Name: Pizza Dip
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese , cut into 8 pieces; 3/4 cup jarred pizza sauce; 1 garlic clove , minced; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 4 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese , shredded (1 cup); 3 ounces pepperoni , cut into ¼-inch pieces; 1 ounce Parmesan cheese , grated (½ cup); 6 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions , divided

Why This Recipe Works

This party food is pepperoni pizza in dip form. A combination of mozzarella and Parmesan gives it plenty of cheesy flavor. Cream cheese, which is very stable when melted, holds the dip together while it bakes. Adding jarred pizza sauce, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes made it taste like it came straight from a pizza shop. Using a stick of pepperoni and cutting it into pieces ourselves ensured that the dip was studded with plenty of meaty bits.

Before You Begin

For the best results, buy a stick of pepperoni, not packaged presliced pepperoni. Serve with breadsticks, crackers, or toasted baguette slices. Don't skip the cooling time.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.

Microwave cream cheese in large bowl until soft, 20 to 30 seconds. Stir in pizza sauce, garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes until thoroughly combined. Stir in mozzarella, pepperoni, Parmesan, and 4 tablespoons scallions.

Transfer cream cheese mixture to 1-quart casserole dish and smooth top with rubber spatula. Bake until spotty brown and bubbling at edges, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons scallions. Serve.