Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip
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Spinach artichoke dip is the queen of all dips. This particular recipe is creamy and incredibly cheesy with fresh elements of chopped spinach and tender artichoke hearts. While some recipes leave the spinach leaves whole, I prefer it pulsed in a food processor a few times for smoother texture and easier dipping. For the best, well rounded flavor, I use a combination of 4 cheeses in my spinach artichoke dip recipe : mozzarella, Asiago, Parmesan and Pecorino.
This dip can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to reheat and serve. While it can be topped with additional cheese and broiled until golden brown in a heatproof dish, I make this recipe in one pot on the stovetop.
Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Spinach – When thawing the frozen spinach, be sure to drain it thoroughly so that the dip doesn’t become watery. Even if the frozen spinach is already chopped, I pulse the spinach in a food processor so it blends more thoroughly in the dip. You can finely chop it by hand if you prefer.
- Cream cheese – I always recommend using regular cream cheese rather than non-fat varieties. Allowing the cream cheese to soften at room temperature makes it much easier to combine with the other ingredients.
- Heavy cream – Combining the cream cheese with heavy cream makes for a light and fluffy base for the dip.
- Mozzarella – I use shredded part-skim, also called low-moisture mozzarella, in this recipe. Fresh mozzarella has a higher water content, and it becomes runny rather than gooey as it melts.
- Asiago – Asiago cheese is a cow’s milk cheese from Italy. Its texture can range from medium to hard depending on the aging. Look for aged Asiago cheese which has a nutty flavor and firm texture.
- Parmesan – Parmesan-Reggiano is definitely one of my favorite cheeses. It’s a hard cow’s milk cheese aged for different lengths of time. I’d recommend buying a roughly cut piece of wrapped cheese from the grocery store – it’s typically a higher quality cheese.
- Pecorino Romano – Pecorino Romano is a hard, salty Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk. While I like the flavor of the combination of both Pecorino and Parmesan in this recipe, it can easily be made with one or the other.
- Artichoke – I use water-packed artichoke hearts in this recipe. They are already prepared and ready to eat, so I simply chop them into smaller pieces before adding them to the pot.
How to Make Spinach Artichoke Dip
Step 1: Finely chop spinach.
Add the spinach to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and pulse until finely chopped.
Step 2: Sauté onions and garlic.
Heat a medium heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Step 3: Add spinach and artichokes.
Stir in the red pepper flakes and balsamic vinegar followed by the artichokes and spinach. Season with salt.
Step 4: Add cream cheese.
Stir in the heavy cream followed by the cream cheese. Continue to stir, cooking over medium heat until the cream cheese blends and the mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add cheeses.
Add the mozzarella, Asiago, Parmesan and Pecorino cheeses, stirring to combine. Lower heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the cheese has completely melted, about an additional 2 minutes.
Step 6: Serve.
Serve the creamy spinach artichoke dip hot with bread, chips, or vegetables for dipping.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and substitutions
- While I like using all 4 kinds of cheese combined for a well-rounded, cheesy flavor, you can use just a combination of mozzarella and Parmesan.
- I make this dip using frozen spinach. If you prefer to use fresh spinach, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the fresh spinach and cook until wilted, then remove to a colander and drain.
- Try adding some cooked bacon before baking the dip.
How to make in the oven
Make the recipe as directed on the stovetop, then heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Spread the dip into an oven safe baking dish. Top with an additional ½ cup (112g) of shredded mozzarella and ¼ cup (22.5g) of parmesan cheeses. Broil until the cheeses have melted and the top is golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
How to make spinach artichoke dip in a crockpot
This spinach artichoke dip can easily be made in a slow cooker! Sauté the vegetables in the pan according to the recipe below. Add all the ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low heat for 2 to 3 hours or on high heat for one, stirring occasionally, until the cheese has completely melted.
How to reheat spinach artichoke dip
Store any leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, add to a medium pot and heat, stirring frequently until smooth and creamy, about 6 minutes.
What to serve with spinach artichoke dip
- Crostini
- Slices of warmed bread
- Celery and carrots
- Tortilla chips
- Pita chips
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this cheesy spinach artichoke dip recipe, give these a try and follow me on Instagram for more updates:
Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic. minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- Kosher salt, as needed
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature, cut into 1” cubes
- ¾ cup shredded low-moisture, part-skim mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup shredded Asiago cheese
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions:
- Add the spinach to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and pulse until finely chopped.
- Heat a medium heavy bottomed pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the red pepper flakes and balsamic vinegar followed by the artichokes and spinach. Season with salt.
- Stir in the heavy cream followed by the cream cheese. Continue to stir, cooking over medium heat until the cream cheese blends and the mixture is creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the mozzarella, Asiago, Parmesan and Pecorino cheeses, stirring to combine. Lower heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the cheese has completely melted, about an additional 2 minutes.
- Serve hot with bread, chips, or vegetables for dipping.
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