Description
A hot, bubbling baked dip featuring roasted cherry tomatoes, sour cream, basil pesto, garlic, and fresh basil layered under mozzarella, provolone, and Parmesan cheese and baked until deeply golden and irresistibly gooey. Serve with crusty bread, crackers, or tortilla chips for the ultimate crowd-pleasing party appetizer.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 8 oz low-moisture mozzarella cheese, cut into chunks
- 8 oz provolone cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- Crusty bread, crackers, or tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Place the cherry tomatoes in a small baking dish or on a section of the pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 12–15 minutes until the tomatoes are blistered, bursting, and caramelized. Remove and set aside — do not drain the juices.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, basil pesto, minced garlic, and fresh chopped basil. Stir until smooth and well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread the sour cream pesto mixture evenly across the bottom of a medium oven-safe skillet or baking dish.
- Scatter the roasted cherry tomatoes and all their juices over the sour cream layer.
- Top with the mozzarella chunks and shredded provolone distributed evenly across the surface. Finish with the freshly grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes until the cheese is completely melted, bubbling, and golden in spots across the surface.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately directly from the skillet with crusty bread, crackers, or tortilla chips alongside.
Notes
- Do not drain the roasted tomato juices — they pool into the dip during baking and add an incredible concentrated tomato flavor that makes the finished dip taste far more complex and deeply savory.
- Use low-moisture mozzarella cut into chunks rather than fresh — fresh mozzarella contains too much water and makes the dip watery rather than gooey and stretchy.
- Serve immediately straight from the oven — baked cheese dips lose their stretch and gooey texture quickly as they cool and are always at their absolute best the moment they come out.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 minutes