Description
This Lasagna Dip is a warm, cheesy appetizer that combines all the classic flavors of traditional lasagna into a delicious, easy-to-prepare dip. Featuring a savory blend of Italian sausage, aromatic onions, garlic, and Italian seasonings layered with creamy ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses, it is baked to bubbly perfection and perfect for sharing with crostini, breadsticks, or crackers.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ pound ground Italian sausage, mild
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 cup (257 g) marinara sauce
- 1 cup (246 g) ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ cups (169.5 g) mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
- ¼ cup (25 g) parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Fresh basil, chopped for garnish
- Crostini, breadsticks, or crackers for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the dip later.
- Cook Sausage and Onion: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground Italian sausage, diced onion, ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes, breaking up the sausage with a spoon, until it is fully browned and onions are softened.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Simmer with Marinara: Pour in the marinara sauce and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, remove the skillet from the heat.
- Prepare Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, ½ cup of shredded mozzarella, parmesan cheese, the remaining ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir until well mixed.
- Layer Mixtures: Spread the ricotta cheese mixture evenly on the bottom of a small oven-safe skillet or baking dish. Then, spoon the sausage and marinara mixture over the ricotta layer evenly. Finally, sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the top.
- Bake: Place the skillet or dish into the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is bubbly and golden brown.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven and garnish with freshly chopped basil. Serve hot alongside crostini, breadsticks, or crackers for dipping.
Notes
- You can substitute mild Italian sausage with spicy if you prefer extra heat.
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, use any small baking dish and transfer the cooked sausage mixture before assembling.
- For a lighter version, swap regular mozzarella for part-skim mozzarella cheese.
- Red pepper flakes are optional but add a nice subtle kick.
- Leftover dip can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best results.
