Creamy Baked Pizza Dip with Sausage and Mozzarella

Today’s Pizza Dip recipe is brought to you in partnership with Cabot Cheese Cooperative. I love partnering with them because I love their cheeses! Any opinions and photos are my own.

Pizza Dip is perfect for comfort-food season—think cool evenings, game days, and cozy nights in. This recipe captures all the best parts of pizza—sauce, cheese, and pepperoni—without the crust. Baked until bubbling and golden, it’s gooey, cheesy, and irresistible.

This dip is great with toasted pita wedges sprinkled with parmesan, sturdy tortilla chips, or slices of crusty bread. For a lower-carb option, serve with celery sticks or baby carrots. Avoid delicate potato chips; they tend to break under the weight of the warm cheese.

What is the Best Cheese for Your Dip?

I like Cabot Rustic Pizza Shredded Cheese for this dip. It’s a pre-shredded blend of sharp cheddar and part-skim mozzarella that melts beautifully while delivering a savory cheddar flavor. If you don’t have a similar premade blend, substitute one cup shredded part-skim mozzarella and one cup shredded sharp cheddar.

Pizza Dip Recipe

You can bake this in a single large cast-iron skillet, two small skillets for individual portions, or an 8- to 9-inch baking dish. A 10–12 inch skillet or an 8-inch baking dish is easiest for cleanup, while small skillets are fun for single servings. If using a skillet, make sure it has an oven-safe handle.

Choose a pizza sauce you enjoy—store-bought or homemade. Layering is simple and flexible: cream cheese on the bottom, half of the shredded cheese, a layer of pizza sauce, the remaining cheese, and pepperoni on top.

Crockpot Pizza Dip

This dip adapts well to a slow cooker. Use a small 1.5 to 2.5-quart slow cooker for best results. Layer the ingredients as directed, cover, and cook on HIGH for about 1 hour, until the cheese is melted. Keep on LOW while serving to maintain the melty texture.

Crustless Pizza

This is essentially a crustless pizza in dip form—the melted, gooey part you love without the crust. It’s meant for scooping, pulling, and spreading, not slicing. For a crunchy low-carb pairing, celery sticks or baby carrots work surprisingly well.

What to Serve with Your Hot Cheese Dip

Pesto pita chips or toasted pita wedges are excellent choices because they’re sturdy and complement the flavors. Sliced braided or crusty bread also pairs well. For drinks and dessert, choose what suits your gathering—this rich, savory dip pairs nicely with light cocktails or cider and a simple sweet finish.

If you’re serving a spread, include a range of dippers—pita chips, tortilla chips, crusty bread, and raw vegetables—so guests can choose their favorite.

Pizza Dip

– Preheat oven to 350°F.

– Spread the softened cream cheese over the bottom of a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or an 8-inch baking dish, or divide evenly between two small cast-iron skillets.

– Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over the cream cheese. Dollop the pizza sauce over the cheese, then top with the remaining shredded cheese. Scatter the quartered pepperoni slices on top.

– Bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted, bubbly, and beginning to brown at the edges. Let the dip rest for 5 minutes before serving.