This baked spinach artichoke dip is a guaranteed party hit! It's deliciously creamy and cheesy, but shhh! A secret veggie ingredient is hiding inside it.
appetizers / winter — Jump to recipe
If you want to impress guests at your next holiday party, make this spinach artichoke dip! It’s creamy, cheesy, and rich with briny artichoke flavor. In fact, it’s so good that every time we make it, Jack and I devour it standing at the kitchen counter. We can’t get enough!
But I’ll let you in on a secret: this spinach artichoke dip is made of mostly veggies. Sure, it’s loaded with the essentials – spinach and artichokes – but it also contains a surprising veggie ingredient: cauliflower! Instead of using cream cheese, sour cream, or mayonnaise to make this dip’s creamy base, I blend boiled cauliflower with Greek yogurt and a little olive oil. The resulting puree is just as smooth and luscious as any conventional creamy dip, but it’s so much lighter!
From experience (see above), I can tell you that this spinach artichoke dip is completely addictive. Luckily, though, it’s filled with good-for-you ingredients, so make it for a gathering (or just for you), and dive in!
Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe Ingredients
- Artichoke hearts – You can’t make spinach artichoke dip without them! They give this dip its quintessential briny flavor.
- Fresh spinach – Many spinach dip recipes call for frozen spinach, but I like to use fresh ingredients whenever I can. I blanch and roughly chop the fresh spinach before stirring it into the creamy dip.
- Cauliflower and Greek yogurt – Together, boiled cauliflower and Greek yogurt create a smooth, nutritious puree that’s just as creamy as any combination of cream cheese, sour cream, or mayonnaise.
- Garlic and scallions – Their oniony flavor is the perfect complement for the briny artichokes, and they make this dip totally irresistible.
- Dijon mustard – It amps up the tangy taste of the yogurt and artichokes. Yum!
- White cheddar cheese – I love the sharp, nutty flavor of the cheddar here, but you could use another good melting cheese too. Gruyere would be a great choice, as would a mix of grated Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.
How to Make Spinach Artichoke Dip
First, boil the cauliflower and garlic. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the veggies, and cook until the cauliflower is tender, about 8 minutes.
Next, blanch the spinach. Add it to the pot of boiling water for just a few seconds (it wilts quickly!), and transfer it to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Then, scoop the spinach onto a kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess liquid. Don’t skip this step – no one likes watery spinach artichoke dip! Roughly chop the drained spinach, and set it aside.
Then, make the dip’s creamy base. Allow the cauliflower to cool almost to room temperature before blending it with the cooked garlic, Greek yogurt, mustard, olive oil, and salt.
After you’ve blended together the creamy puree, mix up the dip! Add the puree to a bowl with the scallions, chopped spinach, and artichokes, and stir everything together.
Finally, it’s time to bake! Spread the spinach and artichoke mixture in a lightly greased 8-inch cast iron skillet. Sprinkle it with grated cheese and chopped scallions, and bake until the cheese is golden brown, hot, and bubbly. Garnish it with chopped parsley, and serve with toasted baguette. Enjoy!
Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe Tips
- Squeeze as much water as you can out of the spinach, and then squeeze out some more. Great spinach artichoke dip is thick and creamy, not watery! Make sure to squeeze out as much water as you can from the spinach so that it doesn’t release moisture into the dip as it bakes.
- Let the cauliflower cool before blending up the creamy sauce. Because the dip’s base contains yogurt, you don’t want to blend it together while the cauliflower is still hot. If you do, the yogurt will separate. Allow the cooked cauliflower to cool for at least 10 minutes before pureeing it with the olive oil, yogurt, mustard, and salt.
- Serve it straight out of the oven. This dip’s cheesy topping will solidify as it cools, so make sure to serve it while it’s still warm. Hot from the oven, the cheese is melty, gooey, and delicious on top of the creamy dip.
- Prep it ahead of time! This spinach artichoke dip is best served hot out of the oven, but you can still prep it ahead of time. Blend up the creamy base and mix it with the blanched spinach, chopped artichokes, and scallions up to a day in advance. Then, when you’re ready to serve, top it with the cheese, and bake!
More Favorite Appetizer Recipes
If you love this spinach artichoke dip, try one of these favorite appetizer recipes next:
- Baked Brie with Pomegranates
- Hummus
- Baba Ganoush
- Pico de Gallo
- Best Guacamole
- Mango Salsa
- The Ultimate Crudité Platter
- Burrata with Heirloom Tomatoes
Head to this post for 50 more easy appetizers!
Spinach Artichoke Dip
rate this recipe: from votesPrep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Serves 4Save Recipe Print RecipeThis spinach artichoke dip is a delicious party appetizer! Serve it warm, but be careful with the skillet. It will be hot when it comes out of the oven.Ingredients
- 3 cups small cauliflower florets, ¾-inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves
- 5 ounces fresh spinach
- 1 (14-ounce) can whole artichoke hearts, drained, patted dry, and chopped
- ⅓ cup chopped scallions
- ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for brushing
- Heaping ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Scant 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup white cheddar cheese
- Pinches of red pepper flakes
- Toasted baguette, for serving
- Chopped parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and brush an 8-inch cast iron skillet lightly with olive oil.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and garlic and boil until the cauliflower is fork tender, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the cauliflower and the garlic into a blender, reserving the pot of cooking water.
- Set a bowl of ice water nearby. Add the spinach to the boiling water and use a slotted spoon to immediately remove it (it’ll wilt very quickly) and transfer to the ice water to cool completely. Drain and squeeze excess moisture from the spinach. Coarsely chop the spinach and add it to a large bowl with the artichokes and scallions.
- Check to make sure that the cauliflower in the blender has (mostly) cooled, then add the yogurt, olive oil, mustard, and salt to the blender and blend until creamy. Add this mixture to the bowl with the spinach and artichokes and stir to combine.
- Spread the spinach mixture into the skillet and top with the cheese and pinches of red pepper flakes. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until the cheese on top is browned and bubbling.
- Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve with baguette slices.
Notes
For this recipe, I use Stonyfield Organic Grassfed Greek Yogurt, which is super creamy. I use Sir Kensington's Dijon mustard which has a mellow mustard flavor that's not overpowering.ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rbvVnpinnJyaurC60meaqKVfqL2qusCcn2aZoqm2pLTOpJxmnJmlfA%3D%3D