The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk (see note)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese, light or regular, softened
- 2 cans (15-ounce each) artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
- ½ to 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional (but adds great flavor without making it spicy)
- 1 cup (114 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 to 1 ½ cups (114 to 171 g) freshly grated mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
- 10 to 16 ounces (454 g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch or similar sized baking dish.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the cream (or milk), flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Microwave the mixture in 1-minute intervals, whisking fully after each minute, until the mixture is thickened to the consistency of warm pudding, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream cheese and mix until well-combined (it's ok if there are a few lumps, but try to whisk it until as smooth as possible). Add the remaining ingredients; I like to add the spinach last, crumbling it in with my fingers to avoid large clumps. Mix well. Spread the dip into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Serve warm with bread or tortilla chips.
Notes
Substitutions: using cream makes the dip luxurious and creamy, but half-and-half or milk can be subbed in with good results. If using milk, it's best not to use skim milk - 1%, 2% or whole milk will work best.
Spinach: use the lesser amount of spinach for a creamier dip.
For a Creamier Dip: you can make this dip creamier and cheesier by increasing those quantities (cream + flour and/or cheeses) but keeping the spinach at the same quantity. It's very adaptable!