Creamy Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip

My version of a Spinach Artichoke Dip is creamy, cheesy, light in texture, and has a hint of spice. It takes minutes to prepare and only seconds to disappear. The perfect dip for any party or gathering.

The very first spinach artichoke dip I ever tried was at one of my uncle Joe’s parties. He had the best parties with tons of food, loud music, and dancing all night long. In fact, at this particular party, my Dad and husband were away for a guys' weekend and my mom and I were on our own. Mom was pretty pissed and it was my job to keep her in check.

Anyhow, one of my uncle’s guests brought this delicious dip. It was light, salty, creamy, and delicious. Man was it good. I asked her for the recipe and she said it was just spinach, artichokes, mayonnaise, and cheese.

I noticed most, if not all, spinach artichoke dips contained cream cheese or a mixture of sour cream and mayonnaise. This one has neither. I found the sour cream wasn’t necessary and the cream cheese didn’t produce the light texture that set apart that original dip I had many years ago. A good quality mayonnaise, some spices, mozzarella, and salty parmesan are all you need to mix with the spinach and artichokes to create an addictive dip.

The mozzarella gives you the creamy stringy appearance that draws you to the dip and the parmesan gives that salty nutty flavor that makes you dive in for a second bite. Add a few cloves of garlic and a little crushed red pepper for a little heat which cuts through the fat and brings the dip alive in your mouth. This is good stuff here.

I recommend using frozen chopped spinach that’s in a bag rather than the one that’s compacted in the box. It’s easier to defrost and for this dip I use the whole 16 ounce bag. It’s a spinach artichoke dip so why not have a good amount of spinach in it?

Drain and roughly chop the artichokes then add it to a large bowl with all the other ingredients. Want to cheat a little? Use the minced garlic that comes in a jar. Get the one packed in oil rather than water. Mix it all together with the remaining ingredients and transfer it to a pie plate or a shallow baking dish. Bake and eat.

You can make this ahead and bake it when you’re ready. You only need a few minutes to prep and about 20 to bake. How simple is that? It even freezes well.

If you’re having a get together and you’re looking for a simple delicious dip that will please a crowd, this spinach artichoke dip is for you. Pita chips are a great vehicle for scooping it straight into your mouth. Celery sticks, carrots, crackers, and little toasts work fantastically too. The only problem is trying not to devour the whole thing.

Want more dips? Try these:

• Pimento cheese
• Parsley hummus
• Taco dip
• New England bean dip
• Hummus
• Pico de gallo
• Guacamole

By the way, Mom ended up having a great time at the party. I looked up and saw her lifted in the air as if she was flying being spun around (picture the movie scene in Dirty Dancing) by some guy 25+ years younger. Mom was a professional ballroom dancer. So was my Dad. You can see them in the opening scene of this film. Needless to say, Dad didn’t miss any parties after that - ha ha ha.

Life is too short for mediocre food.

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Spinach Artichoke Dip

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My version of a Spinach Artichoke Dip is creamy, cheesy, light in texture, and has a hint of spice. Takes minutes to prepare and seconds to disappear.

Course: Appetizer, Dip

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Artichoke, Dip, Spinach

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Author: Natalie

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry* See Notes
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichokes hearts packed in water drained and chopped
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 4 cloves garlic minced**
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt or to taste*** See Notes
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven 350 degrees.
• Thoroughly combine all the ingredients.
• Transfer into a 9 inch pie plate or shallow baking dish. Taste and adjust for more salt, if needed.
• Bake for 20 minutes until bubbly.
• Serve with your favorite crackers, pretzels, toasts, pita chips, or vegetables.

Notes

This dip can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake.

*I use frozen chopped bagged spinach because I find it easier to thaw and it’s not in one solid block. It’s easier to thaw too. 

**Fresh minced garlic is always best and will give you a more potent flavor, but I use the minced in the jar that’s packed in olive oil and find it’s fine. 

***I add a little kosher salt but you may want to taste it and only add it if you feel it needs it. The mayonnaise and cheeses already contain salt but I find ½ teaspoon brings it all together.

Did you make this recipe? I would love to see how it turns out. Tag me on Instagram @thegeneticchef or tag #thegeneticchef and tell me all about it!

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