There’s a restaurant near where I grew up that has had the exact same spinach artichoke dip on the menu for at least twenty-five years. I know this because my parents ordered it every single time we went, without even looking at the menu, from the time I was small enough to fit in a booster seat. It came out in a little cast iron skillet, bubbling at the edges, with a basket of bread that was never quite enough. I thought for years that spinach artichoke dip was just one of those things that belonged to restaurants, like soft pretzels and endless breadsticks. Something that required equipment or secrets or a commercial kitchen.
Turns out it requires a bowl, a few things from the grocery store, and an oven. I made it for the first time for a Super Bowl party about eight years ago, expecting it to be good but figuring it wouldn’t be quite right. It was completely right. It was better, actually, because it came out of the oven when people were standing in my kitchen ready to eat it, not after sitting under a heat lamp for half an hour.
Since then it’s become my go-to for any gathering where I need something that makes people happy without requiring me to think too hard. It takes about fifteen minutes to put together and it always disappears. People ask me for the recipe every time, which is slightly embarrassing given how straightforward it is, but I take the compliment.
Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
- 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Squeeze the thawed spinach in a kitchen towel until very dry. This is the most important step — wet spinach will make the dip watery.
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise until smooth. Add garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Fold in the spinach, artichoke hearts, half the mozzarella, and most of the Parmesan.
- Transfer to an 8×8 baking dish or 9-inch cast iron skillet. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve with tortilla chips, sliced baguette, or crackers.
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients
You’ll need one 10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed very dry), one 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts (drained and roughly chopped), 8 ounces of cream cheese (softened), half a cup of sour cream, half a cup of mayonnaise, 1 cup of shredded mozzarella, half a cup of grated Parmesan, 2 cloves of garlic (minced), half a teaspoon of salt, and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper. For serving, have bread, tortilla chips, or crackers ready.
How to Make It
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. The most important step in this whole recipe happens before you mix anything: squeeze the spinach. Put it in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels and wring it out until it stops releasing liquid. Then wring it again. Wet spinach will water down your dip and you’ll end up with something soupy instead of creamy. Don’t skip this.
In a large bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise until smooth. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Fold in the spinach, artichoke hearts, half the mozzarella, and most of the Parmesan. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
Transfer the mixture to a baking dish — an 8×8 or a 9-inch cast iron skillet both work well. Scatter the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden and starting to brown in spots. Let it sit for five minutes before serving so it doesn’t burn anyone’s mouth. Serve with whatever you’re dipping.
Tips
Softened cream cheese matters. If it’s cold and hard, you’ll get lumps that don’t fully incorporate. Take it out of the fridge 30 to 45 minutes before you start, or cut it into chunks and microwave it for 20 second intervals until it’s soft but not melted.
Artichoke hearts in water, not marinated. Marinated artichokes have oil and herbs that will change the flavor of your dip in ways you might not want. Plain artichoke hearts in brine are what you’re looking for. Give them a good drain and squeeze out the excess liquid the same way you did with the spinach.
Don’t skip the Parmesan on top. It crisps up and browns in a way that mozzarella alone doesn’t, and that golden top is a big part of what makes the whole thing look and taste right when it comes out of the oven.
Variations
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want a little heat in the background. It doesn’t make the dip spicy exactly — it just adds something warm underneath the richness that I think works really well.
Fresh spinach works instead of frozen if you have it. Wilt it in a pan with a tiny bit of olive oil, let it cool, and then squeeze it out the same way. You’ll need about 12 ounces of fresh to end up with the same amount after wilting.
For a lighter version, you can swap the full-fat sour cream and mayo for reduced-fat versions and it holds up pretty well. I wouldn’t use fat-free anything here — the texture suffers too much — but reduced-fat is fine. You can also use Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream, which adds a little tang.
Storage and Make-Ahead
This is one of the best make-ahead appetizers I know. Mix everything together, put it in the baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for up to two days before you need it. Pull it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before baking so it doesn’t go into the oven ice cold, then bake as directed, adding about five extra minutes to account for the chill.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for three or four days. Reheat in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between intervals, or put it back in a small oven-safe dish and warm it at 350 degrees until it’s heated through. It won’t look quite as pretty as it did fresh from the oven but it’ll taste just as good.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make spinach artichoke dip in a slow cooker?
Yes, and it’s a great option if you need to keep it warm for a long party. Mix everything together and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring once or twice. You won’t get the golden browned top, but the dip itself will be creamy and hot. Switch to the warm setting once it’s ready.
What do you serve with spinach artichoke dip?
Tortilla chips are the most popular option and they hold up well to a thick dip. Sliced baguette or crostini work great too. Crackers are fine. If you want to go lower-carb, sliced bell peppers, cucumber rounds, and celery all work surprisingly well as dippers.
Why is my dip watery?
Almost certainly the spinach. Frozen spinach holds a lot of water that has to come out before it goes into the dip. Make sure you’re squeezing it really thoroughly — more than you think you need to. The same applies to the artichoke hearts. Drain them well and give them a squeeze before chopping.
Can I use fresh artichokes instead of canned?
You can, but it’s a lot more work for results that are roughly equivalent. Canned artichoke hearts are already cooked and have good flavor. Fresh artichokes require trimming, cooking, and removing the choke, which adds significant prep time. Save fresh artichokes for dishes where they’re the star.
Is there a dairy-free version?
Dairy-free cream cheese and sour cream alternatives have gotten a lot better in recent years, and a cashew-based cream cheese in particular works well here. The flavor will be slightly different but the texture holds up. Just make sure whatever you’re using has a neutral flavor so it doesn’t compete with the artichoke.
