Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Probably one of my favorite appetizers to eat out is spinach-artichoke dip! When I first decided to try it out at home, I was pleasantly surprised at how easily everything came together. One of the best things about this recipe is that you can adjust the ingredients to make more or less depending on the situation. The full recipe makes enough for a small dinner party (say 6-8 hungry friends), but cutting the recipe in half makes the perfect amount for a family of 4 looking for a Friday night snack.

Dips are a party favorite for a reason–you can make them ahead of time and then just reheat them in the oven as your guests arrive. Plus, there’s a variety of chips, pita bread, and baguettes you can pair with your choice of dip to make the perfect appetizer.

This time around, I made half of the recipe below so I could try out my new Lodge cast iron skillet. Even using the reduced amounts, I had enough to fill the skillet and then some left over that I put into a small ramekin to save for later.

The full and half size recipes are below with pictures from start to finish.

Ingredients:

Full Recipe:

• 8 oz. cream cheese (reduced fat works too)
• 16 oz. light sour cream
• 1 stick (8 tbsp.) unsalted butter
• 1½ – 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
• 14 oz. (1 can) quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 10 oz. (1 package) frozen spinach (thawed, cooked, and drained)
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• Ground pepper to taste

Half Recipe:

• 4 oz. cream cheese (reduced fat works too)
• 8 oz. light sour cream
• 1/2 stick (4 tbsp.) unsalted butter
• 3/4-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 7 oz. (about half a can) quartered artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
• 5 oz. (1/2 package) frozen spinach (thawed, cooked, and drained)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• Ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

Before starting:

• Drain and chop artichokes.
• Thaw spinach in a frying pan, cook, and carefully drain any excess water.
  • For the half recipe, still cook all of the spinach at one time and just save the other half to use in omelets, on top of pizza, or in another dip at a later time.

1.) In a medium pot over medium heat, melt together cream cheese, sour cream, butter, and parmesan cheese, stirring frequently until everything is melted together and the mixture reaches an even consistency. Continue stirring until it starts to bubble.

 

 

2.) Then, stir in the coarsely chopped artichoke hearts and the drained spinach.

 

 

 

 

3.) Mix until all of the ingredients are well combined and heated throughout.

4.) At this point, the dip is done and can be served in a deep bowl and topped off with more pepper (optional).

OR

Transfer the dip into an oven safe bowl or cast iron skillet to give the top of the cheesy dip a golden brown finish.

Just turn on your oven’s broiler to HI and keep an eye on your dip as the cheese starts to brown–this should only take a minute or two. Carefully remove the dip with an oven mitt or hot pad and serve warm with Tostitos organic yellow corn chips!