Spinach artichoke dip – the ultimate recipe

The first time I dipped a piece of crusty baguette into this ultra creamy spinach artichoke dip, I was hooked. So creamy, so spicy, so incredibly delicious! And the best thing is: the recipe is so simple and can be prepared quickly. The dip is really ideal for any occasion.

The most important facts at a glance: What is spinach artichoke dip?

• The spinach and artichoke dip is a delicious dip that combines spinach and artichoke with a creamy base of cream cheese and sour cream. It is refined with Parmesan cheese and a dash of lemon juice.
• The recipe is customizable in terms of ingredients (fresh vs. frozen, canned vs. fresh), consistency and flavor, and offers both light and vegan options.
• Serving suggestions include traditional serving in a bowl, in a casserole dish or even in a loaf of bread. Serve with tortilla chips, toasted bread or vegetable sticks, for example; leftover dip can be stored in the fridge and reheated in the microwave.

Spinach and artichoke dip: the main ingredients

The base of my ultimate spinach and artichoke dip consists of pickled artichokes and spinach, which together make an absolutely delicious combination. These two main ingredients are not only full of vitamins and minerals, but also give the dip its characteristic texture and, of course, its unmistakable taste.

But to be honest, the dip is not a meal you should indulge in every day, as there is a lot of fat involved. But fat is also a flavor carrier and makes the spinach and artichoke dip really creamy.

Cream cheese, sour cream and even a little mayo are added for a creamy consistency and an extra boost of flavor. These ingredients ensure the creamy consistency.

I definitely add a squeeze of lemon juice to round off the dip with a little acidity. And last but not least, don’t forget the Parmesan! This cheese adds a lot of umami.

Here you will find a list of all the ingredients:

• Spinach
• pickled artichokes
• Garlic
• Shallot
• Olive oil
• Cream cheese
• Mozzarella, grated
• Sour cream
• Mayonnaise
• Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Fresh spinach vs. frozen spinach

When choosing the spinach for the dip, you can choose between fresh and frozen spinach. To get straight to the point: It doesn’t really matter which one you choose. But both have a few advantages and disadvantages.

Fresh spinach has a slightly firmer texture and a more intense flavor compared to frozen spinach. So if you love the taste of fresh spinach and don’t mind a little more work, go for fresh spinach.

Frozen spinach is often cheaper than fresh spinach and available all year round. In addition, frozen spinach is easy to portion and can be used straight from the freezer, whereas fresh spinach can only be kept for a few days after purchase. In addition, the vitamins in the spinach are preserved thanks to the rapid freezing immediately after harvesting.

Artichoke hearts from the tin or fresh

I love artichokes! They are one of the main ingredients in the dip and you can choose between canned or jarred artichoke hearts and fresh artichoke hearts.

Pickled canned artichoke hearts are available all year round. The advantage here, of course, is that they are ready to use and you really don’t have any more work to do with them.

However, if you prefer fresh artichoke hearts, you should note that they vary more in taste and texture than the canned version. Fresh artichokes can take a little more work, as you have to clean and cook them before you can use them.

Personally, I always go for the ready-pickled artichokes from the jar.

Recipe and preparation

So, the ingredients are clear. Now let’s continue with the quick and easy preparation of the spinach and artichoke dip. Basically, there are 4 main steps you need to take:

1. Preheat the oven!
2. Prepare the ingredients, such as spinach and artichoke hearts.
3. Mix the ingredients.
4. Baking.

Preparing the ingredients

Whenever I cook, I prepare all the ingredients in advance so that I can then process them easily. Good preparation is the be-all and end-all for me. This also applies to the spinach and artichoke dip, of course.

1. Spinach and artichoke: It is best to start with the spinach and artichoke hearts. If you have frozen spinach, it should of course be defrosted first. Then I recommend wringing out the spinach carefully in a straining cloth or clean kitchen towel and cutting the spinach and artichoke hearts into smaller pieces. You can then mix it better with the other ingredients and everything will spread much better.
2. Garlic and shallot: Peel and finely chop both. Garlic and shallot add their typical spice to the dip and make it really delicious!

Mixing and baking the dip

That was it for the preparation. Now all you have to do is mix all the ingredients together and bake. But first I roast everything briefly. This adds more flavor – I love roasted flavors!

1. Start with the garlic and shallot. Simply add a little olive oil to a pan and fry the two ingredients well until they are slightly translucent.
2. Then add the finely chopped spinach. This now loses fluid again. Fry the spinach gently in the pan until most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Now add the artichoke to the pan. However, you only need to fry them briefly.
4. Finally, add the rest of the spinach and artichoke dip to the pan. Reduce the heat and add the cream cheese, mozzarella, sour cream, mayo and half of the Parmesan. Stir everything in until the cheese has melted and everything is creamy.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper and pour the dip into a casserole dish.
6. You can then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top of the dip, place the oven dish in the oven and bake at 180°C fan oven for approx. 8-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden brown.

Variations of the spinach and artichoke dip

You now know the recipe and how to make the spinach and artichoke dip yourself quickly and easily. And now throw everything overboard and let your creativity run wild. You can adapt and vary the dip incredibly well.

You can use more or simply fewer ingredients. You can also add chili, for example, if you like it spicy. Feta would give the dip a little more acidity. You could also refine with a little sumac and season with zaatar.

Lighter version

The spinach and artichoke dip is no easy feat in terms of calories. But you can also simply conjure up a “light” version of it. Simply use low-fat versions of the ingredients listed.

You can use low-fat cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream, for example. These ingredients have fewer calories than their full-fat versions, but still retain their creamy consistency and rich taste.

Vegan option

Even if you follow a vegan diet, you don’t have to miss out on the delicious spinach and artichoke dip. By using plant-based alternatives, you can prepare a vegan version of the dip.

How to serve and eat the spinach artichoke dip

Honestly? Do it the way you enjoy it. The spinach and artichoke dip is super versatile – even when it comes to presentation and side dishes.

You can simply leave the dip in the baking dish and serve it straight from the oven. That’s how I usually do it.

You could also hollow out a loaf of bread and serve the dip inside. The rest of the bread can then be used for dipping. Personally, however, I don’t think it’s a good thing, as there is always some bread left over that nobody wants to eat and, in the worst case, has to be thrown away. I’m more in favor of not wasting food – as nice as the idea of the loaf of bread may be.

Potato chips and bread

Tortilla chips are one of the most popular accompaniments to the spinach and artichoke dip. I really can’t stop then – haha. The crunch of the chips simply goes very well with the dip.

However, I usually serve crusty baguette or freshly toasted slices of bread with the dip. Crackers also go very well with it.

Vegetable sticks

If you need to appease your conscience at least a little, you can also switch to vegetable sticks. Here are a few examples:

• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Paprika
• Celery stalks

Storage and reheating

If you haven’t used up all the spinach artichoke dip by now, you can keep it for the next day or two.

The dip should be cooled and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The dip will keep for up to four days in the fridge.

Spinach artichoke dip is easy to prepare

You can also prepare the spinach and artichoke dip the day before a party or get-together.

You can then bake the dip, leave to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Or you can skip the baking and finish it just before the event.

Reheating in the microwave or oven

Of course you can also reheat the dip, it simply tastes best warm. This works both in the microwave and in the oven.

If you decide to use the microwave, make sure you do this in 30-second increments so that the dip is heated evenly.

Get ready to dip!

I hope you got a good impression of the recipe for spinach and artichoke dip. The recipe is really quick and easy to make and is an absolute hit at parties, barbecues or as a snack during a cozy movie night.

In any case, I hope you have lots of fun trying them out and, of course, bon appétit! If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave me a comment.

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Recipe for spinach artichoke dip

Fancy more dips? Then be sure to try the delicious olive tapenade, hummus, labneh or fava.