The most delicious dip you’ll ever make!
This has been my go-to dip for years, and TBH I usually don’t follow a recipe. I don’t remember if I saw a recipe that used fresh spinach or if I just had extra fresh greens on hand and thought I’d give it a try. Either way, that’s how I do it and I’ve never looked back! Plus, the idea of wringing out frozen spinach, getting a dish towel all green, and losing the good vitamins in that moisture never appealed to me.
For the sake of summer, and our air conditioner, I think I’m going to start working on a raw/cold version. Although gooey, melty, cheesy dip is so satisfying and my preferred method to up my veggie intake year-round!
The rough recipe I follow
The rough recipe that I follow in my head goes something like this-
Prep an onion by cutting into thin-ish slices. Take about half a Costco jar of marinated artichokes. I dig them out with a fork to minimize the amount of oil, but that’s also the oil I use for cooking down the onion and spinach in the pan, so a couple Tbls is ok. Cook your onion and artichokes for at least 5 minutes over a med-high heat to get the onion starting to caramelize.
Add as much spinach as can fit in the pan while still being able to stir. Then, as it starts to wilt, add a few more handfuls—usually over 1lb of greens. Power greens are a great sub here, too.
When the spinach is nearly fully wilted, add a block of cream cheese (I used low-fat) broken up into chunks, a few cloves of garlic pressed, some 21 Seasoning blend, a Tbls of Kismet Celery Vinegar, and a few hearty dashes of Upcycled Grain Aminos. Worcestershire sauce works too. I rarely add salt to my recipes as I like to get the necessary salt content from other ingredients that will elevate the dish, in this case, the Aminos. I also added 1 Tbls Kismet Celery Vinegar. Acid plays a crucial role in our perception of taste, creating a more dynamic flavor profile to wow your tastebuds and impress your friends.
Keep cooking on med-low until the cream cheese is fully melted goodness. The pan shouldn’t have a ton of excess moisture; it should be smooth and decadent.
The Fun Part!
Then the fun part. ADD MORE CHEESE. I’ve done cubes of Brie for gooey melty goodness and highly recommend it. Swiss, Munster, or Provolone are other good melty cheeses. I love sharp, pungent cheeses; they add extra funk and complexity. I would use 2-3 varieties in total. It’s a great way to clean out the cheese drawer in the fridge! Give a couple more whirls in the food processor to blend. You don’t want to overdo it and make baby food. I’ve been there. It’s delicious, but not so visually appetizing. Save back a little cheese for topping the dip.
Make it your own way!
If you’re impatient like me, you can serve and eat it as it or pour into a baking dish, top with reserved cheese, and bake at 400 for about 15 mins to get all gooey and bubbly. You can also prep this ahead a couple days in advance, refrigerate, and bake just before serving (It’ll take a little longer to cook from cold.)
Serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers, or whatever suits your fancy!
Leftovers also make a great pasta sauce or sandwich spread. Add some shredded chicken, and you have a whole new meal from the leftovers!
Finish and Plating!
Mix spinach mixture, cheese, and seasonings together in the dish you plan to bake it in. I have been known to dump it all back into my dutch oven where I wilted the spinach. It’s definitely not the ideal serving vessel, but I hate making extra dishes!
Top with reserved cheese and bake at 350 for 30-45 mins or until nice and bubbly. Serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers, or whatever suits your fancy!
Leftovers also make a great pasta sauce or sandwich spread. Add some shredded chicken, and you have a whole new meal from the leftovers!
The Most Delicious Spinach Artichoke Dip You Will Ever Eat
Ingredients
- 1 onion ends removed and thin sliced
- 8 oz Marinated Artichoke Hearts only a couple Tbls of oil in pan
- 1 lb Spinach Power Greens also work great
- 1- 8 oz Cream Cheese block low-fat is fine, cubed
- 5 cloves peeled Garlic pressed (Amazon.com: OXO Good Grips Soft- Handled Garlic Press: Home & Kitchen This is the only garlic press I like!)
- 1 Tbls 21 Seasoning Blend
- 1 Tbls Kismet Brewer's Spent Grains Aminos Note 2
- 1 Tbls Kismet Celery Vinegar
- 4 oz Brie Cheese or other Melty Cheese Swiss, Havarti, Provolone, Mozzarella, etc. (Note 1)
- 2-3 oz shredded Sharp Cheese Aged-Cheddar, Aged-Gouda, Asiago, Parmesan, etc.
Instructions
- Prep an onion by cutting into thin-ish slices. Scoop out about 8oz of marinated artichokes with roughly 2 Tbls of the oil from the jar. Cook your onion and artichokes for at least 5 minutes over a med-high heat to get the onion starting to caramelize.
- Add as much spinach as can fit in the pan while still being able to stir. As it starts to wilt, add remaining spinach.
- When the spinach is almost fully wilted, add a block of cream cheese broken up into chunks, pressed garlic, 21 Seasoning blend, Kismet Celery Vinegar, and Upcycled Grain Aminos.
- Keep cooking on med-low a few more minutes until the cream cheese is fully melted. The pan shouldn't have a ton of excess moisture; it should be smooth and decadent.
- Pour mixture into a food processor or blender. Add your choice of melting cheese sharp cheese (reserving some of sharp cheese for topping). Blend in food processor until finely chopped.
- Pour into baking/serving dish, top with reserved cheese, and bake at 400 for about 15 mins till bubbling.
- Serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers, or whatever suits your fancy!
- You can also prep this ahead a couple days in advance, refrigerate, and bake just before serving (It'll take a little longer to cook from cold.)
- Leftovers also make a great pasta sauce or sandwich spread. Add some shredded chicken, and you have a whole new meal from the leftovers!
Video
Notes
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