Every table has a hierarchy of dips, and the warm spinach artichoke is always the one that empties first. It comes out of the oven bubbling at the edges with a golden, stretchy top, and the first tortilla chip through it sets off a quiet land rush. This version leans on three cheeses — cream cheese for body, mozzarella for the pull, Parmesan for the salty backbone — and it is seasoned the way the good restaurant versions are: garlic, a little heat, and lemon to keep something this rich from tasting heavy.
It is built for the same occasions as the rest of our Snacks & Sides collection, and the classic way to serve it here is with torn pieces of our Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread for dunking, though tortilla chips and pita wedges hold up just as well. Ten minutes of mixing, one dish, twenty-five minutes in the oven, and most of that time you are free to do anything else.
The whole recipe stands or falls on one unglamorous job: getting the water out of the spinach. Spinach is mostly water, and whatever you leave in will come out in the oven and pool on top of your dip in a sad green slick. Squeeze the thawed spinach until it feels like a dry, compact ball that crumbles — then squeeze it once more. Two minutes of effort here is the difference between a dip that scoops cleanly and one that needs stirring back together between every chip.
Chop the artichokes smaller than you think
Artichoke hearts are the dip's second texture, and they only play their part if they are cut down properly. Big wedges dominate a bite, drag out of the dip in one piece, and leave the rest of the scoop behind. Chop the drained hearts into rough half-inch pieces so they distribute through every spoonful, and pat them dry with a paper towel after draining — canned hearts carry a surprising amount of brine, and that brine thins the base and dulls the cheese. Marinated artichoke hearts also work, and their herbed oil adds flavor, but drain them even more thoroughly and cut the added salt by a pinch.
Room-temperature cream cheese mixes like it means it
Cold cream cheese straight from the fridge fights the spoon, leaves white lumps that never quite melt out, and tempts you to overwork everything else while you chase them. Set the block out 30 minutes ahead, or soften it in the microwave in 15-second bursts, and it will fold into the sour cream and mayonnaise in seconds, completely smooth. That smooth base matters more than it sounds: it is what bakes into an even, creamy dip instead of one with firm white pockets hiding between the spinach.
Ingredients
- 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach (283 g), thawed
- 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts (400 g), drained and chopped
- 8 oz cream cheese (225 g), softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream (120 g)
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (60 g)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced (about 6 g)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (112 g), divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (45 g), divided
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (5 ml)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (3 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.75 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (0.5 g), plus more to taste
- Tortilla chips, pita wedges or torn bread, to serve
Amounts are for the yield below. US customary measures first, grams in brackets for scale users.
Step-by-step instructions
- Squeeze the spinach dry. Put the thawed spinach in a colander and press it hard with the back of a spoon, then squeeze it in handfuls over the sink until it feels dry and compact and no more liquid drips out. Crumble it into a large bowl, breaking up every clump — this step decides whether the dip bakes up creamy or watery.
- Heat the oven and mix the base. Heat the oven to 375°F (191°C) and lightly grease a 1 quart (1 L) baking dish or a 9 inch (23 cm) pie plate. In the bowl with the spinach, add the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and garlic and stir until completely smooth and combined.
- Add the cheeses and artichokes. Fold in the chopped artichoke hearts, half the mozzarella, half the Parmesan, the lemon juice, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir until the spinach and artichokes are evenly distributed through the base, then taste — the cheeses bring salt, so it may need less than you expect.
- Top and bake. Scrape the mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over it. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the edges are bubbling, the center is hot and melty, and the top has turned golden in spots.
- Rest briefly and serve. Rest the dip for 5 minutes — it comes out of the oven loose and firms into a scoopable consistency as it stands, and it will save your guests' mouths besides. Serve warm, straight from the dish, with tortilla chips, pita wedges or torn bread arranged around it.
Nutrition estimate
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 210 kcal |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Saturated fat | 8 g |
| Sodium | 480 mg |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
Nutrition figures are estimates calculated from standard ingredient data for the yield stated. Your actual values will vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes — treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.
Storage & reheating
Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat portions in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until hot and melty, or warm the whole dish in a 350°F (177°C) oven for about 15 minutes. The unbaked dip can be assembled, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours; bake it straight from the fridge with about 5 extra minutes. We do not recommend freezing the baked dip — the dairy base turns grainy and watery on thawing. Nutrition figures are estimates from standard ingredient data and vary with brands and substitutions.
Easy Warm Spinach Artichoke Dip
Three cheeses, bubbly and golden — the dip that empties first, every time.
Ingredients
Tick ingredients off as you prep, and tap a step below to mark it done as you cook. Scaling adjusts the listed amounts - seasoning to taste stays your call.
Instructions
- Squeeze the spinach dry. Put the thawed spinach in a colander and press it hard with the back of a spoon, then squeeze it in handfuls over the sink until it feels dry and compact and no more liquid drips out. Crumble it into a large bowl, breaking up every clump — this step decides whether the dip bakes up creamy or watery.
- Heat the oven and mix the base. Heat the oven to 375°F (191°C) and lightly grease a 1 quart (1 L) baking dish or a 9 inch (23 cm) pie plate. In the bowl with the spinach, add the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and garlic and stir until completely smooth and combined.
- Add the cheeses and artichokes. Fold in the chopped artichoke hearts, half the mozzarella, half the Parmesan, the lemon juice, salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir until the spinach and artichokes are evenly distributed through the base, then taste — the cheeses bring salt, so it may need less than you expect.
- Top and bake. Scrape the mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over it. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the edges are bubbling, the center is hot and melty, and the top has turned golden in spots.
- Rest briefly and serve. Rest the dip for 5 minutes — it comes out of the oven loose and firms into a scoopable consistency as it stands, and it will save your guests' mouths besides. Serve warm, straight from the dish, with tortilla chips, pita wedges or torn bread arranged around it.
Recipe by Ahsan ul Haq · FryDaily. Printing? This card is designed to print cleanly on its own.
