Spinach Dip, loaded with fresh spinach, melty gooey Monterey Jack, Parmesan, rich cream, garlic, and creamy cream cheese all served in a large ramekin unbaked or sizzling hot. This spinach dip recipe is ready to eat the minute it comes off the skillet but you can run it through the oven to make a hot spinach dip or serve it warm. It reheats fantastic and is so good!
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We love to recreate restaurant-style food at home, so if you need beyond spinach dip recipes try thisShrimp Dip (Unos Copycat)or deliciousBuffalo Chicken Dip.Cook with more spinach in our popularCreamy Spinach Chicken Casserole, andCreamy Spinach Rice.
What’s in Spinach Dip?
Spinach dip is a creamy appetizer mainly of fresh or frozen spinach, cream or mayonnaise, and lots of cheese. I usually prepare this dip in a skillet to serve warm to my family. You can also make ahead by cooking all of the ingredients together then store for later and heat before serving. We all love this easy spinach dip even if we had to eat it cold!
How to Use Fresh or Frozen Spinach:
This recipe for spinach dip can be made with frozen or fresh spinach. I prefer to use fresh, but if you have a package of frozen chopped spinach, simply thaw and squeeze dry. To use fresh spinach, you’ll need to chop the spinach before cooking. Leaving the spinach whole can be tough to chew and somewhat squishy. Another way to have spinach on hand is to look out for sales. Sometimes I will pick up a few bags of fresh spinach and come home to chop it and freeze it for a quick meal or snack. Make sure to leave out any spinach leaves that have gone bad, usually, it’s the soggy wet ones you’ll want to leave out.
Spinach Dip Ingredients:
The ingredients for spinach dip are simple. If you have a jar of marinated artichoke hearts you can mix it into the cooked spinach but I don’t always have it on hand, so I go without it. Pick and choose a melting cheese of choice, this dip is so versatile!
- Fresh Spinachis my favorite way to go when making this homemade spinach dip. Make sure to coarsely chop it before cooking.
- Cheeses:parmesan cheese is a must along with a few other kinds of melting cheese. My favorite is the Monterey Jack and Colby cheese, although you can use a mild baby swiss, Havarti, or Velveeta shreds!
- Heavy Cream:heavy cream contains a lot of butterfat and makes a creamy spinach dip.
- Fresh Garlic:I know you can take a shortcut by using dried garlic but nothing compares to freshly crushed garlic in this dip.
- Seasoning:simple black pepper and salt needed.
Note: The rich fats from the cream and milk cheeses make this a gluten-free Keto Spinach dip, so this is not a low-fat food. Some low-carb options for dipping are to eat with a vegetable instead of chips.
How To Make Spinach Dip:
How to make spinach dip from scratch? This easy spinach dip recipe is made without sour cream, mayo, or artichokes, so it’s as basic as it gets! I like to buy my fresh spinach from Aldi and kind of take the cream spinach dip approach by cooking the spinach first. You can do this in a Cast Iron Panif you want to easily transfer the dip into the oven or use a skilletto serve warm. From all recipes I’ve tried this hot spinach dip recipe is a favorite!
- Cook the garlic then add the chopped spinach to wilt
- Mix in the cream cheese to melt
- Add the remaining ingredients
- Heat until hot
- Serve spinach dip hot or warm
Cooks Tip: did you know you can make instant pot spinach dip for camping? Thanks to this portable pressure cooker you can stir this all in one pot and serve it straight from the pot! To make ahead cook the spinach dip just until melted (don’t overcook because the spinach will turn dull)
Can You Make Spinach Dip Ahead of Time?
Easy-baked spinach dip can be made days in advance. The key to a great spinach dip is to not overcook the greens, keep in mind the spinach will cook further when reheating for later. To cook spinach only heat it until wilted then remove it from the pan and squeeze out any extra liquid through a sieve. You can cook spinach longer for the water to evaporate but the spinach can turn into a dull green color. Frozen spinach is blanched, if using frozen spinach, drain and squeeze any excess liquid.
To Make Ahead: combine the cooked spinach with softened cream cheese and mix it together with the other ingredients. Refrigerate until needed and heat in a crockpot, skillet, or bake! To make ahead crockpot spinach dip, set the slow cooker on low for 2-3 hours or on high for 1 hour.
Can You Freeze Spinach Dip?
How long does homemade spinach dip last? Spinach dip is good in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you don’t know what to do with leftover spinach dip, freezing is the way to go. You can freeze cooked and leftover spinach dip for up to 3 months in the freezer!
To Freeze: Place the cooled dip into air-tight freezer bags. Properly stored spinach dip can last up to 3 months in the freezer. To reheat frozen spinach dip, tear off the freezer bag and place frozen dip into a microwave or oven-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave over high until the internal food temperature reaches 165°F or in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes.
Variations:
- Spinach Artichoke Dip: add 12 oz of chopped and drained artichoke hearts.
- Spicy Spinach Dip: add 2 Tbsp of hot sauce of choice or 2 Tbsp of minced jalapeno peppers.
- Cheesy Sausage Spinach Dip:stir in 1 pound of cooked sausage, 1 diced green pepper, 4 oz can of green chilies (drained), 2 tbsp of mayo, and 1/2 cup of diced onion, and sour cream. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for heat or a little chili powder for Mexican flavor.
- Four Cheese: use parmesan, Reggiano cheese, Monterey Jack (or baby swiss), and White American cheese to equal 16 oz of cheese.
- Mushroom: add4 oz of canned mushrooms (drained), or cook 4 oz of chopped fresh button mushrooms.
- Seafood:make a crab and spinach dip by adding refrigerated Lump Crab, or 6oz canned Lump Crab. Add more pepper to taste and sprinkle panko breadcrumbs when baking.
What To Eat With Spinach Dip:
What to serve with spinach dip? Spinach dip goes into so many main dish foods you’d be surprised! Here are creative ways to use up leftovers or ideas for serving:
- Stuff spinach dip into Chicken Breast, pasta shells, or Lasagna rollups
- Spread it over pizza dough or use as cream of spinach dip (soup base)
- Dip crackers, pumpernickel rye chips, or vegetables into cheesy spinach dip
- Make a Spinach dip quesadilla using additional Mexican cheese or make homemade flour tortillas
- Serve spinach dip in a bread bowl and Lipton Iced Tea
- Fill into puff pastry bites!
More Creamy Dips to Enjoy:
- Creamy hot shrimp dip
- Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe
- Chick-fil-A Sauce
Q&A
Is Spinach Dip Good For You:
Spinach is a nutrition-rich vegetable high in water content, vitamins, and iron. Cooked spinach lowers the level of oxalates, which makes it easier for digestion and nutrition-dense. Spinach dip is best cooked or baked although cold spinach dip is good too when the spinach has been blanched and frozen. Typically spinach dips are rich in fats but you can work around dairy by using Vegan approved ingredients or lighter in fat condiments and cheeses. Greek yogurt is a good substitute for sour cream. It could be a healthy spinach dip depending on how you serve it and the ingredients used.
Is Spinach Dip Gluten-Free?
Typically a spinach dip is primarily made of spinach, cream cheese, cheese, and sometimes mayo and sour cream. Even a packet of the Knorr spinach dip is gluten-free! So, it is gluten-free however, what you serve with a spinach dip may contain gluten, like crackers, etc.
Tips For Making Spinach Dip:
- Spinach Artichoke dip is gluten-free when served with gluten-free snacks or crackers.
- To make spinach dip easy, combine the cooked spinach with softened cream cheese and mix it together with the other ingredients. refrigerate until needed and heat in a crockpot, skillet, or bake!
- Cut the spinach before cooking for easier chopping. Leaving the spinach whole will taste stringy.
- Mix and match the cheeses, like sharp cheddar cheese or baby swiss.
- Leftovers reheat well, just keep in mind, that excessive reheating can change the spinach dip color to a duller green color.
- Remove all the water from your spinach if using frozen spinach. The liquid from fresh spinach will evaporate during cooking. To remove any excess liquid strain the spinach through a fine sieve.
- Use low-fat cream cheese for a lighter dip.
- You can store spinach dip 24 hours before baking, and keep it in a [eafl id="20235" name="Food storage bowls with lids" text="food container"]until you’re ready to heat and serve. Transfer dip to an oven-safe dish before baking.
- Cream cheese spinach dip makes a super rich and creamy dip so don’t skip this soft cheese here.
- The best spinach is baked and served hot, so really take the extra step of heating this in an oven.
How To Make Spinach Dip:
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Spinach Dip Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Alyona Demyanchuk
Spinach Dip,loaded with fresh spinach, melty gooey Monterey Jack, Parmesan, rich cream, garlic, and creamy cream cheese all served in a large ramekin unbaked or sizzling hot. This spinach dip recipe is ready to eat the minute it comes off the skillet but you can run it through the oven to make a hot spinach dip or serve it warm. It reheats fantastic and is so good!
Equipment
1 12-inch skillet
1 large ramekin or oven-safe dish (for baking)
US Customary - Metric
Ingredients
Ingredients:
16 oz spinach (coarsely chopped)
4 cloves crushed garlic
8 oz cream cheese (cubed)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey jack cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
Directions:
In a non-stick skillet, sauté the garlic in 1 tbsp of oil.
Add the spinach and cook over medium heat until spinach leaves wilt.
Stir in the cream cheese and melt. Add in the remaining ingredients.
Add in the remaining ingredients.
Heat thoroughly until bubbly and smooth.Serve warm or sprinkle with 1/2 cup of additional cheese and broil.
Notes
NOTES:
- Frozen Spinach:to use frozen spinach, squeeze the excess liquid out first. Add it after the cream cheese melts to retain its green color.
- Excessiveheating can turn the spinach into a dull green color.
- To make ahead: combine the cooked spinach with softened cream cheese and mix it together with a hand mixer with all of the other ingredients. Refrigerate until needed and heat in a crockpot, skillet, or bake!
Nutrition per serving
Serving: 1servingCalories: 319kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 17gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 536mgPotassium: 294mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 4375IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 500mgIron: 2mg
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Categories
- Gluten-Free
- Keto
- Recipes
- Side Dishes
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22 comments
- Caitlyn
16 oz of spinach in weight or measured out?
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
That would be in weight.
- Reply
- Marilyn olson
If using fresh garden spinach, do you remove the membrane. Also do u recommend chopping first.
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
I do chop the spinach in its whole form (don’t remove the membrane.)
- Reply
- Julie Pavoni
If making this with frozen spinach, should I cook the spinach according to the instructions on the bag or let thaw and squeeze out liquid then add to dip?
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
Hi Julie, I would thaw and squeeze the spinach then add it into the skillet like you would for the fresh spinach.
- Reply
- Sylvia P
Would the 16oz of spinach equal like one of the large tubs or two bags?
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
I think that’ll work just fine.
- Reply
- Karen
Thanks. I did see that the recipe is for 12 servings. Are you thinking each serving is about 1/2 cup?
- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
It really depends on the crowd. If it’s served as an appetizer and everyone’s hungry it may serve less, however, if you have little children in the picture it could go further.
- Reply
- Karen
Looks great! Can you tell me what the serving size is?
Thanks- Reply
- Alyona Demyanchuk
Hi Karen, about 12 servings.
- Reply
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