Meat Lover’s Pizza Dip

Tips from My Kitchen

• Use cupping pepperoni. I absolutely ADORE cupping pepperoni. It’s a NY staple and it’s what I prefer on all my pizzas, so of course I had to add it to my pizza dip. Not only do the curly edges make the pizza/pizza dip more appealing and dynamic, but it adds depth to the pizza. The cup shape holds all the flavorful oil that just oozes in your mouth with each bite.
• Broil the dip. Hitting this under the broiler on high for 3-5 minutes after it’s finished baking will result in a super bubbly, browned cheese layer on top.
• Freshly shredded cheese is a must. If at all possible, shred your own mozzarella cheese and grate your own parmesan straight from the block. The dip will taste better and end up even meltier.
• Customize it! As I said above, my husband requires meat as the main ingredient in any dish, so I made this meat lover’s pizza dip based on his preference. But you can totally customize it to be any type of pizza dip you want. I included lots of suggestions below!

Ingredient Notes

This dip requires just a handful of ingredients to prepare. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

• Italian sausage – I like to use spicy Italian sausage but feel free to substitute with any sausage you like.
• Pepperoni – I used cupping pepperoni because it’s my favorite. Feel free to use mini pepperoni or cut regular slices into smaller pieces.
• Fresh ricotta cheese – Instead of cream cheese or sour cream like many dips, I opted for ricotta as the creamy base.
• Cheese – I use a combination of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Freshly shredded and grated is ideal.
• Spices – Dried oregano, salt, and pepper.

Pizza Dip Variations

The fun thing about this pizza dip recipe is that there are endless ways to customize it. Here are some ideas for inspiration:

• Hawaiian pizza dip – Skip the pepperoni and sausage and add diced ham and pineapple instead.
• White pizza dip – Use a variety of cheeses, pesto, and your favorite herbs.
• Other meats – If you don’t eat pork, swap the sausage for ground beef or chicken. You can also just add extra pepperoni.
• Non-dairy pizza dip – Substitute all of the cheeses for your favorite dairy-free pizza. The best brand I found for pizza was Miyokos Creamery VeganMozz.
• Veggie lover’s pizza dip – Skip the sausage and pepperoni to add veggies like sauteed peppers, onions, olives, mushrooms.

What To Serve It With

There are so many fun ways to serve pizza dip! If we’re trying to make it the main part of the meal, I usually serve it with garlic breadsticks and/or Texas toast.

It’s also phenomenal with my easy garlic bread, garlic knots, pasta chips, and pita chips. Of course, you can use regular crackers and tortilla chips, too.

If you want to keep things lower-carb or just add some crunch, red and green pepper spears, cucumber slices, carrot sticks, and zucchini spears are also great options. Or just skip the dippers altogether and eat it by the spoonful!

Make Ahead & Storage

You can assemble the whole pizza dip ahead of time and bake it right before you serve it.  This is a great way to have all of the work done early so you don’t have to do anything past pulling it out of the refrigerator and baking it right before a gathering.

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or pop the entire pan back into the oven until melted.