This cheese dip recipe is easy and impossible to resist. We combine tangy sour cream with lots of gooey mozzarella, fresh basil, and bake until bubbly and golden.
Every time we make this cheese dip, we’re asked for the recipe. And now, it is yours to share, too! It’s almost too easy to put together, requiring only stirring the ingredients in a bowl and baking in the oven until bubbly.
This dip is not as creamy as classic queso, but that’s intentional. Instead, look forward to golden-brown stringy cheese that you can spread onto toasted bread, warm focaccia bread, or (gasp) garlic bread! For more gooey dips like this one, see our spinach artichoke dip, cheesy bean dip, and this buffalo chicken dip.
Key Ingredients
- Cheese: We use a mix of shredded mozzarella and Monterey Jack. The Monterey Jack melts beautifully, while the mozzarella gives you that perfect, gooey cheese pull. Note, use shredded blocks of mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella sold in brine.
- Sour Cream: The creamy base of this dip is full-fat sour cream. It provides a rich texture and won’t break while baking, guaranteeing your dip stays smooth.
- Spices: A simple blend of dried mustard powder and dried thyme adds a savory backbone to the dip without overpowering the other flavors.
- Basil: A whole cup of fresh basil leaves adds a huge amount of flavor. We stir some in before baking and sprinkle the rest on top for serving.
- Tomato: Finely diced tomatoes are scattered over the hot cheese dip just before serving. If you love the tomatoes and cheese combo, you may also want to see our roasted tomatoes with ricotta.
How to Make Cheese Dip
Tip 1: Toast your bread while you bake the cheese dip. The dip takes 10 to 15 minutes in the oven, so once you’ve got it in there baking, slice your bread, line them up on a baking sheet, and slide them into the oven, too. The bread needs 5 to 7 minutes, so it should come out just before the dip is ready.
Tip 2: Add a golden-brown top. For a gorgeous, golden-brown top like in our photos, when the dip is all melted and gooey, turn your oven to broil and let it cook under the broiler for a minute or two. Watch it closely to make sure it doesn’t get too dark.
Tip 3: Serve this dip with a spoon. This dip is meant to be gooey and stringy, with a fantastic cheese pull (like hot out of the oven cheese pizza). It’s not a pourable queso, so grab a spoon! You’ll need it to scoop out all that cheesy goodness onto your bread.
More Dip Recipes
Cheese Dip
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
This gooey cheese dip is one of our favorite things to serve friends. Serve this with toasted bread slices, homemade focaccia, or crisp, cool vegetables. When the cheese melts, it turns spreadable. A bit of liquid releases as it sits, so don’t be worried if it separates a little after baking. It is still completely delicious!
You Will Need
1 cup sour cream (227g)
½ teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded, about 2 cups (226g)
12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, about 3 cups (340g)
1 cup basil leaves, chopped, plus more for serving
1 small tomato, diced
1 baguette, sliced and toasted
Directions
1Prep the oven and dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Set aside a 2-quart baking dish for baking the dip.
2Make the dip: In a large bowl, mix the sour cream, mustard powder, and thyme until blended. Fold in the mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and basil.
3Bake the dip: Add the dip to the 2-quart baking dish. Bake until the cheese melts and is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes.
4Toast the bread: While the dip bakes, add bread slices, in one layer, to a baking sheet. Slide into the oven and bake 6 to 8 minutes until toasted.
5Broil for a golden crust: Once baked, turn the oven to broil and cook the dip for about 2 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
6Serve: Serve warm with tomato and extra basil leaves scattered on top and alongside toasted bread slices.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Other cheeses would work well, too — think feta, goat cheese, or gruyère.
- The nutrition facts provided are estimates. We did not include bread.
I’m going to try all they look so good ..Thank you Nancy
Do you think this would work in a slow cooker?
Hi Megan, we have never tried this in a slow cooker, but it should work.
Good news! I have made this numerous times for potlucks, and it comes out wonderful in the slow cooker! It’s always a hit, and I always have to give out the recipe after.
Hi!
This looks delicious! How big was the baking dish that you used?
The baking dish we used in our photos was just a little smaller than 2-quarts. A 2-quart dish or even a pie dish will work well.
Am I able to substitute goat cheese in this recipe?
Yes, that would be delicious.
Looking at the recipe, I think cream cheese would be better than sour cream
I made this for girls game night. It came out watery and separated. I used fresh mozzerella so maybe that’s why. The flavor was good though.
Bummer! Lower moisture mozzarella is probably a better bet, though. Sorry things didn’t work well.
Glad I came upon this recipe. Made some for a Christmas party crowd and it was a hit! Very delicious. I’ll be going back to this one time and again.
Awesome! So glad you loved it 🙂
I made this for a party tonight, have not even baked it yet, and it smells HEAVENLY!!!! Can’t wait to try it!!
I just made this and it is one of the most simple, yet the best cheese dips I have ever made. I’m for sure going to make this many, many times!! YUM!!!!
I just discovered your blog today, and I am so impressed! Beautiful photography, lovely site design, and awesome recipes. So excited to start making them!
Hey Adam! I’m glad you stopped by my site today, otherwise I who knows when I would have stumbled upon yours! You guys make mouthwatering looking food. Great photography and great recipes! Look forward to seeing more in the future! 🙂
Thanks so much 🙂
OOOMMMMGGG.