Spinach Artichoke Dip

A spinach artichoke dip recipe made with quartered artichoke hearts, spinach, sour cream, mayo, and three kinds of cheese. The easiest spinach and artichoke dip for dunking tortilla chips, crusty bread, or sliced raw vegetables.

Why Make This Spinach Artichoke Dip?

Bubbly, melty, cheesy, and slightly brown and crispy at the edges, this spinach artichoke dip is the ultimate comfort food.

I’m a huge fan of all things cheesy, and spinach artichoke is one of my favorite savory cheese dips (although this blue cheese dip runs a close second!) This vegetarian-friendly spinach dip is always a crowd pleaser, and disappears quickly at parties—it’s a popular restaurant appetizer for a reason. TGI Fridays sells a frozen version, and you’ll also find cold spinach artichoke dips in the prepared foods aisle at the supermarket, but it’s even better when you bake it at home.

Made from readily available ingredients found in the fridge and freezer sections, or in the canned goods aisle (in fact, frozen spinach and canned artichokes actually work best in this recipe), my spinach artichoke dip only requires about 10 minutes of active prep time, followed by another 25 or 30 minutes to bake.

Plus it’s so easy. While some spinach dips include a stovetop step, mine requires zero pre-cooking.  Just stir the ingredients together, scatter with mozzarella cheese, and bake until bubbly and golden brown. It’s a solid make-ahead option, and the leftovers reheat beautifully in the oven or microwave. And as a bonus, you can dunk just about anything, from crackers and pretzels to slices of crusty bread.  I actually think it pairs just as well with raw vegetables as it does with tortilla chips.

Spinach artichoke dip makes a great choice for game day (or in my case, Tony night…) It’s best enjoyed warm, but allow the pan to sit for a few minutes prior to serving. It’ll be tempting to dig in immediately, but resist temptation or you’ll burn your tongue!

Spinach Artichoke Dip Ingredients

To make this spinach artichoke dip recipe, start by gathering the following ingredients:

• Cream Cheese – Choose full-fat cream cheese, and allow it to soften before mixing. If the cream cheese is too cold, it won’t blend smoothly with the other ingredients.
• Sour Cream – You’ll need 120 grams (about 1/2 cup) of sour/soured cream. For maximum creaminess, full-fat is best.
  
• Mayonnaise – Opt for full-fat mayonnaise, and avoid “Miracle Whip” or similar salad dressings.
• Seasonings – You’ll need garlic powder, ground cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, and kosher salt.
• Mozzarella Cheese – While I typically recommend a ball of fresh mozzarella (especially when making homemade pizza) it’s actually easier to use bagged, shredded cheese for this recipe.

• Parmesan Cheese – Choose freshly grated or shredded Parmesan, not the canned, powdery kind.
• Artichoke Hearts – I recommend starting with canned quartered artichoke hearts (you’ll need one 14-ounce or 397-gram can, drained). If you’ve purchased whole artichoke hearts, use a sharp chef’s knife to cut into quarters before combining with the other ingredients.
• Spinach – Chopped frozen spinach works best for this artichoke dip. Thaw the spinach, then thoroughly squeeze it to remove as much water as possible.
  
• Fresh Herbs – After baking, I garnished my dip with chopped fresh chives. Fresh parsley also works!

How to Make Spinach Artichoke Dip

To make spinach artichoke dip, start by mixing all of the ingredients together, reserving a small portion of the mozzarella for the topping. Scoop the mixture into a baking dish or deep pie plate, then sprinkle with the rest of the mozzarella. Bake in a 400° F (205° C) oven for about 25-30 minutes, or until cheesy, bubbly, and golden brown. Then, just garnish with a handful of chopped fresh herbs, and dig in!

For the full recipe, including step-by-step instructions and process photos, scroll down the recipe card below.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe Tips and Tricks

This recipe is pretty straightforward, but below are a few pointers to make things even easier:

• Soften the cream cheese. If the cheese is too cold, it won’t blend smoothly with the other ingredients.
• Drain the spinach. Really put some manpower into squeezing and draining the frozen spinach as thoroughly as possible. If you don’t squeeze out the water, you’ll end up with watery dip.
• Use quartered artichoke hearts. Canned artichoke hearts come whole or quartered. Choose the pre-cut kind, which don’t require any slicing.
• Spice it up. For a touch of heat, stir in in a teaspoon of hot sauce or a pinch of chili flakes.

How to Enjoy Spinach Artichoke Dip

This warm spinach artichoke dip pairs just as nicely with crunchy snacks (tortilla chips, crackers, pita chips, pretzels) as it does with sliced raw vegetables like carrot and celery sticks.

It’s also perfect with crusty bread, homemade crostini, bruschettini, or mini toasts.

What is the Best Dish for Making this Spinach and Artichoke Dip?

You can bake this spinach artichoke dip in a deep 9-inch pie dish, a 1-quart baking dish, or an 8×8-inch square glass baking dish. I recommend choosing glass or ceramic for this recipe, rather than metal. While it takes longer to reach the initial bake temperature, glass will retain heat longer, helping to keep your dip warm after you remove it from the oven.

For this test, I used a ceramic pie plate measuring about 9 inches across, and 2 inches deep. A standard 8-inch pie plate won’t be wide or deep enough to hold all of the filling.

While the appearance of your dish won’t affect the baking process, I also recommend choosing a pretty dish suitable for going from oven to table. You’ll want to serve this dip in the baking dish—don’t try to scoop it into another dish for serving!

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

You can prepare the filling up to 24 hours in advance. Spread it into the baking dish, cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate. When ready to enjoy, unwrap and proceed with the baking portion of the recipe as written.

Store leftover baked, cooled artichoke dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, scoop desired portion into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until warmed through. You can also reheat a larger portion in the original baking dish in a 350° F / 176° C oven.

I do not recommend freezing this spinach artichoke dip.

Other dip recipes you might enjoy:

Greek Yogurt Dip
Blue Cheese Dip
Sriracha Veggie DIp

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!

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