You Can’t Beat This Classic Dip…
There’s one dip that always seems to disappear before my eyes when served up at a holiday or Super bowl party… and that’s this Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip!
Maybe it’s the creamy goodness from all of the sour cream, cream cheese, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses melting together.
Or perhaps the flavor combination of sautéed spinach and artichokes hearts melding in perfect harmony.
I’m not totally sure what the magic is, but what I AM sure of is how EASY it is to whip this appetizer recipe up!
Why You’ll Love this Dip
In less than 10 minutes you’ll have this dish full of dip ready to pop in your oven.
You can even prep it ahead of time and bake it right before your guests arrive!
However you decide to make it, heavily consider doubling the batch if serving more than 10 people, because it’s going to be gone before you know it!
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Cream cheese. Use either regular or a dairy-free alternative if you are sensitive to lactose. Skip the low-fat since it contains more liquid and may result in a runny mess.
- Sour cream. Substitute the regular for a dairy-free alternative to make it lactose-free. Mayonnaise or Greek yogurt are good alternatives but they will have a slightly different taste.
- Mozzarella cheese. This mildly flavored cheese melts excellently. Feel free to swap it out for Monterrey jack.
- Parmesan cheese. Both shredded and grated Parmesan will work equally as well.
- Spinach. A 10-ounce package of frozen spinach is easiest. Just make sure to either thaw it overnight in the fridge or remove it from the freezer at least an hour in advance. If you forget, you can pop it in the microwave and defrost it for a few minutes. Fresh spinach that has been sautéed is another option.
- Artichokes. Choose canned hearts, quartered, or whole. The size doesn’t matter since you will finely chop them up anyways.
- Water Chestnuts. While you can leave these out if you wish, they do add a lovely texture to the creamy dip.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Cream the cheeses.
Measure out the cream cheese, sour cream, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, garlic, salt, and black pepper into a large bowl. Use a spatula to mix everything together. It’s best if the cream cheese is at room temperature so it’s easy to stir. If you don’t have time, you can always pop it into the microwave to warm it up some.
Drain the spinach and mix.
If you are using frozen spinach it is super important that it is thawed so all of the moisture can be removed. Use a cheese cloth to squeeze all of the excess moisture from the thawed spinach.
Make sure to chop the artichokes and water chestnuts into small pieces so they can evenly disperse. Then stir them and the spinach into the cream cheese mixture until everything is combined.
Bake in the oven.
Spread the mixture in a baking dish that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Additionally, you can pop it under a broiler for 2-3 minutes at the end to get it a nice, golden brown color.
Pro Tip: Make this dip in a slow cooker! Simply add the combined ingredients to a 4 or 6-quart slow cooker. Set to low for 3-4 hours.
Serve the dip.
You can enjoy this dip in so many ways. My favorites are Tortilla chips, Pita chips, Crackers, and Baguette slices.
Or, you can serve it alongside a vegetable tray with, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, and celery.
FAQs
Spinach dip can be served either hot or cold. This particular recipe is best served hot to enjoy the melty cheeses.
Since spinach dip is usually filled with ingredients like cheese, sour cream, or mayonnaise it’s not exactly a low-fat, low-calorie food. However, you can use Greek or dairy-free yogurt and plant-based cheeses to help make it better for you.
Yes, you can. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring each time until it is heated through.
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. You can freeze for up to 3 months, but it may separate upon thawing. Return to a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or pop it in the microwave.
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Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese grated, divided
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese shredded
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- ¾ – 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 10 ounces sauteed spinach previously frozen
- 14 ounces can artichoke hearts drained, finely chopped
- 8 ounces can water chestnuts drained, finely diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, ½ cup Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Mix with a spatula until well combined.8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup sour cream, ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, 2 cups Mozzarella cheese, 3 cloves garlic, ¾ – 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Thaw and completely drain previously frozen spinach using a cheese cloth.
- Add the drained spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, and water chestnuts to the cream cheese mixture. Stir until well combined.10 ounces sauteed spinach, 14 ounces can artichoke hearts, 8 ounces can water chestnuts
- Spray a 7 x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour in mixture and spread it out evenly into the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese on top.¾ cup Parmesan cheese
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden.*
- Optional: Pop it under a broiler set to high for 2-3 minutes to get the top even more golden brown.
- Serve immediately with chips, crackers, or vegetables and enjoy!
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Notes
- Cheese: Sub in a vegan or dairy free cheese if needed.
- Spinach: Use a cheese cloth to remove the excess moisture from the spinach to avoid a watery consistency.
- Prep-Ahead: Mix everything and spread in the baking dish and refrigerate. Pull the dip out and let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature before baking in the oven as directed.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze for up to 3 months, but it may separate upon thawing.
- Reheating: Return to a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, or pop it in the microwave.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Party Dip Recipes
Keep your guests snacking all party long with these delicious dips.
Made it for our Christmas Eve family gathering. It was delicious. My family loved it
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Rita! It’s perfect for a family gathering like Christmas. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!