My Mom’s 4-Ingredient Dip Will Get You Invited to Every Tailgate for Eternity

Growing up, I have to admit that I didn’t really understand the hype of football season. But being raised in a big football family, our fall and winter practically revolved around the NFL. Every Labor Day, we’d host a football pool with family and friends (where 10 year-old me would choose teams based on who had the prettiest helmet) that culminated in a huge Super Bowl party.

Naturally, because I wasn’t actually watching the Big Game, you could find me and my friends hanging out at the food table waiting for the halftime show. On that table was a plethora of wings, pigs in a blanket, Buffalo chicken dip, and cookies, but there was one dish that everyone always loaded on their plates first: my mom’s pizza dip. 

My mom’s friends only had one request when they came to my house for our Super Bowl party: there must be pizza dip. Every year, she’d make the same four-ingredient dip, and every year, it would disappear almost immediately.

So, now that I’ve been converted to a football fan (Here We Go, Steelers!), I’ve finally got the recipe for the delicious dip.

My Mom's Famous 4-Ingredient Pizza Dip

My mom’s pizza dip starts with four basic ingredients: cream cheese, pizza sauce, sausage (she uses breakfast sausage, but you can use your preferred variety), and mozzarella cheese. From there—just like any pizza—it’s customizable, so feel free to add all the toppings you like.

When my mom makes the dip, she adds mushrooms, black olives, and pepperoni to the sausage layer, plus Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes to the cream cheese since we like a little spice. However, you can add any pizza topping you enjoy, like onions, peppers, bacon, and even pineapple if you're looking to stir up controversy.

Just like most mom-approved recipes, there aren’t actual measurements for the dip—it’s more of a measure with your heart situation. However, I did my best to write out a recipe(ish) below, but if it doesn't look like enough cheese or sauce, feel free to add some more! You can’t mess this up.

How to Make My Mom's 4-Ingredient Pizza Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
• Italian seasoning (optional)
• Crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1 pound breakfast pork sausage, cooked and drained
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Mix cream cheese, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Spread mixture in the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish.
3. Add pizza sauce over the cream cheese mixture, spreading it evenly. Top with an even layer of sausage, followed by an even layer of mozzarella cheese.
4. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is lightly browned. Serve with chips or crackers.