Try a new spin on the classic pepperoni pizza with this delicious (and SUPER easy) pepperoni pizza dip. Break out the baguette and Coca-Cola and consider making a double batch for any of your upcoming parties!
This post was sponsored by Kroger and The Coca-Cola Company. All opinions expressed on my site are my own.
Hot Pizza Dip
Basketball isn’t something I care about the majority of the time.
But every March when a certain college basketball tournament comes around, I can’t help but get bitten by the basketball bug.
I’ve shared in the past what a big college basketball fan Forrest is – and, well, his whole family. And each year we have a fun little tournament.
As Jack has gotten older, he’s really loved it as well, and it’s something our whole family looks forward to.
I sometimes feel bad that Forrest doesn’t always have someone to share his love of college basketball year-round, but I think he appreciates the extra enthusiasm from us this time of year.
Of course, no basketball viewing party is complete without food. Another love of Forrest’s is pizza, so we often will dine on pizza. But sometimes it’s nice to have something that’s a little bit easier to eat (because as delicious as pizza gets, it’s usually a little too greasy to eat without a plate).
So I thought it would be fun to make a pepperoni pizza dip. I’ve heard of pizza dips in the past, but I’d never tried one myself. So we just gathered together a bunch of ingredients from our local King Soopers store, threw them together, and the result was so good.
Jack even told me, “That was a really good choice, mommy!” I consider that a win in my book.
This pizza dip seriously couldn’t be easier – I opted for pre-cooked, turkey sausage just so I could use less dishes, and it came together in less than 35 minutes.
I wasn’t sure how it would all taste in the end…but seriously, I can’t wait to make this for more parties.
And let’s be real…would anything pizza-themed be complete soda? I think not. Forrest has been pulling a lot of late nights lately, as he’s been working hard to get our new house ready for us to move into – all the while helping my dad out with tax season.
So he was pretty excited when we pulled out some Coca-Cola for him to drink. We aren’t being caffeine drinkers, but when he needs a little extra energy, he almost always goes for Coca-Cola. It’s really a classic drink that almost everyone will enjoy at a party.
So whether you are looking for the perfect appetizer for an upcoming basketball party, or you just want a little bit different of a twist on pizza, you are sure to be satisfied with this pepperoni pizza dip.
We used thinly sliced baguettes with it, but you could really use whatever sounds yummy!
Don’t forget to check out Taste of the Tournament for even more delicious game-day recipes for your parties!
How to Make Pizza Dip
Ingredients
Printable version available below.
24-ounce jar marinara sauce
20 sliced pepperonis, divided (cut about 10-12 of them into 1/4 pieces)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
3/4 cup crumbled sausage (we used pre-cooked)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare vegetables to be cooked.
Heat olive oil in a skillet.
Add bell peppers, onion, bell peppers, sausage, and pepperonis. If you want your pepperonis to be more crispy, cook them separately in the microwave.
Saute until veggies are translucent and soft.
Mix the sauteed mixture with the marinara sauce and pour into a baking dish.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on top.
Top with remaining pepperonis.
Cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, broil for 1-2 minutes (watching carefully).
Enjoy with sliced baguette.
Variations
You could easily make all sorts of different kinds of pizza dips to please your tastebuds! Here a few different ideas (cook for the same amount of time)
- Alfredo Dip
- About two cups of alfredo sauce (we prefer homemade, but you could buy store bought as well)
- 1 cup grilled chicken breast, chopped
- 1/2 cup bacon bits
- Parmesan cheese
- BBQ Chicken
- 1/2 cup favorite BBQ sauce mixed with 24 ounces marinara sauce
- 1 cup grilled chicken breast, chopped
- 1/2 cup diced pineapple
- 1/4 cup bacon bits
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Supreme Pizza
- Same amounts as pizza below but add in mushrooms and olives
Pepperoni Pizza Dip
A delicious and easy-to-put-together appetizer for parties that EVERYONE will love!
Ingredients
- 1 24 ounce jar Marinara sauce, any variety
- 20 sliced pepperonis, divided; slice about 12 into quarters. Set aside the rest.
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 3/4 cup crumbled sausage, We like precooked Turkey sausage
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Baguette
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a skillet.
- Add bell peppers, onion, bell peppers, sausage, and pepperonis. If you want your pepperonis to be more crispy, cook them separately in the microwave.
- Saute until veggies are translucent and soft.
- Mix the sauteed mixture with the marinara sauce and pour into a baking dish.
- Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on top.
- Top with remaining pepperonis.
- Cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, broil for 1-2 minutes (watching carefully).
- Enjoy with sliced baguette.
Debbie Mcclaskey says
Awesome recipe I will make this
Chelsea says
YUUUM! This sounds delicious! The Final Four are here in Minneapolis this year, so we might even get to go to one of the games this year!
Katie says
That would be so fun!