I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t like lasagna. Kids, young, old, male, female, vegetarians, those meaty-types, cartoon cats, everyone. And, here’s a new way to look at lasagna: Lasagna Dip. Warm. Cheesy. Italian. Satisfying. Yummy. I think I may serve this at a Super Bowl party or happy hour party.
Herbed ricotta mixed with mozzarella, topped with fire roasted tomatoes & Parmesan cheese, and garnished with fresh basil leaves … all kinds of good.
You’ll need an oven-proof skillet for this dip. I love my cast iron skillet for these types of dishes. But, I actually think my skillet is a little big for this; this would be great in a smaller, deeper skillet. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, be sure that the handle of your skillet is oven-proof. Though the heat isn’t too extreme, if your skillet has a plastic handle, it may get damaged in the oven.
This dip was inspired by a baked ricotta dish that the husband and I tried. We thought it was a good start, but it was a little on the bland side. It was the husband who said it was like lasagna dip: ricotta, bread sticks instead of the noodles, tomatoes, etc. (See, I’ve said before that ricotta reminds me of lasagna!) So, we talked about what it needed to take it to full Lasagna Dip cheesy goodness!
Homemade bread fresh from the oven would also be wonderful with this dip
The evening that we tried the final version we were also having spaghetti for dinner. As we sat eating the spaghetti, I decided to stir a couple of spoonfuls of dip into my pasta. Yum! Super easy lasagna pasta – no layering, just lasagna flavor in an easy to eat bowl of pasta.
The bread sticks are a great addition to the dish, but if you prefer crackers, simple un-toasted bread, or even tortilla chips, it’s all good.
So, here’s my take on Lasagna Dip. I hope you enjoy!
Lasagna Dip with homemade bread sticks Recipe
Bread Sticks for Lasagna Dip
Ingredients
For Bread Sticks
- ½ of a loaf of French bread Italian bread, or sourdough
- 6 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Slice bread into sticks. Mix olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Brush olive oil mixture onto bread sticks. Bake in 350° oven for 8-10 minutes until golden and toasted.
Lasagna Dip Recipe
Lasagna Dip
Ingredients
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes drained
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
- 1 container 12 oz part-skim ricotta
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan
- Basil leaves for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- For Lasagna Dip:
- In a small bowl, mix together tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and red pepper (if using). Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix together ricotta, mozzarella, basil, and oregano. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet or oven-proof pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic to pan and cook until bubbling and fragrant, about one minute more. Remove from heat.
- Place ricotta mixture in the skillet, top with tomato mixture, and sprinkle shredded Parmesan over the top. Transfer skillet to 350° oven, and bake until bubbly (12-15 minutes). Remove. Sprinkle with basil leaves and serve with toasted bread or crackers.
Oh – this is something different. I love lasagna and you’re right – its a versatile dish that appeals to a lot of people.
Stopping by from Favorite Things Thursday.
http://artpark78.com/blog1/my-favorite-savings-and-deals-of-the-year/
This dip is truly inspired, thank you for sharing and for linking to Thursday Favorite Things blog Hop at Katherines Corner. Hugs!
This sounds AMAZING! Thanks for sharing with Foodie Friday!
This dip looks amazing! Lasagna is my ultimate favorite dish, and I have an addiction to dips, so this is a winner in my book.