If you love Caprese, then you have to try this hot Caprese Dip! It’s made with classic Caprese ingredients and gooey Boursin cheese.
This hot Caprese dip is a delicious appetizer addition to any party or snack table. It doesn’t require a lot of prep time and is ready in less than 30 minutes. It is made with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and creamy Boursin cheese. The result is a rich dip that tastes a little more “adult” than the standard party snack.
What Makes This Hot Caprese Dip Recipe Special?
This dip isn’t like other dips, it’s a cool dip. Just kidding. But this cheesy dip is more flavorful and “grownup” than many others. The main reason for this is the Boursin cheese. Instead of using a cream cheese mixture, which is usually an appetizer staple, I used a more flavorful option. Boursin is creamy, packed with flavor from garlic and herbs, and a perfect base for this dip.
This is also the ultimate easy party dip! It doesn’t require a lot of preparation and is ready in less than a half hour. But the simplicity of this dish doesn’t affect the taste. Much like a traditional Caprese salad, this easy recipe uses fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and fresh mozzarella cheese. Those simple ingredients capture the traditional Caprese flavors and elevate this great appetizer.
Ingredients for Hot Caprese Dip
- Olive Oil – Prevent your cheese from sticking to the pan, and add a little extra rich flavor to this melty cheese dish with olive oil.
- Boursin Cheese – Use Garlic and Herb Boursin cheese instead of cream cheese to add more flavor. Boursin is a Gournay cheese that has a similar texture to cream cheese. But it tastes more like goat cheese.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – Shredded mozzarella is great for this appetizer because it melts faster and more evenly than fresh mozzarella.
- Cherry Tomatoes – Little snacking tomatoes, like cherry or grape tomatoes are best for this recipe. They maintain their skin as they cook. They also have a sweeter, and bolder flavor than larger tomatoes.
- Fresh Basil – Most of the time you can substitute dried basil for fresh, but not in this recipe! Fresh basil is a key ingredient for Caprese, so it is a key ingredient for this dip!
- Fresh Mozzarella – A few slices of fresh mozzarella elevate this dish. It is gooey, flavorful, and delicious.
- Sliced Baguette – Serve the dip with a warm sliced baguette for dipping.
What You Need to Make This Cheesy Caprese Dip
- Shallow Baking Dish
- Oven
- Herb Cutting Scissors (optional)
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How to Make Hot Caprese Dip
This delectable dip is an easy appetizer to make and is sure to be a crowd favorite. All you need is a baking dish, fresh ingredients, and an oven. It’s ready to serve in about 20 minutes and will be devoured even faster.
Step One – Add a bit of olive oil to a baking dish. Then add a wheel of Boursin cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. This just gives the cheese some time to soften up.
Step Two – Spread the softened cheese along the bottom of the baking dish. Top with shredded mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and a few slices of fresh mozzarella.
Step Three – Bake for 20 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted and the edges of the melted cheese turn a light golden brown.
Step Four – Top with more fresh basil and serve with baguette slices for dipping. Pita chips are also a great alternative.
How to Store Leftovers
I doubt you will have any leftovers of this amazing dip! But if you do, store the dip in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator. Store it for up to 2 days. Reheat the dip in the oven in an oven-safe container at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. It should be hot throughout the dip.
If the dip sat out for more than 2 hours you should discard any leftovers rather than store them.
FAQs
Caprese is an Italian salad known as insalata caprese, which translates into “a salad of Capri.” Traditional Caprese recipes are made with slices of tomato, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves. The salad is typically topped with salt, olive oil, and a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar. Another Italian name for this salad is insalata tricolore because of the three colors of the salad’s main ingredients. These colors, red, green, and white, are also the colors of the Italian flag.
Absolutely! Cream cheese has a tangy flavor that pairs well with this dip. It also melts into a creamy consistency that is perfect for dipping!
Yes and no. The Bruschetta most of us are familiar with is a mixture of chopped tomatoes, basil, olive oil, Balsamic vinegar, and salt on top of a toasted slice of garlic bread. But technically Bruschetta refers to the garlic-rubbed bread itself. The dish can be topped with beans, other vegetables, or meat.
This flavorful Italian dip pairs well with Italian aperitif cocktails. An aperitif is a bitter, dry alcohol served before meals to stimulate the appetite. These liquors include Aperol, Campari, and limoncello.
Aperitif Cocktail Ideas:
– Limoncello Spritz
– Frozen Aperol Spritz
– Aperol Margarita
More Delicious Hot Dips To Try
Hot Caprese Dip
Equipment
- baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 5 oz Boursin Cheese – Garlic and Herb
- 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes halved
- 3 leaves fresh basil cut in ribbons
- 4 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
Instructions
- Add olive oil to the baking dish and add a wheel of Boursin cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes to soften the cheese.
- Spread the softened cheese along the bottom of the baking dish. Top with shredded mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and slices of fresh mozzarella.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the mozzarella is melted and the edges of the melted cheese turn a light golden brown.
- Top with more fresh basil and serve with baguette slices for dipping.
