The easiest, cheesiest, creamiest dip of them all. This easy spinach artichoke dip is an instant party hit that will become your new favorite appetizer!
Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Where does this dip come from?
I would really like to know the true origin of spinach artichoke dip.
There's a theory that it originates from the old Knorr Classic Spinach Dip recipe, which could be found on packages of Vegetable Dry Soup Mix. I've heard tell it was around as early as the 50s, but I couldn't find positive proof.
Anyway, that recipe had water chestnuts in it, which I consider an abomination before the Lord.
Yuck.
Plus, the old Knorr recipe was for chilled dip-most spinach artichoke dips are served warm.
Wikipedia claims that this type of dip may have originated with Hellman's Mayonnaise, or Lipton soup mix, but offers no references for that claim. It's true that many recipes for this dip include mayo, but that's a feature of the old Knorr recipe, too. So who knows, really.
If you have any thoughts on the origin of spinach artichoke dip, drop me a line in the comments. I follow up on all leads! And I'll continue to keep looking in our stash of old cookbooks in case I run across something.
Meanwhile, let's get into the dip.
Why this recipe is so darn easy...
It's easy because I tested it more than a dozen times until I got it exactly right and figured out how it could go wrong.
That's why recipe testing is important. Anybody can write down the right way to cook something. It takes practice to figure out how it can go wrong and write down how to avoid those pitfalls.
In essence, this recipe shows you how to avoid the number one problem with hot dips: wateriness. If you don't handle the water problem right from the beginning, your dip will be drippy, and no one wants that.
In addition, I made sure the balance of cheeses was just right. It's not too thick, or too stringy, or gummy, or grainy. It takes the right kind and amount of cheese to get it perfectly creamy and cheesy.
As long as you follow the directions, it's guaranteed to come out delicious. Serve it at your next party and impress everyone.
Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh baby spinach lightly packed
- 1 ½ cups quartered artichoke hearts equal to a 14 ounce can, drained
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup shredded sharp white cheddar I use Kerrygold Dubliner
- 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1 pinch salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Wilt the spinach in a large nonstick skillet over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until completely wilted. (Do not use a pot; it will trap moisture and the spinach will be watery!)
- Drain the artichokes. Press them between paper towels to remove moisture, then repeat one more time with fresh paper towels to remove any remaining moisture. Add the artichokes to the skillet.
- Add the cream cheese. Stir the mixture until the cream cheese melts completely.
- Add the cheddar and stir until it melts completely. Add the parmesan, salt, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Stir thoroughly, breaking up the artichokes as you stir.
- Serve hot. Cover and refrigerate to store.
Hi it's Brenda from RubyHemMinistries.com I love spinach artichoke dip but never really knew how it was made. Thanks for sharing.
I make this sometimes too and it is delicious. I don't know about the origins though.
I love spinach dip! I got very into most kinds of dips when I was pregnant with my first (after almost 30 years of being too picky to try them.) And 6 years later, I'm obsessed.
I always wonder the origin stories of most foods! It's always surprising to me when such different ingredients end up in the same dish and taste so good.
Spinach is so healthy and nutritious. This easy spinach artichoke looks delicious and super fun to make. I have to try it out.
We love a good dip for our chips and that looks so good. Going to save your recipe. Thanks you for sharing.
Oh this is one of the easiest recipes that I have honestly seen and one of the tastiest looking too.
This is an all time favorite side dish of mine. I would love to try your recipe out.
Absolutely love your yummy looking dish, thats my favorite side dish!
Yum! I am so loving this Spinach Artichoke Dip right now! Looks really appetizing and mouthwatering.
Spinach and artichoke are so good together! A tasty dip is perfect for our movie nights!
This kind of dip is what I've been looking for! Creamy and cheesy! I will definitely make this spinach artichoke dip at home.
Water chestnuts - haha!!!
This sounds like a great recipe. We haven't had spinach artichoke dip in ages, I'll have to make this sometime.
This sounds and looks really delicious. I love how creamy this looks. I must make this soon. I just saved the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
This is our absolute favorite dip! It's so easy to whip up and it's great for parties!
We love spinach artichoke dip, and this is definitely the best recipe we've ever tried! Thanks so much for sharing!
Really nice and it seems like it will be very tasty to eat I am gonna try it for sure.
Spinach Artichoke Dip looks a lovely snack for an appetizer with Spinach to boost your energy I will definitely gonna try this.
Looks like Joanna used marinated artichokes in the jar. What works the best? Canned artichokes or marinated?
I usually use plain canned artichokes, but if you like the marinated flavor and think you would like that flavor in the dip, you could use marinated artichokes just the same. Either one will work.
There isn't any mention of ARTICHOKES in the list of ingredients even though it is in the title of the recipe!!!!!
There is - it says 1 1/2 quartered artichoke hearts, equivalent to 1 14-ounce can, drained.