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This Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe is loaded with flavor even without cream cheese or sour cream! It's an easy recipe to whip up and will surely please all your guests!
If you love party food, you'll love these recipes, Caramelized French Onion Dip, Surf and Turf Sliders, Citrus Gulf Ceviche with Tostones, Honey BBQ Chicken Wings, and New Orleans Hurricane.
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I always ate the spinach dip out of the jar as a kid. It wasn't until I was in charge of the hot appetizers at my first job after graduating from culinary school. The spinach artichoke dip was very popular and one of my responsibilities, and that's when I fell in love with spinach dip. The addition of feta cheese on top took this dish to new levels!
The dip comes together in about 10 minutes; then, the oven will do the rest of the heavy lifting.
I will show you how to make a spinach artichoke dip so good that even your friend who says they don't like it will beg for more! Also, I'm going to show how to make your own tortilla chips which are optional.
Spinach Artichoke Dip Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for the best spinach artichoke dip every time.
Butter
We need some unsalted butter so we can make a creamy cheese sauce.
Flour
The all-purpose flour is needed to make a roux.
Fresh Spinach
I know most recipe calls for frozen spinach, but that's a recipe for watery spinach dip. I like to
use fresh spinach because it has better flavor and guarantees a non-watery dip.
Canned Artichoke Hearts
You can clean fresh artichoke hearts if you want, but canned quartered hearts are perfect.
Half and Half
I love using half and half because it has more flavor than milk but is not as rich as only using heavy cream.
Seasonings
You'll need kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
Parmesan Cheese
Shredded parmesan produces a smoother sauce, as grated parmesan can make the cheese sauce gritty.
Monterey Jack Cheese
Monterey jack cheese will provide a great depth of creaminess and is perfect for baking.
Feta Cheese
If you're not a fan of feta cheese, this may be the dish to win you over. Garnishing the artichoke dip with feta provides the perfect salty bite.
How to Make Spinach Artichoke Dip
I wanted my spinach dip recipe to be easy, tasty, and a crowd-pleaser!
Spinach Dip
First, preheat your oven to 400°F and lay your tortillas out in a single layer to dry out slightly.
Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat; once melted, stir in flour, salt, and cayenne. Once smooth, whisk in half of the half and half until it thickens. This is important because you want to cook out the flour's taste. Add the remaining milk, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, often stirring until the sauce coats a spoon.
Cut the heat off and stir in parmesan and half the Monterey jack. Set aside.
In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter, add onions and cook for a couple of minutes. Add spinach in handfuls until wilted. Stir in garlic and remaining salt, black pepper, and artichoke hearts; cook for a few minutes. Then stir the spinach mixture into the cheese sauce.
Pour into an 8 x 8 baking dish, sprinkle the rest of the jack cheese and bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Garnish with feta.
Homemade Tortillas Chips
While spinach dip bakes. Fill a large skillet halfway with oil, over medium heat, until the oil reaches 300-315°F. Cut the tortillas into 4 pieces. Fry in batches for 2 minutes, flipping halfway or until the chips are golden and crispy. Drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Season with salt. Serve hot spinach artichoke dip with chips or crusty bread on the side.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are some substitutes and the best ways to build flavor with your spinach artichoke dip recipe.
- Feel free to use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- You can use any milk you have on hand but know almond milk and coconut milk will add a slight sweetness to the final dish.
- If cayenne is too spicy, use red pepper flakes instead.
- If you like spicy food, add some jalapenos or hot sauce right before serving.
- Feel free to use Colby jack, mozzarella cheese, Monterey jack, and cheddar cheese blend instead of jack cheese.
- Make sure you do not buy marinated artichoke hearts. It's great for pasta but may be off-putting in spinach artichoke dip.
- Before serving, you can fill the baked spinach artichoke dip in a bread bowl.
- To make a healthy spinach artichoke dip, reduce the cheese by half.
FAQs
Here are the top questions readers have about making spinach artichoke dip.
Spinach artichoke dip is made with milk, spinach, artichoke hearts, parmesan cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, feta cheese, and seasonings. Some recipes include cream cheese and sour cream too.
Yes! You can assemble the dip up to a day before baking. Cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
The best thing to eat with spinach dip is corn chips, pita chips, tortillas chips, baguette slices, or sliced vegetables.
Tortilla chips are the best choice since they're sturdy enough to hold up against the creamy texture of spinach artichoke dip. Pita chips also offer a great combination of their slightly salty flavor and crunchy texture.
Finally, corn chips are a great choice as they perfectly absorb the flavors of spinach artichoke dip. All three chips offer something unique to spinach artichoke dip, allowing you to choose the perfect one for your taste buds.
You can use a cheese sauce, Greek yogurt, or mayonnaise to make a spinach artichoke dip without sour cream. My favorite way is to make a creamy cheese sauce that will provide the same creamy texture that sour cream usually provides.
Making the perfect spinach dip is effortless with a roux. Use equal parts of butter and flour. Bring the mixture to a boil until it thickens, giving you the ideal consistency for every bite! This heavenly texture will have everyone coming back for more.
If you use frozen spinach that's not drained enough, the excess liquid will make your spinach dip watery as it bakes. Use a roux with equal parts flour and butter to thicken the mixture and absorb any excess liquid.
The edible part of an artichoke is the heart. You can get to the artichoke heart by cutting off the top and bottom of the artichoke, then removing all of the leaves. The remaining part with the hairy center is called the "choke," remove the hairs before cooking. The heart is a versatile vegetable that can be served hot or cold.
The artichoke heart is covered with "fuzzy hair" if you do not remove the hair before cooking it, you can choke. Hence the name artichoke. The hairy part of the artichoke is inedible and should not be eaten.
To safely eat an artichoke, rinse it under cold water to remove dirt. Then cut off the top one-third of the artichoke and use kitchen shears to trim off any remaining prickly leaves.
Finally, use a spoon to scrape away the hairy choke layer that covers the artichoke's heart. Once you have removed the inedible parts, you can cut up your artichoke into quarters and enjoy it as spinach dip, artichoke dip, spinach artichoke dip, or any other dish of your choice!
Artichokes are alkaline, with a pH level ranging from 6.0 to 7.5.
Spinach dip is best eaten immediately from the oven but will remain fresh for 3 days in the fridge.
Fried tortillas chips are best eaten immediately but will remain fresh for 1 day after frying in an airtight container or storage bag.
To reheat spinach dip, place it in a preheated oven at 400°F for 10 minutes or until hot.
More Party Recipes
If you're planning a party and need more bites, I know you'll love these recipes too!
- Brisket Nachos
- Lemongrass Hoisin Sauce Chicken Wings
- Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
- Sweet Thai Chili Wings
- Lemon Pound Cake Loaf
- Sea Salt Caramel Brownies
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized and moving fast in the kitchen.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F before pulling the ingredients out.
Step 2: Put everything measured into individual bowls.
Step 3: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best spinach artichoke dip you've ever enjoyed.
With spinach and artichoke dip this delicious, it's sure to be a hit! So don't wait any longer. Try making my dip today, and see just how easy it is to make something so tasty. Leave a comment and star rating below – I'd love to hear what you think! Thank you so much for reading, and happy cooking!
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📖 Recipe
Spinach Artichoke Dip without Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 20-30 corn tortillas cut in quarters
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups half and half
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1 small onion chopped fine
- 1 10-oz bag of rinsed baby spinach leaves
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 garlic cloves chopped fine
- 1 14 oz. can of quartered artichoke hearts
- 6 oz. crumbled feta
- 2 cups canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and lay tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet in a place where there’s a draft or fan. Heat a medium pot, over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter, once hot melted, stir in flour, 1 ½ teaspoon salt and cayenne until smooth. Whisk half of the milk, until it thickens, the add the remaining milk, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the sauce from heat stir in parmesan and half the monterey jack until smooth.
- Heat another medium pot or skillet, over medium heat, add butter, once melted, add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add handfuls of spinach little by little until incorporated. Add garlic, remaining salt, pepper and artichoke, cook for 2 minutes. Stir mixture into the cheese sauce.
- Pour into an 8 x 8 casserole pan or baking pan, evenly spread the monterey jack on top and bake for 25-28 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown. Garnish with feta cheese immediately.
- While the spinach dip bakes. Fill a large skillet with oil, over medium-high heat until oil reaches 300-315°F. Cut the tortillas in 4 pieces. Fry in batches for 2 minutes flipping halfway or until the chips are golden and crispy. Drain on a paper-towel lined baking sheet. Season with salt. Serve chips with hot spinach dip.
Notes
- Feel free to use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- You can use any milk you have on hand but know almond milk and coconut milk will add a slight sweetness to the final dish.
- If cayenne is too spicy, use red pepper flakes instead.
- If you like spicy food, add some jalapenos or hot sauce right before serving.
- Feel free to use Colby jack, mozzarella cheese, Monterey jack, and cheddar cheese blend instead of jack cheese.
- Make sure you do not buy marinated artichoke hearts. It's great for pasta but may be off-putting in spinach artichoke dip.
- Before serving, you can fill the baked spinach artichoke dip in a bread bowl.
- To make a healthy spinach artichoke dip, reduce the cheese by half.
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