Easy Cheesy Baked Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip Recipe
This Easy Cheesy Baked Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip is a flavorful, crowd-pleasing appetizer perfect for holidays and game days. Creamy cream cheese and Greek yogurt are blended with fragrant herbs, tangy sun-dried tomatoes, and layers of pesto and cheese, then baked until bubbly and golden. Serve warm with crostini, crackers, or pita chips for an irresistible starter everyone will love.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American-inspired
Ingredients
Base Mixture
- 250 g softened cream cheese
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp chili flakes
- 1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil, drained and patted dry)
- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Layering and Topping
- 1/4 cup pesto sauce, divided
- 1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Garnish
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Additional chopped sun-dried tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the dip properly.
- Prepare Base Mixture: In a 9-inch pie plate or a similar sized cast iron skillet or casserole dish, combine the softened cream cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, salt, chili flakes, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of the pesto sauce, and shredded Parmesan cheese. Mix well and spread the mixture evenly as the bottom layer of your dish.
- Add Pesto Layer: Spoon the remaining 2 tablespoons of pesto sauce evenly over the cream cheese mixture, spreading it to cover the surface thoroughly.
- Top with Mozzarella: Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese over the pesto layer, distributing it evenly to ensure a golden bubbly top when baked.
- Bake the Dip: Place the dish uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. If the top isn’t bubbly enough, broil on low for 1-3 minutes to achieve a perfectly bubbly and golden finish.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with additional chopped sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil. Serve the dip warm alongside crostini, your favorite crackers, or pita chips for dipping.
Notes
- Drain and pat dry the sun-dried tomatoes well to avoid excess oil diluting the dip.
- You can use a casserole dish, pie plate, or cast iron skillet to bake this dip.
- If you want extra spicy dip, increase chili flakes slightly to taste.
- Serving warm enhances the melty, gooey texture and flavor of this baked dip.
- This dip can be prepared ahead and baked just before serving.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and gently reheated.
