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There’s regular old pizza… and then there’s PIZZA DIP!
The difference??? Pizza dip is basically all the melted, gooey cheese you’d normally get on a pizza, times three! AND, the cheese is on the bottom so it’s kind like a reversed pizza. Oh my gosh, YES. I mean, really could it get any better?
Thinking not.
Here’s the thing, I almost never, ever make appetizers. I know I have told you guys this before, but with my family/the people I feed, it’s all about the big meal. No one wants to casually chat and eat a little something before dinner like civilized people. No, they really just want to sit at a table, any table, pile their plates high, and then eat and eat and eat until their tummy’s are full. It’s not a pretty sight.
This Christmas when we had a house full of people, I made an executive decision that appetizers had to be made, and guys, it was the bestest thing ever. I made brie and blue cheese and hummus and life was complete. We did apps like two-three hours before our late night dinners and it worked out amazingly. The apps held the drunken family members (not joking, Christmas was a little loosey goosey to say the least this year) over…and sobered them up a little before sitting down to dinner.
PERFECTION, and obviously they were delicious because well, appetizers RULE… cheese + carbs = happiness.
SO this all brings me to this crazy awesome Margherita Pizza Dip. With the Super Bowl happening this Sunday, I figured now is the time to up the my appetizer game. Appetizers are pretty much uncharted territory for me, so the excitement to experiment is through the roof.
Yes, I am so weird… but I feel like I say this daily.
Clearly I have accepted it.
This dip is EVERYTHING. It’s kind of the inverse of a margherita pizza. Instead of the cheese being on the bread, the cheese gets melted in a baking dish… melted until it’s hot, gooey and perfect. The bread is then used for dipping. AND my margherita pizza dip has something super special.
Burrata. Burrata. Burrata.
SO GOOD.
If you have yet to try Burrata, now is the time. It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite cheeses. It’s like a ball of fresh mozzarella on the outside, BUT inside is the creamiest, most yummiest form of ricotta. Honestly, it’s the best. Like if you’re feeling a little depressed about being single on Valentine’s Day, buy yourself a ball or two of burrata, make this dip and then let your depression fade into cheese heaven… Then finish your evening off with some chocolate.
Obviously.
Point in all my rambles: Margherita Pizza Dip + Burrata will save any and all of your day-to-day problems, AND it makes for one KILLER Super Bowl app.
There is one very important part to this dip. Well, aside from all the cheese of course.
The tomatoes!
Yes, tomatoes are not in season, I know, enter giant 🙁 I am ALL about eating seasonally, but sometimes you just gotta have some Margherita Pizza in your life. Life without Margherita pizza would be zero fun.
So the good news is that we still have pretty decent tomatoes coming in from California, which means good things for our Margherita pizza dip. So here’s my VERY important tip. Because the tomatoes are not as flavorful as they might be in the spring and summer months, it is a MUST to roast them until they are lightly charred to a golden perfection. Roasting the tomatoes brings out their natural sweetness and makes them utterly delicious. I actually do this year round with any tomatoes bigger than a golf ball. I’m personally not a fan of large tomatoes… or I take that back, I am not a fan of large tomatoes that are not of the heirloom variety. SO, if the tomatoes are large and they’re not heirloom, you can bet I will be roasting the heck out of them. Only way to go if you ask me.
And yes, I am totally a tomato snob.
I also highly recommend buying Roma tomatoes that are still on the vine. I have found that these have great flavor, even in these brutal winter months. Which by the way, this winter is brutal thus far. It’s currently windy, snowing like crazy and so cold. I am wearing two shirts and two sweatshirts at the moment. #BUNDLED
OKAY and lastly, the bread. I simply toasted up a loaf of ciabatta bread with olive oil, salt + pepper and parmesan and baked it at 375 degrees F. until crisp. Once the bread was finished, I topped it off with fresh basil. THEN you dip, bite and go to a very happy place… eyes rolling back.
Dramatic, but so true.
Margarita Pizza Dip (withBurrata!!).
Ingredients
- 2-3 medium or 4 small tomatoes, sliced thinish
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt + pepper
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt + peper
- 8 ounces fresh burrata cheese
- fresh basil, for serving
- toasted bread/crostini, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lie your sliced tomatoes flat on the baking sheet and drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Generously sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Now sprinkle with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tomatoes are beginning to char and caramelize around the edges. Remove from the oven.
- Reduce the oven temp to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch baking dish.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat together the cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, garlic powder, basil, oregano and a good pinch of salt + pepper until evenly combined. Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. After 15 minutes, remove from the oven and add the roasted tomatoes and burrata cheese. Return to the oven and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and the burrata is warmed through.
- Top with fresh basil + pepper. Serve with toasted bread. EAT.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
The cheese situation is REAL. The struggle to stop eating? Even worse.
AMAZING DIP!
Thanks Nicola!
If you use sliced tomatoes, do they break up easily when dipping or do the skins of the tomatoes hold them together? do you get a whole slice of tomato or no tomato when dipping?
Have you ever tried it with pepperonis added?
I haven’t, but that would be delish! xT
Beautiful to look at and very amazing to eat!
Thanks so much Karen!!
I made this today as a practice run for a cocktail party I’m having in a couple weeks and WOW…my guests are going to love it!! I spread it over toasted ciabatta bread. I feel like it needed more tomatoes, but I may have sliced mine too thin. This would taste amazing with roasted halved cherry tomatoes, too! Thanks for great recipe!
Hey Debbie,
Happy Monday!! 🍁 Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for making it! xT
Hello ☺️,
I’m planning Tom make this for a family gathering this weekend.
How would you suggest it be reheated after traveling.
Hi William,
I would reheat in the oven on low covered with foil. I hope you love the recipe!! xT
Do you add the burrata cheese ball and tomatoes to the top of the dip without stirring?
Hi Sarah,
Yes, that is correct. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Hi! I would like to make this for a potluck. Any adjustments if I wanted to try and make in a crock pot?
Hi Alexis,
I’ve never made this in the crockpot, but I’m sure it would work well for you! Please let me know how the recipe turns out, I hope you love it! xx
Looks SO yummy! Would this be good at a party where it’ll sit for a while? Or will the cheese harden too much?
Hey Amanda,
I think it would be totally fine for an hour or 2:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
Absolutely delicious and very easy to put together! “Best appetizer you’ve ever made” -my fiancé
Hey Allyse,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback!! Love to hear that it was a winner:) xxT
I wonder if I can put it all together and bake the next day?
Hey Dawn,
Sure, that will work well for you! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Can I make this dish ahead of time? And then freeze? Or just make the mixture and keep it in the fridge for two days? Any suggestions would be so helpful!
Hi Allison,
I would probably just make the mixture ahead of time and keep in the fridge. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Boy, oh boy, this was amazing. Per a friend’s suggestion, I used a couple extra tomatoes (I used 5 tomatoes on the vine) for the perfect cheese-to-tomato ratio, and this is definitely one of the best dips I’ve ever made. I assembled in advance and did the final baking a couple hours later, which made it nice to be able to prep in advance. Happy New Year, Tieghan, thanks for another winner!
Hey Blayre,
Fantastic! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy New Year!? xxT
Hi!! Do you think I could sub goat or Brie for the buratta? I have everything except the buratta on hand?
Hey Cynthia,
I think either of those would work well for you. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I am making it as we speak and walked to Fresh Market around the block and got the buratta. Ha. Now, I have so much cheese in my fridge! Yay this is fun!❤️
I hope you love the recipe Cynthia!!
I want to try this this weekend I LOVE Burrata cheese and tomatoes. My question is so you break the ball of cheese open before or after baking?
Thanks!
Steph
Hey Steph,
I break the ball of burrata after baking. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan