Name: Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 10oz package of frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained); 1 14oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts (chopped); 8 oz cream cheese (softened); ¼ cup sour cream; ⅓ cup mayonnaise; 2 tsp dijon mustard; ½ tbsp salt; ⅓ tbsp onion powder; 1 tsp ground black pepper; 1 tsp garlic powder; 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided); ¼ cup grated parmesan; 1 large loaf of artisan bread (optional)

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If there is one dip that will always be a classic staple at any gathering, it is spinach artichoke dip! Served hot or cold, the creamy, cheesy dip is always a fan favorite. And let’s be honest, the copious amounts of greens in the dip makes a small part of our brains think it may quite possibly be healthy! I am not picky on how this is served, but I have to say my all time favorite way is to bake the dip…in a bread bowl! It’s two snacks in one! Warm cheesy dip scooped up by crusty bread. If cheese and carbs do not make the perfect dish, I do not know what does!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I would say the one thing I love about spinach artichoke dip is that you can cut ALL of the corners and still have a perfect dish. By that, I mean, yes sure, you can cook down, chop, and strain fresh spinach. You can roast and peel your own artichoke hearts. You can shred your own cheese. But you don’t have to! You can make this entire dish without a single ingredient from the produce department and not compromise any of the flavor.

I start with 1 10oz package of frozen chopped spinach. Defrost overnight or warm according to package direction. The next step is extremely important! Place the spinach in a cheesecloth or dish towel and ring out as much of the liquid as you can! There will be a ton and not ringing it out with make for a green and sorry dip. Add the spinach to a mixing bowl and also add in one 8oz block of softened cream cheese. Strain and chop a 14oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts. You can use regular hearts, but why miss out on the extra flavor punch of the marinated kind. Next, to the bowl add in:

¼ cup sour cream
⅓ cup mayonnaise
2 tsp dijon mustard
½ tbsp salt
⅓ tbsp onion powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Using a hand mixer or a wooden spoon, combine all of the ingredients completely. As is, this is the dip! You can serve this cold, to which point I would recommend adding 1/3-1/2 cup of heavy cream, or double the sour cream to thin out the dip so it is easier to scoop/spread. Keeping it cold makes for a great dip for veggies like carrot sticks and celery. I like mine a little, okay a lot, cheesier and gooey, so I prefer mine baked and warmed through. There are two ways to do that.

Bread Bowl

I LOVE using a bread bowl for this dip because it serves as serve ware AND part of the meal. Start by preheating the oven to 350. While the oven heats, take one large loaf of artisan bread and cut off the top, about 1/2 in of the bread. Any type of bread works, as long as the outside is crusty and the inside is pretty soft. Using a bread knife or a large spoon, hollow out the bread loaf, leaving enough of the crust to keep the integrity of the bowl.

Place the bowl on a baking sheet and drizzle the inside with olive oil. I also like to cube the insides that I removed and place them on the baking sheet as well, drizzled with olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried oregano. They make great croutons to dip later! Place the baking sheet in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the cubes crisp a bit, but the bowl does not become too brown or hard.

Remove the bowl and cubes from the oven, setting the cubes aside. Fill the bowl with the prepared spinach artichoke dip and top with 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Place the back in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the inside is warmed through and the cheese on top is golden brown.

Baking Dish

Don’t have a bread bowl, or just cutting back on carbs? No problem! You can still make this delicious baked spinach artichoke dip. Simply take a deep sided baking dish (I use a 1 1/2 qt round casserole dish) and spray it with cooking spray. Spoon in the dip directly into the dip, and top with 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the inside is warmed through and the cheese on top is golden brown. Same as above, just no bread!

No matter which way you choose to bake this dip, I promise it will be a hit at any party or gathering. Serve with crisp veggies, the baked bread cubes (if applicable), pita chips, pretzel sticks, crackers, or whatever else you can think of. This dip is great for football parties, Easter brunch, summer cookouts, housewarming parties, or any other event you can think of!

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