This baked spinach and artichoke dip is the perfect party appetizer or family snack.
Baked spinach and artichoke dip is one of those appetizers that everyone migrates to at a party. It is a staple whenever we have people over and it never disappoints.
I’m actually not a fan of artichokes but in this recipe, they are just a subtle addition of flavour and texture.
This dip is equally as good for a family snack as well. The kids love the gooey cheese topping, not to mention the chips and pitas that usually come with it.
Preparing Oven-Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
Spinach: Spinach is a leafy green vegetable. It is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants and is often sold pre-washed and ready to eat.
Marinated Artichokes: Artichokes are a variety of thistles where the edible part is the bud before the flower blooms. The heart of the artichoke is edible as well as the bottoms of the leaves. Artichokes are a bit of work to prepare which is why we’re using marinated artichokes for this recipe. They are prepped and jarred and ready to eat.
Mozzarella cheese: Mozzarella is a stretched curd cheese. Though there are many varieties, for this recipe I use pizza mozzarella. It has a mild flavour and melts into a beautiful stringy texture.
Cream Cheese: Cream cheese is a soft and mild cheese that is made from cow’s milk and cream. It’s smooth and spreadable when brought to room temperature, although refrigerated spreadable varieties are also available. You can buy cream cheese in many different flavours as well but we will just use plain for this recipe.
Plain Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt is yogurt that has had the whey and other liquids strained from it. It’s thicker and creamier than other types of yogurt.
Parmesan: Grated parmesan cheese is perfect for this recipe, and I don’t mean freshly grated. The relatively inexpensive pre-grated type is just right here. The flavour is perfect and I always find it a bit of a waste to use the freshly grated stuff if it just melts away.
Allspice: Allspice is a ground unripe berry that comes from a tropical plant called Pimenta diaoica. It is used in many cuisines including Mexican, Jamaican and middle eastern. It is a very strong, smoky and almost sweet flavour and should be used carefully as it can easily overpower a meal.
Old Bay Seasoning: Old Bay Seasoning is an American spice mix made from various spices and herbs. Some of these include celery salt, black pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and ginger among others. It’s most commonly used on fish and seafood but is really great on everything.
How to Make Oven-Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip
This is a very easy dip. The ingredients are simple and only a couple of them require prep. And if you thought that spinach and artichoke dip has to have mayo in it you are in for a treat. No mayo and no sour cream here!
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F.
Prep the Dip
Next, chop the baby spinach into small pieces. The size is up to you. I personally don’t like stringy pieces in my dip so I dice it really small.
Add it to a medium bowl.
Dice the artichokes into similar size pieces to the spinach. Again, for me, this is a small dice but I’m not a fan of artichokes so prefer that they get ‘lost’ in the dip. Once chopped, them to the bowl with the spinach.
Now grate the mozzarella cheese with a coarse grater. Separate about a quarter of the cheese and save it for the topping. Put the rest in the same medium bowl.
Finally, add the remaining ingredients to the same bowl.
Tip: This dip is on the salty side, as it should be. With that said, if you are using a brand of tortilla chips that is already pretty salty – that’s you Tostitos – skip the salt in the dip. Don’t get me wrong, Tostitos are perfect for this dip, I just want you to actually taste all the ingredients, not just the salt.
Lastly, it’s time to mix! I like to use a wooden spoon because it can be a bit tough. Especially if you forgot to bring the cream cheese to room temperature like I often do.
Make sure to stir really well. Because it can be tough, you may be inclined to stop before all the ingredients are integrated. Don’t! Put your elbow into it and get it mixed. It will be worth it.
Bake the Dip
Once the dip is mixed transfer it to an oven-safe dish.
I used a small baking dish that is about 7.5” inches by 4” inches (about a half quart).
If you have a French onion soup bowl it will be perfect for this dip, you may need to bake it a little longer though.
I also have a mini, 2-quart crockpot that I use for parties. I quadruple this recipe and it keeps the dip hot for hours.
Top the dip with the remaining mozzarella cheese and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
If you want to get the cheese nice and crisp, turn your oven to a high broil for the last 2 minutes of baking.
If you are using a french onion soup bowl, bake for 25 minutes instead.
Wait a couple of minutes before serving as it will be extremely hot.
Substitutions
Yogurt: If you don’t have any yogurt, feel free to use sour cream in its place. It will taste just as creamy and delicious.
Allspice: Allspice is not the most common spice in most pantries so I totally understand if you don’t want to invest in a spice you won’t use too often. Try adding 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg. It’s not a direct substitution by any means but it will bring out the best in the dip in lieu of allspice.
Serving Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip
The natural instinct is to serve this delicious dip with tortilla chips. And it’s a good instinct. Tortilla chips are the perfect pairing, but they are not the only ones.
Try making pita chips to go along with this dip or use your favourite crackers.
You might also be surprised that this spinach and artichoke dip is delicious with a veggie platter. Carrots, cucumbers, and even cauliflower will only enhance this delicious dip.
Are you looking for other appetizer ideas? Check out our recipes:
Let us know in the comments if you have any questions. And if you like this recipe be sure to leave us a five-star rating below.
Oven-Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe
Equipment
- Knife
- Medium bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- 170 ml marinated artichokes
- 125 g mozzarella cheese (25g for topping)
- 150 g plain cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- ¼ tsp allspice
- 1 tsp old bay seasoning
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Chop the fresh spinach and artichokes into small pieces.1 cup spinach, 170 ml marinated artichokes
- Grate the mozzarella cheese and separate about a quarter or so for the topping.125 g mozzarella cheese
- Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl. Using a wooden spoon combine all the ingredients well. Makes sure the cream cheese is well distributed and that all the spices are integrated well.1 cup spinach, 170 ml marinated artichokes, 125 g mozzarella cheese, 150 g plain cream cheese, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp grated parmesan, ¼ tsp allspice, 1 tsp old bay seasoning, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
- Move the dip mixture to an oven-safe dish. I used a 7.5” x 4” (0.5 quarts) baking dish. Tops with the remaining shredded mozzarella and bake for 20 minutes.
- Optional: When there are 2 minutes left, turn the broiler on to brown the cheese. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Serve with tortilla or pita chips, or with a veggie platter.
