Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Why This is the Best Recipe

I love to make hot dips for a party appetizer because usually you can make them in advance to save some time. I think this is the best spinach and artichoke dip recipe because:

1. SO Much Flavor: Unlike other recipes, there are extra seasonings in this dip recipe that add so much more flavor. The caramelized onions are my favorite part and they only take a few more minutes to make.
2. Make Ahead Friendly: You can prep the dip up to 24 hours in advance and keep it in the fridge. Then just bake and serve for your party.
3. Big Batch: This recipe makes a very generous amount of spinach and artichoke dip that is perfect for a crowd. I split it into two smaller dishes and enjoyed one with my family and shared the other pan with a friend as a special treat included in her meal train dinner.
4. Low Carb or Gluten Free: The holiday season can be a challenge when you need to consider several different dietary restrictions. If you serve this recipe with raw veggies for dunking, this is a perfect low carb, gluten free, and vegetarian appetizer to serve for your friends.

Ingredients

This hot spinach and artichoke dip is extra delicious because of a few surprising ingredients.

Here's what you need to make it:

• Frozen Chopped Spinach: Thawed frozen spinach works best in this recipe, fresh baby spinach has too much water content still in it and would make your dip watery.
• Jarred Artichokes: Artichoked in a jar are often marinated with extra seasonings. They add more flavor to the dip than plain canned artichokes.
• Sweet Onions: Like Vidalia if you can find them. Regular onions would work since you'll be caramelizing them anyway.
• Fresh Lemon
• Shredded Parmesan Cheese: I also like to use an Italian cheese blend since I feel it melts so well.
• Cream Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Mayonnaise
• Heavy Cream
• Butter
• Sugar
• Minced Garlic
• Lemon Pepper: If you don't want to use lemon pepper, you could zest the lemon before you juice it and just increase the black pepper.
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• Hot Sauce
• Black Pepper and Kosher Salt

Easy Caramelized Onions

The first step to making spinach and artichoke dip the most delicious it can be is to caramelize the onions.

If you've never tried this before, you're going to love just how easy this part is to do.

First, melt the butter in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. You don't want the butter to get too hot because the onions shouldn't cook too fast or they'll char instead of caramelize.

Add the chopped onions, sugar, and just 1 teaspoon of the salt. Stir it all together.

Normally you wouldn't add sugar to make caramelized onions for burgers but this does help speed things up a bit for this recipe prep.

Continue to cook the onions and stir just occasionally so they have a chance to turn a deep golden brown like this:

Do not let the onions begin to char, you just want them nice and soft and sweet.

Remove them from the heat and scrape them into a bowl so they don't continue to cook.

Mix the Spinach and Artichokes

Before you use the frozen spinach in this dip, you need to remove as much water from it as possible to avoid having watery dip.

Start with completely thawed spinach. Then, open the packages and wrap the block of spinach in a few layers of paper towel.

Squeeze as much moisture out of the spinach as you possibly can. It's best to do this over the kitchen sink.

Add the drained spinach to a mixing bowl.

Drain the artichokes from the liquid in the jar and give them a rough chop.

Toss the spinach, artichokes, and caramelized onions together:

Make the Cream Cheese Base

In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and heavy cream.

Beat them together with a hand mixer until smooth.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, the minced garlic, lemon pepper, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and hot sauce.

Beat it again until smooth.

Add the shredded parmesan to the bowl and stir it together with a spatula.

Finally, scrape the prepared onions, spinach, and artichokes into the cream cheese and fold it together with the spatula.

Make Ahead Tips

At this point, you can stop and refrigerate the dip for up to 24 hours if you want to use this as a make ahead recipe for your special event.

You can either store it in the mixing bowl covered in plastic wrap or scrape it into baking dishes and cover those with plastic wrap.

Do not try to freeze the recipe, the vegetables will release too much liquid when it thaws and ruin the texture of the dip.

Baking Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spread the prepared spinach and artichoke dip into one 9x13-inch baking dish or two 8x8-inch baking dishes.

Bake for 10 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown around the edges.

NOTE: If you made the recipe in advance and stored it in the fridge, I suggest you let it rest on the counter for 20 minutes before baking so that the baking dish and cheese have a chance to come closer to room temperature. This helps with more even baking and browning.

Variations

Cold Spinach Dip: My easy cold spinach dip is a fast recipe you can beat together in just minutes. It's a great spread for bagel chips or tortilla chips.

Jalapeño Artichoke Dip: My baked jalapeño artichoke dip doesn't have any spinach but has loads of bell peppers and green onions for color and flavor. Serve it with a hearty cracker like Triscuits.

Serving Suggestions

Everyone loves a hot spinach and artichoke dip for a party appetizer.

For your friends who want a low carb or need a gluten free recipe, serve it with fresh bell peppers and celery sticks for dunking.

You could also serve it with tortilla chips, hearty crackers, or even chunks of bread for a filling snack. I'd suggest wedges of my homemade brown bread as a perfect pair.

This delicious hot dip would make a perfect football party appetizer, book club appetizer, or even a yummy snack for staying home on New Year's Eve.

More Hot Dip Recipes

Looking for more hot dips for your party? Check out these family favorite recipes: