Description
This Hot Honey Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza Dip is a savory, gooey, and spicy appetizer perfect for sharing. Featuring layers of creamy cheeses, pizza sauce, mini pepperoni, and crumbled sausage, baked to bubbly perfection and drizzled with sweet and spicy hot honey. Served warm with crispy garlic butter baguette crostini, it delivers all the flavors of pizza in a delicious dip form.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Cheese
- ½ cup sausage meat (honey garlic, mild or hot Italian, or 2 sausages with casing removed)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature, 1 brick, 250 grams)
- ½ cup sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 cup mozzarella (shredded)
- 1 cup mini pepperoni (or regular size cut into quarters)
- 4 tbsp parmesan cheese (grated, for garnish)
Sauce and Seasoning
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 cup pizza sauce (or marinara sauce)
- Hot honey (for drizzling)
Garlic Bread Crostini
- 1 baguette (cut into ½ inch thick slices, cut diagonally on an angle)
- 3 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- Cooking spray (for greasing baking dish and baking sheet)
Fresh Herbs
- 4 leaves fresh basil (sliced, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 375℉ (190℃). Grease an oven-safe baking dish or skillet with cooking spray. If making garlic bread crostini, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and lightly spray it with cooking spray.
- Prepare Garlic Bread Crostini: In a small bowl, mix melted butter with minced garlic. Brush both sides of the baguette slices with the garlic butter mixture. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheet and set aside.
- Cook Sausage: In a small frying pan, cook the sausage meat over medium heat, crumbling it into small pieces as it cooks until just starting to get crispy. Drain excess fat and set the sausage aside to cool.
- Mix Cheese Base: In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, grated parmesan cheese, and dried oregano. Mix well until smooth and creamy.
- Layer the Dip: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Next, evenly spread the pizza sauce on top of the cream cheese layer without mixing.
- Add Toppings: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the sauce layer. Scatter the cooked sausage crumbles over the cheese, then evenly distribute the mini pepperoni on top.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 6-8 minutes until the dip starts to bubble.
- Crisp Pepperoni: Remove the foil and bake for an additional 1-2 minutes until the pepperoni crisps up slightly.
- Bake Crostini: About 5 minutes after placing the dip in the oven, put the garlic bread crostini tray into the oven. Bake the crostini for 4-5 minutes until golden and slightly toasted, flipping pieces halfway through for even browning.
- Remove from Oven: Take out the pizza dip and crostini once done.
- Garnish: Optionally sprinkle sliced fresh basil leaves and additional grated parmesan cheese over the hot dip.
- Serve: Drizzle hot honey generously over the dip. Serve warm with the garlic bread crostini for dipping and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt for a tangier taste and added protein.
- For a spicier dip, use hot Italian sausage and add extra hot honey or chili flakes.
- The garlic bread crostini can be replaced with regular toasted baguette slices if preferred.
- Make sure cream cheese is at room temperature to ensure smooth mixing without lumps.
- Leftover dip can be refrigerated and reheated gently in the oven or microwave, stirring midway for even heating.
