Spinach Artichoke Dip

Baked and bubbly, creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip is the perfect party appetizer. Fresh spinach takes this classic dip from good to great and you'll find it far superior to any restaurant rendition you've had before. It's stellar hot out of the oven, but just as tasty at room temperature! Serve it with toast points, tortilla chips, or crackers and watch the crowd go wild!

THE BEST RECIPE FOR SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

This Spinach Artichoke Dip is creamy and rich, with a welcomed brightness from the marinated artichokes, and it makes for one very addictive appetizer. It features fresh spinach and marinated artichoke baked in a savory cream cheese sauce, topped with melty shredded cheese, and baked until bubbly.

WHAT'S IN IT?

• Fresh Spinach
• Marinated Artichokes
• Yellow Onion
• Garlic
• Cream Cheese
• Shredded Cheese
• Half-and-Half
• Worcestershire Sauce

For this Spinach Artichoke Dip, we'll be using fresh spinach (rather than frozen) and marinated artichoke hearts. Marinated artichokes are typically found in a jar within the international/Italian section of the grocery store and they are extremely easy to work with.

The body of Spinach Artichoke Dip is made up of cream cheese and half-and-half. The cream cheese helps to bind the dip and the half and half keeps it creamy and smooth.

Onion and garlic add a great deal of flavor to the dip, as well as Worcestershire sauce for an added savory note. The shredded cheese goes in at the very end, and you can use either Mozzarella or Fontina cheese.

HOW TO MAKE SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP WITH FRESH SPINACH

1. Sauté onion and garlic.
2. Add spinach and cook it down.
3. Transfer to a colander, press out water and chop.
4. Add back to pan with half and cream cheese to melt, season and add half the cheese.
5. Top with cheese and bake until bubbly.

1. COOKING FRESH SPINACH

Spinach Artichoke Dip begins with a quick sauté of onion and garlic, followed by the addition of fresh spinach. While it may look like quite a bit of spinach at the start, fresh spinach cooks down significantly and you'll find it all fits in the pan no problem.

Add the spinach a handful at a time, cook it down and repeat until all of the spinach has been added. This should take 5-7 minutes

2. REMOVE THE WATER AND CHOP

Press out any excess moisture from the spinach before adding it to the dish. The importance of this step cannot be stressed enough. If you do not remove the excess water content, your dip will be thin and soupy, rather than rich and creamy.

Next, chop the spinach. Un-chopped spinach in a dip can cause people to get a little choked up, and as we all know, the Heimlich is a total party buzzkill.

3. MAKE THE SAUCE AND SEASON

Once the spinach is no longer water-logged or a choking hazard, return the mixture to the pan and make the sauce by combining cream cheese and the half-and-half and stirring until melted together.

Once the mixture comes together, you'll add in your seasoning along with the shredded cheese.

5. BAKE UNTIL BUBBLY

Transfer the dip to an oven-safe vessel and top with the remaining cheese. Bake until bubbly and serve hot or at room temperature.

MAKE-AHEAD SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

If you'd like to make your Spinach Artichoke Dip ahead of time, simply assemble the dip up to the point of topping with cheese and baking in the oven. Transfer the extra cheese to an airtight container and cover the dip tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 48 hours.

Before baking, set the dip out for about 30-45 minutes at room temperature to remove the chill. Bake for 10 minutes, then, add the cheese topping and bake for 20-25 minutes more, until the sides are bubbling. Serve and enjoy!

WANT TO MAKE IT IN A CROCK POT?

If you want to serve your Spinach Artichoke Dip from a crockpot, you'll simply cook your onion, garlic, and spinach on the stovetop as directed, remove the water and chop the spinach as indicated. But, before adding the spinach mixture back into the saucepan, you'll rather send it to the crockpot.

Then, add the remaining ingredients and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and creamy, about 30 minutes. Once the dip has come together, reduce heat to warm and serve!

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

Spinach Artichoke Dip goes well with toasted bread, crackers, and vegetables. Here is a complete list of goodies to serve with your dip:

• Toast Points
• Ritz, Triscuit, or Water Crackers
• Tortilla Chips
• Carrot Sticks
• Celery Sticks
• Bell Pepper Strips

Once this beauty is on the table and ready for the taking, you might find yourself wishing you had made a double batch. Speaking from experience -- this dip goes fast. Serve it alongside toast points, sliced baguette, pita or even tortilla chips and watch the people come. Then, watch them come back again and again.

I pull this recipe out multiple times a year for both spring and Christmas entertaining. No matter the time of year, nor the occasion, I can count on the fact that the dish housing this creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip will be swept clean via the serving spoon, or the toast points, I serve alongside it. Please, enjoy.

5 MORE CHEESY DIPS YOU'LL LOVE

• Artichoke Jalapeño Dip is the perfect combination of savory and spicy and is loaded with flavorful marinated artichokes, minced jalapenõs, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese!
• Hot Crab Dip with Cream Cheese is made simple with the use of canned crab meat and a flavorful cream cheese sauce quickly made on the stovetop!
• Refried Bean Dip is a hearty dip with refried beans, cheese, and taco seasoning that comes together quickly in 10 minutes or less!
• Crock Pot Queso features ground beef with taco seasoning, Velveeta cheese, and Rotel. Perfect for feeding a crowd!
• French Onion Dip with Cream Cheese is an easy homemade dip made up of sautéed onions, crispy bacon, sour cream, and cream cheese!

Print Recipe

4.70 from 23 votes

Spinach Artichoke Dip

A baked, cheesy spinach and artichoke dip, featuring freshly sauteed spinach, Fontina cheese, and marinated artichoke hearts. 

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Spinach Artichoke Dip

Servings: 8

Calories: 353kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ yellow onion finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 10 oz baby spinach rinsed and dried
• 1 ¼ c half and half
• 12 oz cream cheese room temperature
• 1  tsp kosher salt
• ½ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Dash of hot sauce (optional)
• 2 c freshly grated Mozzarella or Fontina cheese separated
• 12 oz quartered and marinated artichoke hearts drained and patted dry

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375° and have ready a greased 8” square baking dish.
• Add olive to a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté 1 minute more. 
• Add the spinach to the saucepan a handful at a time, stirring after each addition. Once the spinach begins to wilt, add another handful and repeat until all of the spinach has been incorporated. 
• Transfer the mixture to a colander and using the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher, apply firm pressure and squeeze out all of the excess water/moisture from the spinach. Transfer to a cutting board and finely chop the spinach.
• Place the saucepan back on the stove top, add the half and half, along with the cream cheese. Turn the heat on low, and stir until the cream cheese has melted into the half and half. Add the Kosher salt, paprika, black pepper, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, along with the chopped spinach and half of the Fontina cheese. Stir to combine.
• Roughly chop the artichoke hearts and add them to the mixture. Stir once more and transfer to baking dish. Top with remaining Fontina cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbly.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 812mg | Potassium: 336mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4715IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 269mg | Iron: 1.6mg