This dip eats like a meal; the artichokes and spinach are not hidden behind large amounts of sour cream or mayo. This is the chunkiest Artichoke and Spinach Dip recipe you’ll find!
I’m a dipper. You know it’s true, Dear Reader. I’m all about a good dip and a good sauce. I swear, you can put sauce on just about anything and make it taste better. I think you say the same thing about most dips. We are a family of dippers, and when it comes to choosing a good dip, we want a dip that eats like a meal.
When I say eats like a meal, I mean that it has to have substance; it has to have heartiness; it has to be filling. There are oftentimes when a dip, paired with some bread, chips, or veggies, acts as an entire meal in our home.
In most cases, those days are Fridays or Sundays. I’m not lying when I say that I cook an actual meal, not just like a sandwich or a fried egg, but an actual meal, at least 6 times a week. So, on Friday night, if we are not ordering in our usual pizza or Chinese food, it’s a dip for dinner.
If the dip doesn’t come to fruition on Friday night, then you can bet your last dollar that there will be dip for dinner on Sunday. It’s just that one night where you want something comforting and delicious, without going through too much effort, and something that won’t destroy your daughter’s university fund. And this dip fits all of those criteria.
I wasn’t going to publish this recipe to my blog. I thought that everyone has an artichoke and spinach dip in their recipe box or notes somewhere. And, if they don’t and they feel like making it, there’s a million recipes for artichoke and spinach dip on the internet. (No, I have not read them all!)
So, why go through the effort to publish my recipe? Well, because it’s delicious and I happen to think it’s better and different. Why so? Well, first of all, this dip is not overly cheesy. If you’re looking for a gooey, cheese-stretching dip, then this is not the dip for you. You can certainly taste the cheese, but it’s not overpowered by it.
Secondly, my version of artichoke and spinach dip is not loaded with sour cream and mayonnaise. I use only sour cream and no mayonnaise at all. Mayonnaise makes helps to make a fantastic baked dip, but it’s really not needed in this one. Just use a good sour cream; it has less calories and fat.
Thirdly comes the artichokes and the spinach. I love to use frozen spinach with any recipe that requires spinach and is baked. I just thaw it and really squeeze out the water. The work of chopping and wilting is already taken care of and it makes the job easier and faster. Hey, if you’re going to eat dip for dinner, you might as well take on the whole sloth-like attitude!
The next thing that makes my dip worthy of a blog post is the artichokes. I use 28 ounces, which for me is two cans. I drain the artichokes, squeeze them slightly to get out some of the water and roughly chop them. I want them to have large chunks and large, whole leaves if possible. The chunkier, the better. My artichokes are not to be hidden in the dip or become part of the background. They are up front and center, where they should be!
Unlike other artichoke and spinach dips, there’s two other ingredients that I don’t often see in an artichoke and spinach dip recipe. I very rarely see onions in the mix. Dehydrated onion flakes are perfect for this recipe. Again, no slicing or dicing, just open up your spice cabinet and toss in a few tablespoons. It’s just enough to bring a little something extra to the dip, but not enough to take the focus off the main ingredients.
Lastly, I like to add just a little bit of dried red chili flakes. I would add a lot more, personally, but my daughter and my main squeeze can’t handle too much heat. It’s a great addition though. It gives the dip just a little surprise kick on the back of the tongue. If you’re eating the dip with a good salty tortilla, it’s a match made in heaven!
Keep this dip handy, Dear Reader. You’ll find it useful in some of my other recipes too! Happy dipping!
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Artichoke and Spinach Dip
Ingredients
- 300 grams frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 28 ounces artichoke hearts packed in water, roughly chopped
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 cups white cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons dried onion flakes, dehydrated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking dish by drizzling in the two tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.
- Add the cream cheese to a mixing bowl and use a hand-held mixer to blend until creamy.
- Add the sour cream and blend into the cream cheese.
- Add the spinach and blend into the cream cheese and sour cream mixture with the hand-held mixer just until incorporated.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir together with a spatula or a wooden spoon. Don't use the hand-held mixer - this will break apart the artichokes.
- Poor the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Claudia Lamascolo says
I have made artichoke dip for years never with spinach or added cheddar , this is brilliant chef! I Cant wait to try it thanks for sharing 🙂 have a great weekend! I will be making this tomorrow!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Claudia. 🙂
Billy says
Love this dip. Thanks so much for the recipe – two of my favorite dips combined in one!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thanks, Billy. 🙂
Linda Lum says
Loved it! Can this be prepared ahead of time and kept covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you! And, yes, absolutely! Take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.