I love artichokes and am always excited to see an artichoke dip at a party or on a menu. There are a lot of different varieties of artichoke dips, but this one is my favorite and has been well received by many friends and family. You start by sautéing fresh spinach in some olive oil with a clove of garlic to provide some added flavor. Then add chopped artichokes (from cans). Finish with lots of cheese (make sure you use the two “types” in the recipe below – it’s worth it) and mayonnaise to bind it.
What to serve it with? Slice up a baguette or ciabatta loaf – serve slices fresh or baked in oven to crisp them. Water crackers or Triscuits pair nicely, as well. (Confession: I happen to love Triscuits.) This dip can be made ahead of time, so it is perfect for parties. And, the leftovers even reheat nicely for a snack the next day (if there are any).
Thank you, Cindy J, for providing the original recipe (which I have adapted a bit).
| Artichoke and Spinach Dip | | Print |
- 2-3 teaspoons olive oil
- 5 ounces fresh spinach
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 cans (14 ounces each) of artichoke hearts packed in water
- 1 cup grated/shredded Pecorino-Romano blend or Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (4 or 6 cheese blend)
- About ½ cup of mayonnaise
- Paprika
- Sliced bread or crackers (for serving)
- Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and sauté spinach. Add garlic when spinach is about halfway done. It only takes a few minutes total to cook it – in the end you’ll have a small handful of spinach. Let spinach cool on paper towels to soak up excess moisture. Chop spinach when cool.
- Drain artichoke hearts well and chop.
- Place spinach and artichoke hearts in a bowl.
- Add cheese and mix.
- Finally, add enough mayonnaise so that it is mixed well and holds together well. Mayonnaise should act as a binding agent. You may need more or less than what is recommended.
- Coat 9-inch dish (round or square) with olive oil.
- Place dip in dish and sprinkle with paprika.
- Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes (30 minutes if it’s been refrigerated).
- Serve warm or at room temperature with sliced bread or crackers (such as water crackers or Triscuits).
* You can bake it in the oven ahead of time and reheat it in the microwave.
* To toast baguette slices: slice baguette at an angle and place pieces directly on an oven rack (it may be easier to remove the rack from the oven to do this). Bake at 425°F for 5-6 minutes until crispy. Let cool.
I use the racks from my smoker whenever a recipe calls for “place directly on oven rack” because the wire grid is 1/2″ so the food won’t fall through easily. They’re also easier to load on the counter, place into the oven, and remove. If you don’t have smoker racks, use the cheapy wire cooling racks you haven’t looked at since your last batch of holiday cookies (everyone has those, right?)
Great suggestion, Mike! Thanks.
One of my all time favorites! Yum!
This was yummy, but a little dry. I love the fresh spinach–well worth the little bit of extra effort. I suppose I didn’t add enough mayonnaise (I used 1/2 cup). Or maybe it depends on the exact cheese brand that one uses.
More likely the mayo. I will adjust the amount in the recipe as you use more than I recommended. I usually eyeball it to see if it’s holding together well. Thank you for your feedback, Susie.