipes
For more creative spins on traditional pizza, be sure to try these fun, pizza-inspired recipes:
- Pizza Bites Appetizer and Snack - These Pizza Bites combine a crispy pepperoni crust with a creamy mac and cheese filling and a parmesan topping for a crowd-pleasing snack or gathering appetizer.
- Bubble Pizza Bread - Bubble Pizza Bread is an easy, kid-friendly weeknight dinner made with flavorful pizza sauce and plenty of gooey, cheesy goodness.
- Pizza Tater Tot Casserole - A fun, family-pleasing twist on pizza night with a crispy tater tot base and layers of classic pizza flavors, perfect for busy evenings.
🍽 What to serve with sausage and pepperoni pizza dip
This baked pizza dip recipe is great with toasted slices of bread to scoop up all of that delicious cheesy pizza goodness. Feel free to also enjoy this sausage pizza dip with tortilla chips, pita bread, crackers, pretzels, or freshly sliced veggies.
If you are following a low-carb diet, make sure to select snack offerings that are low-carb.
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- 13-inch cast-iron skillet – A large, heavy-duty skillet provides even heat distribution for baking and broiling the pizza dip to a perfectly golden, bubbly finish.
- Spoon – A simple spoon is used to mix the creamy cheese base and layer the dip ingredients evenly in the skillet.
- Measuring spoons and cups – These ensure precise amounts of seasonings, sour cream, and pizza sauce for a balanced, flavorful dip every time.
- 13 x 18-inch baking sheet – This large sheet pan holds the seasoned Italian bread slices in a single layer for even toasting in the oven.
- Chef's knife – A chef's knife easily slices the Italian bread into even pieces for dipping and can be used to cut the cream cheese into blocks for faster softening.
- Cutting board – The cutting board provides a safe, stable surface for slicing the Italian bread and any other prep work.
- Pastry brush – A pastry brush evenly coats the bread slices with oil and seasonings before they are baked.
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
Ohhh, amici… this takes me back to serate accoglienti (cozy nights). Everyone gathers around the table. No fuss. No fancy plates. Just buon cibo (good food) and even better company. This pizza dip is exactly that kind of dish. You set it down, still gorgogliante (bubbling), with that golden, cheesy top. Suddenly, everyone hovers with a cucchiaio (spoon). Or they grab croccante (crispy) bread dippers like they’re the last bites on earth.
I love recipes like this because they’re semplice (simple), but they feel speciale (special). It’s not just a dip—it’s a whole moment. A little messy, a lot cheesy, and completely delicious. And you know me… anything that reminds me of pizza AND brings people together? That’s a vincita (win) every single time.
So go ahead, make this pizza dip recipe for your next gathering—or honestly, just because it’s Tuesday and you feel like it. Pour yourself a little something, call everyone to the table, and don’t forget…
Buon appetito, amici! 🍕✨
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
📖 Recipe
Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza Dip
Equipment Needed
- 13-inch cast-iron skillet
- 13x18 baking sheet
Ingredients
Dip Ingredients:
- 2 blocks cream cheese softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 14 ounces of pizza sauce
- ½ pound ground Italian sausage cooked
- 1 cup mini pepperonis
- 2 cups hand-shredded mozzarella cheese divided
Dipping Bread:
- Italian bread
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Remove the cream cheese from the fridge and set it aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- To the sliced bread, add the oil, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Toss so both sides get covered. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- To a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, add the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and dried seasonings. Mix and combine.
- Top with half of the meat.
- Top with the pizza sauce
- Top with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese
- Top with the remaining meat.
- Top with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Broil on high for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
- Sprinkle Italian seasoning on top.
Notes
Nutrition
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Marisa Franca
This easy pizza dip recipe comes together in under an hour and is always a hit with family and friends! How can you go wrong? It tastes better than delivery pizza!