Ingredients:

  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) spicy marinara sauce
  • 1/4 cup (25g) grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5g) garlic powder
  • 1.5 cups (170g) mozzarella cheese, freshly shredded
  • 4 oz (115g) pepperoni slices, halved or quartered
  • 1 tsp (1g) dried oregano

Instructions:

  1. Beat the softened cream cheese with garlic powder until smooth.
  2. Fold in the Parmesan cheese and half of the marinara sauce.
  3. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly across the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking dish or small cast-iron skillet.
  4. Spread the remaining marinara sauce over the cream cheese layer.
  5. Top with the shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni pieces.
  6. Sprinkle the dried oregano over the top.
  7. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12–15 minutes. For a mahogany-colored crust, broil for the final 2 minutes until edges are bubbling and pepperoni is crisp.