Spinach Artichoke dip is a classic appetizer that everyone should have it in their cooking repertoire. Creamy, cheesy dip made with spinach, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and a few other flavorful ingredients.
There are many cheesy dips that your guests will go crazy for. Don’t forget to make extra Garlic Parmesan Spinach Dip, Crab and Artichoke Dip, and Hot Crab Dip.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ever since the very first time I tried Spinach Artichoke Dip at a restaurant, I fell in love with it. That was also the first time I tried artichoke and realized what I was missing in my like. Not just the artichoke, but the whole cheesy, creamy combo.
Spinach Artichoke dip is so easy to put together, it’s fast to make and always delicious. It’s been a huge hit at every party I’ve ever served it.
Everyone has their own special way of preparing this dip and I love to make it in the oven until bubbly with cheese on top. I also like to throw it lots of Italian flavors.
I think it’s so much better served how, when cheeses get a chance to melt and get gooey. There are lots of great options to serve with this dip as well. Tortilla chips is a very popular chip for this dip but I love it with fresh veggies too. It tastes awesome with some fresh cucumber slices.
Ingredient Notes:
Spinach – easiest one to use is frozen spinach. Just make sure to thaw it completely and squeeze out the excess liquid.
Artichoke hearts – use canned or jarred in water, not in oil, and make sure to drain well.
Cream cheese – use full fat cream cheese for the best creamy consistency.
Mozzarella cheese – get a block and grate it yourself. Block is always a go-to for dips and sauces because pre-shredded cheese contain separators and other coating that can result in grainy consistency.
Parmesan – either grate it yourself off the block or get fresh-grated from the deli. It will give you the best flavor and consistency.
Sour cream and mayonaisse – use your favorite brand and full fat kind for the best results.
Garlic – always use fresh garlic for the best flavor and aroma.
Cooking Instructions:
This is one of the easiest dips to make! All you have to do is gather your ingredients, mix, and bake.
It’s important to take care with the ingredients for the best results. So make sure to drain artichokes and squeeze thawed spinach. Use blocks of cheese and grate it yourself, and use fresh garlic.
If you’re cooking spinach instead of using frozen, squeeze out the liquid from cooked spinach as well. (If using fresh, get a 10 oz package, chop it, and cook it down over medium-low heat.)
Combine all of the ingredients (except for the cheese meant for topping) in a mixing bowl and mix well. Transfer it into a lightly greased baking dish and top it off with some grated mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes.
How To Make It In The Crock Pot
To make this Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe in the Crock Pot, you would simply need to substitute a Crock Pot for the oven.
Prepare the dip up the the step of spreading the dip mixture in the baking dish.
Spread prepared dip mixture in a Crock Pot and close the lid. Cook on low for about 2 hours.
Stir if needed, spread 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese over the dip. Close the lid and cook for another 30 minutes.
Great thing about making this dip in a Crock Pot is that you can serve it right in it and keep the setting on warm. The dip will stay warm all through the party.
Tips For The Best Results
The question I most often get about this dip is which spinach to use, fresh spinach or frozen spinach. To be honest, I’ve used both on numerous occasions and it doesn’t make that much difference when it comes to flavor.
Frozen spinach is easier to use because you don’t have to wilt fresh spinach first by cooking it. But, whether you use fresh spinach or frozen spinach, make sure to squeeze the excess juices from both.
This dip is the best with some Italian flavor so Italian cheeses taste the best in this dip. Try Mozzarella, Italian Cheese mix, Parmesan, Asiago, and may be a little more Parmesan.
I also found that adding just a couple of tablespoons of fresh minced parsley will enhance the flavors greatly.
This dip is easily prepare ahead of time. Simply prepare the dip according to the recipe but instead of baking it, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. I would recommend making it a day ahead at the most.
Make Ahead Suggestions:
You can definitely make spinach artichoke dip ahead of time! It’s actually very easy to put the whole dip together in the baking dish and refrigerate it instead of baking. Make sure to cover it air-tight with a plastic wrap or use a baking dish that comes with an air-tight lid.
Prepare it up to 24 hours ahead of time. When you’re almost ready to bake it, take the dip out of the refrigerator and let it sit for about 30 minutes on the counter before baking. Preheat the oven, and bake are directed in the recipe. (Make sure to discard plastic wrap or take the lid off before baking.)
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can easily double this recipe and use a 9×13 baking dish. You don’t need to adjust the bake time much, in the larger casserole dish, it will take about 20-22 minutes to cook.
You can definitely use fresh spinach and cook it for the dip. Get a 10 oz package of baby spinach, chop it, and cook it down covered with a lid, over medium-low heat. Make sure to squeeze the excess liquid from the cooked spinach before adding to the dip.
While, technically, yes you can freeze it, I don’t recommend it. The texture of the dip is quite difference once thawed because cream cheese and sour cream don’t freeze the best. If you don’t mind the texture to be a little thinner and slightly grainy once the dip is thawed, you can definitely freeze it. Make sure to cover it air-tight with a few layers of plastic wrap and best to freeze it in an aluminum baking pan. When ready, slow-thaw it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
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Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 9 oz frozen spinach thawed, excess juices squeezed
- 8.5 oz can artichoke hearts excess juices drained
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 8 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp fresh minced parsley
- salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 4 oz shredded Mozzarella cheese to top
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan to top
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 375°.
- Squeeze out excess juices from spinach and drain artichoke hearts. Dice artichoke hearts into smaller pieces.
- In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, pressed garlic, sour cream, mayo, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix very well until all incorporated.
- Mix in the spinach and chopped artichoke hearts. Transfer into a lightly greased baking dish.
- Top off with a shredded Mozzarella cheese and grated Parmesan.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve tortilla chips, bread crisps, and/or veggies.
Video
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on May 5, 2011.
Fern Lew says
I’ve made this dip 3 times already and get rave reviews every time! The only thing I do differently is I add chopped water chestnuts! Amazing recipe, thank you!