If you limit your spinach artichoke dip consumption to the appetizer spread on Super Bowl Sunday, you are missing out. Simple to make, supremely creamy, lightly cheesy, and with just the right amount of greenery, this recipe is just right for snacking all year round.
The veggies here are straightforward (no surprises here: They’re in the title!) and easy to work with. Artichoke hearts from the freezer aisle are the rare exception to the rule “fresh is best.” They save time—and the trouble of cleaning the prickly bits from the hearts. If you want to follow suit with frozen spinach, we won’t tell, but we do find that opting for fresh spinach and blanching it yourself leads to a fresher-tasting dip. Either way, squeeze out as much liquid from the greens as possible. Adding them while they’re still wet can upset the creamy harmony of the Parmesan cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise.
Ingredients
6 Servings
1
1
1
1
4
½
½
1
¾
Preparation
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°. Cook spinach in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water until wilted, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain spinach, squeezing out excess liquid, then transfer to a clean kitchen towel and use the towel to wring out as much liquid as possible. Be thorough and use some muscle; water from the spinach will make the dip thin and runny (not what you want). Transfer spinach to a cutting board and coarsely chop.
Step 2
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach and cook, stirring, until pan begins to look dry, about 2 minutes; season spinach with salt and pepper. Let cool.
Step 3
Pulse cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise in a food processor, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until combined and smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and fold in artichoke hearts, Parmesan, and spinach mixture; season with salt and pepper.
Step 4
Scrape mixture into a 1-qt. baking dish and bake until golden brown on top, 20–25 minutes. Let dip cool slightly. Serve with crackers, chips, toast, or—dare we say it?—a vegetable.
