Description

A quick, 25-minute crowd-pleasing dip made with cream cheese, marinara, mozzarella, and pepperoni, served with warm garlic knots. Perfect for game days or casual weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

8 oz (225g) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 cups (200g) shredded mozzarella cheese (shredded from a block)
1 tub (14 oz) refrigerated garlic knot dough
1 cup (240ml) marinara sauce
1 package (150g) pepperoni slices, chopped into quarters
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, divided
½ cup (50g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Chop pepperoni into quarters and grate mozzarella cheese.
In a medium bowl, mix softened cream cheese, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, and half of the red pepper flakes until smooth and creamy.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Sprinkle chopped pepperoni over the cream cheese mixture, then top with shredded mozzarella.
Bake the dip for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to brown.
While the dip bakes, arrange garlic knots on a baking sheet, brush with melted butter, and bake according to package directions (usually 10-12 minutes) until golden brown.
Remove dip from oven and sprinkle with remaining red pepper flakes and fresh basil.
Let dip cool for 2-3 minutes to allow cheese to set slightly.
Serve immediately with warm garlic knots for dipping.

Notes

Ensure cream cheese is fully softened to avoid lumps. Shred your own mozzarella for better melting. Do not overbake garlic knots as they dry out quickly. For a lighter version, use light cream cheese and part-skim mozzarella. This dip does not freeze well due to dairy separation.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: Italian-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup dip with garli
Calories: 380
Sugar: 6
Sodium: 850
Fat: 22
Saturated Fat: 12
Carbohydrates: 32
Fiber: 2
Protein: 18

Keywords: game day dip, pizza dip, pepperoni dip, garlic knots, party appetizer, easy recipe, cheesy dip, football snacks