Creamy, warm, cheesy, and garlicky, this Roasted Garlic Spinach-Artichoke Dip is so good that you’re going to need to keep a close eye on the dip bowl.
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Why You Will Love this Recipe
This is one of our favorite party dips: we've been known to make it even when the party is just the two of us!
Roasted garlic is the magic ingredient in this crazy-good dip. Oven-roasting transforms garlic; mellowing it into a caramelly, butter-soft paste that infuses its sweet, fragrant flavor throughout - taking this classic spinach-artichoke dip to a whole new level.
Baked spinach dip stays warm for a long time, and it fits in with almost any party vibe. Serve it with cut veggies, bread cubes, corn chips, pita, bagel chips; and the list goes on. It can be made well ahead of time, and then warmed up when you're ready for it.
One final reason we love this recipe is the leftovers. (We love it for leftovers so much that I have been known to set a little aside somewhere in the middle of a party, just so we can have a some for the next day!)
Things to Do with Leftover Spinach Dip
- Add it to a frittata or quiche.
- Make an omelet.
- Stuff a chicken breast.
- Spread it on a bagel.
- Toss it with warm pasta.
- Use it as a pizza sauce.
What Goes into this Recipe
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
★ Spinach: We most often make this dip with fresh spinach, but frozen spinach works, too.
- Fresh: 12-16 ounces of roughly chopped fresh baby spinach. Blanche and drain before chopping.
- Frozen: Use one 10-ounce bag of frozen spinach. Frozen spinach needs to be thawed and thoroughly squeezed to drain before using.
It is important that as much water as possible is removed from the spinach before mixing it into the dip.
★ Artichoke hearts: Use jarred, marinated artichoke hearts for the best results: they have more flavor than artichokes canned in water. (Recently, we found some amazing roasted artichoke hearts, and love what they add.) Canned artichokes packed in water or frozen artichokes can also be used.
★ Cream cheese: We nearly always use full-fat cream cheese, but light cream cheese or Neufchâtel will also work.
★ Mozzarella: Mozzarella gives this dip a mild, buttery flavor. Try your favorite shredded cheese in place of Mozzarella. (Oaxaca, cheddar and gouda are all good choices.)
★ Sour cream: We use full-fat sour cream, but you can sub in full-fat greek yogurt.
No mayonnaise is used in this spinach dip recipe.
How to Make this Recipe
Roast the Garlic Cloves
Preheat oven to 375°F | 190°C. Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. We find that we like the outcome better on parchment; however, any practical difference is negligible.
In a small bowl, toss garlic cloves in the olive oil to completely coat, and then spread the oiled garlic cloves evenly across the prepared baking tray. Lightly sprinkle garlic cloves with kosher salt. Roast 45-50 minutes, or until garlic cloves are golden brown.
Cooking times may vary, depending upon the size and variety of your garlic. Start checking after about 35 minutes. Cloves are done when they are caramel in colored and have a soft, creamy texture.
NOTE: We usually roast garlic a pound at a time, but you only need about 30 cloves for this recipe.
(For more detailed instructions, visit our post about how to roast garlic in the oven.)
Mix It Up
Preheat oven to 250°F | 121°C.
Put roasted garlic cloves, and soften butter and cream cheese together in a medium bowl.
Use a fork to mash the roasted garlic cloves into the cream cheese.
Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the garlic and cream cheese.
Stir to combine.
Bake the Dip
Place spinach mixture in a cooking vessel. Use any oven-safe cooking vessel: we recommend a 10-inch cast iron skillet. The dip cooks up perfectly in it, and it makes a great serving dish.
Decorate the top of the dip with additional roasted garlic cloves if desired.
Bake at 250°F [121°C] for an hour or so, until the dip is warm and bubbly around the edges.
Expert Tips & FAQs
You can make this dip up to a day ahead of time. Keep it refrigerated until a few hours before you want to serve it. Take it out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature before baking.
Try this dip with corn chips, sourdough bread cubes, baguette slices, pretzel chips, crudités, or anything else that sounds good to you!
The cheese in this dip makes it a little too rigid for dipping just out of the fridge. However, it does taste good cold. Just use a cheese knife and spread it on crackers instead of dipping.
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Roasted Garlic Spinach Artichoke Dip
Equipment
- 1 10-inch cast iron skillet or any large, oven-safe cooking vessel.
Ingredients
- 30 cloves roasted garlic
- ¼ cup butter
- 10 ounces chopped spinach blanched (or thawed) and squeezed to remove moisture
- 14 ounces jarred artichoke hearts drained and rough-chopped
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces sour cream
- ¼ - 1 teaspoon hot sauce or hot paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 3 ounces mozzarella grated, about ¾ cup
- 2 ounces Parmesan grated, about ⅔ cup
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Roast Garlic
- Preheat oven to 375°F | 190°C.Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat. We find that we like the outcome better on parchment; however, any practical difference is negligible.
- In a small bowl, toss garlic cloves in the olive oil to completely coat, and then spread the oiled garlic cloves evenly across the prepared baking tray.Lightly sprinkle garlic cloves with kosher salt.
- Roast 45-50 minutes, or until garlic cloves are golden brown.Cooking times may vary, depending upon the size and variety of your garlic. Start checking after about 35 minutes. Cloves are done when they are caramel in colored and have a soft, creamy texture.
Mix
- Preheat oven to 250°F | 121°C.
- Put roasted garlic cloves, and soften butter and cream cheese together in a medium bowl. Use a fork to mash the roasted garlic cloves into the cream cheese.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl with the garlic and cream cheese. Stir to combine.
Bake
- Place spinach mixture in a cooking vessel. Use any oven-safe cooking vessel. We suggest using a 10-inch cast iron skillet for this recipe. The dip cooks up perfectly in it, and it makes a great serving dish.
- Decorate the top of the dip with additional roasted garlic cloves if desired. Bake at 250°F | 121°C for an hour or so, until the dip is warm and bubbly around the edges.
Serve
- Serve warm with corn chips, sourdough bread cubes, baguette slices, pretzel chips, crudités, or anything else that sounds good to you!
Notes
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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Recipe Updated July 22, 2021 (Originally published July 2, 2013)
Sadie says
This looks so good! one of my favorite things when we got out to eat. Now I can make it! Love your blog...will be returning often. 🙂 Stopping by from SITS
Renée ♥ says
Thanks for stopping by, Sadie! I checked out your blog, and guess what?!? I have 5 daughters too! (Plus a step-daughter who I would call my own in a heartbeat.) Life certainly gives a mom a lot to ponder on with all that estrogen flying around, doesn't it?
Jenn Rian says
This looks so yummy! I found you through SITSSummer. I've been trying to go vegetarian for years now, but I'm just so lazy and hate to cook! I'll be following your blog now 🙂
Renée ♥ says
Good to hear from you, Jenn! I've been trying to go for years myself, but I don't think I'll ever make it completely to the other side; however, unlike many, bacon is not my Kryptonite - Salmon is! So the closest I will get is pescatarian, with a yearly foray into Veganland during the Vegan Mofo.
Pech says
Sounds yummy! So I assume the yield of 2 quarts was just enough for a party... how many people do you think it should end up serving so I can plan to share this with the right amount of people?
Renée ♥ says
Yes, the recipe as given yields roughly 8 cups. I have no idea how many it would serve, but I would ballpark it at about 1/4-1/3 cup of dip per person. I did a little experimenting, and it is also good in omelets and as a sandwich spread with roasted vegetables, so leftovers wouldn't be much of a problem.
journeysofthezoo says
This.is.deadly. My only rule about Garlic is that everyone has to eat it so no one has bad breath. You know!?
Renée ♥ says
Roasting the garlic does dramatically soften the blow of the garlic, so to speak - you don't walk around the party with that sharp, pungent "just ate Garlic Dip" aroma seeping out of your pores; nevertheless, it is always a good thing when everyone shares!
Glad to meet you, Sarah, and thank you for hosting the hop - I'm enjoying the opportunity to meet and read new folks!