Amazing Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip

Every time I make this baked spinach artichoke dip, people ask for the recipe. It’s a delicious appetizer we all know and love – but we don’t usually have the recipe to make it!

I’m a dip girl. I could enjoy days living off various dips from guacamole to salsa to buffalo chicken dip and more. And then there’s hot artichoke dip. It’s so hot and hearty and filling, yet it’s relatively healthy. 

And every time I bring it, I get asked for the recipe because it’s slightly different from other artichoke dips. Because it has more veggies and less cream cheese, it isn’t as rich, leaving you feeling like you overindulged after only a few bites.

And with my “secret” ingredient, it has a yummy taste that means there are rarely, if ever, leftovers, much to my husband’s chagrin. He did eat the few remnants last night though!

Need more appetizer ideas? Check out my favorites at the end of this article.

It’s a quick dish to put together and has common ingredients, so it’s perfect for last minute get togethers, too. I use frozen spinach, something I don’t usually cook with.

For this recipe, it’s perfect because it’s already cut up into the right size pieces and once it’s thawed and drained, it’s the exact right amount and ready to use. Since it’s fresh frozen, it contains great nutrients with no added ingredients, and that’s what I’m looking for.

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How to Make Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip

I make this baked spinach artichoke dip in a two quart casserole dish. It looks pretty, and I can mix up the dip and bake it in the same container!

Let your cream cheese come to room temperature so that it mixes more easily. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Thaw and thoroughly drain your spinach. I leave it on the counter for a few hours or in the fridge for a couple days.

The easiest way for me to drain it is to place the spinach in a colander sitting over a large mixing bowl. Press the spinach into the colander, and let the spinach drain into the bowl until you no more comes out. You do not want to skimp on this step.

Peel and mince your garlic cloves. You want to mince them thoroughly, as no one wants to bite a big piece of garlic!

Pour your jar of artichokes into a bowl and remove them one by one and chop them into bite size pieces. I find this easier – and cleaner on my hands – rather than draining the oil from the jar and picking them one by one from the jar.

Add the pepper, spinach, garlic, and artichoke hearts to your casserole dish. Stir to evenly distribute the main ingredients. Add the mozzarella, cream cheese and mayonnaise, then stir again.

Nutmeg is my secret ingredient. Grate it atop the other ingredients with your lemon zester, and stir well.

(Yes, I did say with your lemon zester. First, fresh grated nutmeg is entirely different from the stuff you buy already ground. Second, the zester is fantastic for everything from grating nutmeg to fresh Parm for your pasta.)

Adding and stirring repeatedly means that you won’t end up with a clump of garlic or a huge dollop of cream cheese or – worse – an area with no cheese and only veggies.

In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan and Panko crumbs.  Sprinkle atop your dip, then place it in your 350 degree oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is lightly browned and starting to bubble around the edges. Serve immediately.

I like to use (strong) tortilla chips, pita chips, carrot slices, and more. This dip even works well with cucumber slices.

You can store this in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up two to three days and reheat as necessary. So yes, you can make it ahead of time or enjoy leftovers.

What do you dip in your spinach artichoke dip?

More great appetizer ideas:

• Buffalo chicken rolls
• BBQ bourbon little smokies
• Homemade nacho cheese
• Tomato bacon cups
• Bacon wrapped dates
• Vegetable bruschetta
• Roasted tomatillo salsa
• Smoky cheesy chicken enchilada dip
• Honey habanero puff pastry empanadas
• Cheese and pear crostini
• Baked ziti “cupcakes”
• Caponata
• Manchego stuffed dates
• Crockpot Swedish meatballs

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