Hot Caprese Dip is an amazingly cheesy appetizer that folds your favorite flavors of Caprese salad into a melty dippable recipe perfect to serve pipping hot to excited friends and family.
The holidays are just around the corner and that means that you will be serving (and be served) tons of amazing food. From carb loaded potato salad to totally healthy side options like keto friendly cauliflower casserole, the possibilities are endless.
But before the food comes the food! This hot dip recipe is a great appetizer that you can heat up and in 20 minutes or less, have a perfect way to dip and enjoy.
Now there are plenty of dips out there that you can serve cold, like 7 layer taco dip and deviled eggs dip, but because this hot dip includes melted shredded cheeses and is a serve immediately hot dish.
CAPRESE DIP INGREDIENTS
Here are all the ingredients for hot Caprese cheese dip. Once verified you have all ingredients, scroll below for complete instructions and measurements.
- sour cream
- Italian seasoning
- garlic powder
- dried thyme
- shredded Monterey jack cheese
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- fresh basil
- diced tomatoes
- melba toast or pasta chips for serving
How to make Hot Caprese Dip
This cheesy tomato mozzarella Caprese dip is perfect for football parties, potluck, BBQ, and any cook out party pretty much ever! Whether its just you sitting down for a movie and need a little cheese with a glass of wine or all of your friends, this is the ULTIMATE dip.
- Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Add sour cream and spices to a bowl and mix well. Fold in cheese and basil.
- Top with diced tomatoes.
- Spread Caprese Dip into prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.
- Broil top on low for 2-5 minutes until cheese begins to brown and bubble. When broiling, be careful not to walk away as a broiler tends to go from not working to working immediately.
- Remove tomato mozzarella dip from oven and serve with melba toast, crackers, or large chunks of bread to dip.
Recipe Notes:
MIX UP THE FLAVORS: Other alternative ways to change the flavor of this melty caprese dip is to add shrimp, blue cheese, goat cheese, minced garlic or even bacon crumbles!
Expert Tips
- Cooking in stoneware helps hot cheese dips like this stay warm much longer. Cheese can “set” as it cools, leaving for a less gooey dip so its important to serve immediately and keep hot as long as possible.
- Balsamic Reduction (made from homemade balsamic vinegar) also makes a perfect drizzle at the end right before you eat. Make this while your dip is heating up in the oven.
FAQ’s
Caprese is an Italian dish that combines tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil and optionally a balsamic glaze or vinegar.
When it comes to melting cheese, to keep it melted, you have to serve and eat immediately while warm. If you would like a cold Caprese dip, try Strawberry Caprese or Peach Caprese, which uses chunks of non-melted mozzarella instead.
We use Roma tomatoes, but really any fresh seasonal tomato is fine.
Not really. The cheese would reharden. You can PREP the dish but not bake it and leave it.
Related Caprese Recipes
I love making savory Caprese salad from traditional Ensalada Caprese to a perfect Caprese pizza, so here are my favorite options to get your cherry tomatoes and mozzarella on.
- Served with tongs, this pre-meal appetizer, Ensalada Caprese with Pear, has a lovely sweet side.
- Traditional Caprese Salad with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls and fresh basil is the perfect lunch salad.
- Served as a side salad or a dip, this Caprese Salad Salsa is balanced with sweet strawberries and cheese. Trust me- if you could pick any Caprese, pick this one.
- Great as a party appetizer, Caprese Sandwich Sliders with sliced tomatoes and slice fresh mozzarella is an awesome football party food.
- Adorable little Caprese Lady Bugs taste great but also look adorable!
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Hot Caprese Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 8 oz. shredded Monterey jack cheese
- 8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup chopped fresh basil plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- melba toast for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish (stoneware works great for cheese dips) with nonstick cooking spray. Set prepared dish aside.
- Add sour cream and spices to a mixing bowl and combine well together.
- Fold in shredded cheeses and fresh basil.
- Top with diced tomatoes.
- Spread uncooked Caprese dip into prepared casserole dish and bake for 20-22 minutes or until cheese is bubbly around the edges.
- To brown top: Broil for 2-5 minutes until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Pay attention, broilers can work very quick.
- Remove Caprese Dip from oven and serve immediately while hot with melba toast.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
Comments & Reviews
Amy Boswell says
Could I add some minced garlic? I do this with Brie but have never tried the pearl cheese balls – not sure how it would blend with garlic…
Trisha says
Honestly I love garlic and cheese/mozzarella, so I say yes for sure.
Vivian says
There are no ingredients listed.
Trisha says
Yes, I noted that in the opening of the article. They were accidentally deleted and I have to redevelop the entire recipe before I can add them back in.