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January 29, 2020

Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip

Pinterest image of a hand dipping crostini in ultimate spinach artichoke dip.

Rich, creamy spinach artichoke dip packed with cheese, Greek yogurt, savory spinach, nutty artichokes, zesty garlic and a kick of smoked paprika. 

Ultimate Spinach Artichoke dip in a baking dish with crostini being dipped into it.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. That means I get a small commission if you buy products I recommend at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I believe in from companies I believe in—either I use them myself or I’ve at least done thorough research.

Okay friends, today is exciting. This is one of my most requested recipes, and it’s here for you in its prime time, which is football food season. Go ahead and bookmark this, because you’ll need it for a certain Sunday 😉

This Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip is decadent, creamy, savory, smoky, cheesy, nutty goodness and it’s super easy to make. Really.

A glass bowl full of Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip ingredients with two blue bowls of cheese in the background.

I make the food for a D-II football program’s press box, and this is a definitely favorite. I get the food there at least an hour before kickoff, and it’s usually gone before the coin toss.

How to make spinach artichoke dip

  1. Cream together the softened cream cheese and Greek yogurt
  2. Stir in the seasonings like garlic, salt, and chili paste or flakes
  3. Stir in the bigger ingredients like cheese, spinach and artichokes
  4. Put it in a dish. Season it. Cheese it. Bake it.

That’s it! See? Easy. And if you make a lot of dips, you might notice a lot of the steps are the same. So, really, you now know how to make any dip. Learning is fun!

For this recipe I really like to use Gourmet Garden’s chili pepper paste (not sponsored). If you can find it near you (I’ve found it at Food City, Walmart, and sometimes Ingles Market), I really recommend keeping a tube in the fridge. I use a little bit of it in most Italian recipes I make, it works great in a pinch when you can’t find gojuchang paste easily, and I much prefer it to chili powder in chili. Otherwise, red pepper flakes work too!

A dish of unbaked Ultimate Spinach Artichoke dip with a hand sprinkling Italian blend cheese on top.

What’s so smart about this Spinach Artichoke Dip?

  • It’s just a big, filling appetizer—but you don’t need big crowd to make it! Sometimes if I’m just making it for a few people, I’ll freeze half. It freezes beautifully and I can just pop it in the oven for a few extra minutes when the mood strikes (instructions below). You can also use extra in other recipes. Hello, stuffed chicken breasts! Puff pastry pockets? Don’t mind if I do. Sandwich spread? YUSS.
  • It has tons of spinach, artichokes, and greek yogurt. I’m not going to try to pass this off as “healthy” or anything, but it’s nice to have an appetizer that helps you get some veggies and protein.
  • Texture. All the stuff above lends variety to each bite—it’s like eating your grandma’s baked mac and cheese vs. the boxed stuff. I like the blue box fine, but you can’t replace those crunchy, buttery breadcrumb-top bites.
  • Hot. Smoky. Intrigue. I love spinach artichoke dip, but sometimes I find different recipes underwhelming. Bland. Meh. That usually means it’s missing some dimension—smoke and heat. Chili pepper paste and paprika. FTFY, easy. Do you know how many people have asked me what magic is on top of this? It’s a lot of people.
Ultimate Spinach Artichoke dip in a baking dish next to a blue plate of crostini.
Ultimate Spinach Artichoke dip in a baking dish with crostini being dipped into it.

How to freeze spinach artichoke dip

Freezing Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip (or any kind!) is super simple, but there are a few things you want to consider to make sure it stays fresh-tasting and easy to heat up.

  • Freeze it before you heat it up. Whether you’re freezing all of it or just some of it, separate it before you freeze. You can freeze it after cooking, but the top layer can get sort of rubbery.
  • Freeze it in an oven-safe container so you can pop that bad boy straight in the oven. Try to pick one that fits it snugly so you have less room for air (and freezer burn). I like to use disposable foil containers rather than glass, because glass can shatter (see last bullet point).
  • Try to use it within 3 months. It can last longer, but it won’t taste as fresh.
  • You can reheat it in the oven from frozen—just start by adding on 5-10 minutes at 350º F, and keep adding on 5 minutes as needed until it’s heated through. If you saved a small portion, you might not need extra time at all. Just watch it closely.
  • IMPORTANT: If you used a glass container, I recommend letting it warm up on the counter for a bit before reheating so it doesn’t shatter in the oven. That’s why I usually go disposable. Most glass does not take well to going straight from cold to oven.
Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip on a gray plate with crostini, with more dip in a baking dish in the background.

I have to tell you, I didn’t name this post lightly. If you know me, you know I LOVE cooking shows, including competitions. One of my pet peeves is when a contestant says they’ve made a “perfectly poached egg”. Like, you KNOW you’re putting that plate down in front of someone paid to scrutinize it, and you’re suggesting something is flawless?

GIF of Chopped judge Alex Guarnaschelli blinking

Maybe I should admire the confidence, but man, I always feel like it’s asking to be called out. Yet here I am, with my perfectly poached Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip, asking you to give it a chance because you have to try it.

(Please do not poach the spinach artichoke dip.)

P.S. If you love the blue prep bowls in some of the early photos on this post as much as I do, visit my friend Meghann’s online Misty Moonshine Studio pottery shop! She’s so talented, and having her one-of-a-kind pieces sprinkled throughout my home brings me so much joy.

Now, let’s make some snacks!

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Ultimate Spinach Artichoke dip in a baking dish with crostini being dipped into it.

Ultimate Spinach Artichoke Dip


  • Author: Leannda
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 12 cups 1x
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Description

Rich, creamy spinach artichoke dip packed with cheese, Greek yogurt, savory spinach, nutty artichokes, zesty garlic and a kick of smoked paprika.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 16-oz cream cheese, softened (two bricks)     
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili pepper paste or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 cups shredded Italian blend or mozzarella cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
  • 10-oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed & liquid strained out
  • 2 packed cups canned artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped (about 1 1/2 14-oz cans)
  • About 1–2 teaspoons smoked paprika to taste

Serving suggestion: crostini, pita chips, pita bread, tortilla chips, etc.


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.  
  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir the softened cream cheese until it is uniformly smooth. 
  3. Stir yogurt, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes into the creamed cheese until the mixture is smooth.
  4. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the Italian blend cheese and 1 cup of the parmesan cheese into the mixture, setting aside the rest of the cheese.
  5. Fluff the spinach with a fork, then stir into the cheese mixture until evenly incorporated. Stir in the artichokes as well.
  6. Scoop the mixture into a medium (9×13) oven-safe dish, smooth it out, and add a dusting of paprika. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top as evenly as possible, then add another light dusting of paprika.
  7. Cover the dish with foil and bake it for 20 minutes.
  8. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. 
  9. Serve warm with pita chips, tortilla chips or crostini.  

Notes

  • This makes a LOT of dip, so if you decide to freeze half or make it in more than one dish, I would reduce the cook time a bit and watch it closely. 
  • When I say chili paste, I’m talking about something like this. I would not recommend using something like gochujang paste in this—unless you want to. Then you do you, and let me know how it goes!
  • You can serve this with whatever you like, but I suggest having some sturdy options. I love it with thin Italian grissini breadsticks, but they snap so easily and can’t pick up bigger pieces. It’s awkward to chase an artichoke around your plate for 5 minutes in a social setting.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: spinach artichoke dip, cheesy spinach artichoke dip, spinach artichoke appetizer, cheesy appetizer, cheesy dip,

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @leanndacavalier on Instagram and hashtag it #whipsmartkitchen

Ultimate Spinach Artichoke dip in a baking dish with crostini being dipped into it.
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Filed Under: Appetizer, Party, Recipe, Uncategorized, Vegetarian

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About Leannda

Hey, I'm Leannda! I love to cook and I'm always down for some tiramisu. When I'm not cooking I'm probably teaching or sideline reporting. DWest Virginia native. Lover of mountains and rivers. Currently living in Tennessee with my husband, Adam; daughter, Siena; and our cats, Professor and Steely. read more

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