Hot Caprese Dip
Featuring melty cheese and juicy tomatoes, this Hot Caprese Dip is a fun twist on a traditional caprese salad. This is a great appetizer to serve with friends!
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One of my all-time favorite vacation memories is eating Caprese Salad in Capri. The restaurant made fresh mozzarella every morning, and slices of that mozzarella were layered with local tomatoes and basil leaves. Oh, and we can’t forget the amazing olive oil that was drizzled on top. So tasty!
Caprese Salad is perhaps one of the easiest appetizers to make. Like most Italian recipes, the secret is to use the best quality ingredients you can afford. Spring for the best tomatoes you can buy. Definitely get fresh mozzarella. And reach into the pantry for the bottle of good olive oil. Easy and elegant!
Hot Caprese Dip
This Hot Caprese Dip is a fun twist on the classic Italian salad. This recipe is essentially a basic cream cheese dip combined with the ingredients that you find in Caprese Salad. And unlike the Italian version, this one is served hot. It’s a fantastic (and I truly mean fantastic) party or game day appetizer! It’s unique, but still approachable. And it’ll be gone before you realize it.
Ingredients
- Cherry Tomatoes. Half of the tomatoes go into the dip itself and the other half go on top before the dip is baked. As the dip bakes, the tomatoes will soften and some will burst. This is important as the liquid from the tomatoes helps loosen up the cream cheese portion of the dip.
- Olive Oil.
- Basil Pesto. The pesto gets tossed with some of the tomatoes and baked for a bit longer than the rest of the dip. The result is a flavorful base that gets stirred in with the cream cheese dip.
- Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper. For added flavor.
- Cream Cheese. A block of cream cheese forms the base of the dip.
- Mozzarella Cheese. This recipe calls for two types of mozzarella. Shredded mozzarella gets stirred into the cream cheese to create a cheesy dip. Fresh mozzarella balls (small ones) go on top for added cheesiness as well as appearance.
- Parmesan Cheese. While Parmesan cheese is not an ingredient in classic Caprese Salad, it is used in this dip recipe for added flavor.
- Fresh Basil. Don’t use dried basil here. Use fresh basil leaves. Tip: Depending on the time of the year, it might be cheaper to swing by the garden center and buy an entire basil plant rather than the small packs of basil leaves in the produce section. Just drop the plant in a pot at home, and you’ll have plenty of basil for future recipes, too!
- Toasted Baguette Slices. I sliced a baguette and then brushed the tops of the slices with olive oil. A little sprinkle of Italian seasonings went on top of each slice and then they went into a toaster oven until golden brown and crispy. Crackers or pita chips would also be good dippers, but I do think the heartier baguette slices (i.e. crostini) are better for this hot dip.
How to Make the Dip
This dip is a unique one. The cream cheese + shredded mozzarella mixture is way too thick to work as a dip. It needs liquid to loosen it up. But that’s where things get fun. The liquid comes from a mixture of cherry tomatoes, basil pesto and olive oil. That combination gets roasted in the oven for ~15 minutes. As it roasts, the cherry tomatoes will burst and combine with the olive oil and pesto.
After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and drop spoonfuls of the thick cream cheese mixture around the pan. Since the pan is hot, the cream cheese will begin to soften. Grab a wooden spoon and start to stir. The hot pan + the liquid from the tomatoes + pesto will cause the dip to soften enough to spread it evenly into the pan. From there, just add the remaining cherry tomatoes (halved) and the fresh mozzarella balls. Bake for ~25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Then get ready to dig into this easy appetizer!
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers of this dip should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. An easy option is to let the dish and dip cool completely and then wrap the top in plastic wrap or foil. To reheat, place in a 350°F oven for 12-15 minutes, or until heated through. I do not recommend freezing the leftovers.
This dip recipe is both elegant and rustic at the same time. It also tastes delicious – and it honestly doesn’t take too much effort at all. Just time it so the dip is warm when your guests arrive. It’ll be a favorite, and I promise folks will be asking for the recipe. Feel free to share it – or just keep it as your secret party appetizer recipe! Either way, I hope you enjoy this Hot Caprese Dip as much as we do. Cheers!
Did you make this Hot Caprese Dip recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Hot Caprese Dip
Ingredients
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes divided
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp basil pesto
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil plus more for garnishing
- 4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese balls mini or pearl size
- {optional} balsamic vinegar reduction for drizzling on top
- crackers or toasted baguette slices for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Spray a small baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set dish aside.
- Using a small mixing bowl, add 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, olive oil, pesto, garlic powder, salt and pepper; toss until well combined. Transfer mixture into prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, using a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and chopped basil.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- Remove the baking dish from oven and add the cream cheese mixture to the pan. Stir the roasted tomatoes and cream cheese mixture until well combined. (Note: The cream cheese mixture will be thick when you drop the spoonfuls into the baking pan. Let the spoonfuls sit for a minute. The hot pan will soften the cream cheese and you'll be able to stir it all together.)
- Slice the remaining 1 cup of tomatoes in half and lay on top of cream cheese mixture. Arrange fresh mozzarella balls on top.
- Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, or until cheese has melted and is bubbling.
- {Optional} Turn the broiler on broil for 2-3 minutes, or until top of dip begins to turn golden brown.
- {Optional} Drizzle top of dip with balsamic reduction.
- Let dip stand for 10 minutes and then garnish with additional chopped basil before serving with pita chips, crackers or toasted baguette slices.
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