Spinach Artichoke Dip

The ultimate

party app, spinach and artichoke dip deserves to be absolutely perfect. What’s so special about ours? Well, for one thing, the ratios are perfect. There’s nothing worse than scooping up a bite of dip and winding up with too much spinach, not enough artichoke, or a grainy texture. Our recipe nails the perfect proportion of spinach to artichokes, and uses a trifecta of cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream to create the ultimate creamy texture. If you’re looking to perfect this party dip staple for your Christmas party or game day spread, then keeping reading on to learn how to make it the best it can be: 

How to make the best spinach and artichoke dip:
— Use a combo of mayo and sour cream. After testing many different iterations of spinach artichoke dip, we feel strongly that the best ones always use a combination of mayo and sour cream. But, if you really can’t stand the thought of it, you can add another ½ cup sour cream instead of the mayo.
— Can I make this with fresh spinach? Definitely. For the best results, you’ll want to sauté it a bit before adding it to the dip mixture. Start by warming 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a large skillet and add about 10 ounces of fresh spinach. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and softened. Make sure to drain and squeeze it well to get rid of any excess moisture before adding it to your dip.
— Make it in the slow cooker. If you want to make this dip even more hands-free, then put your slow cooker to use. Simply combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker, turn it on low, and let it warm for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. You won’t get that crispy baked cheese topping, but you’ll free up oven space and avoid dirtying baking dishes. 

Serving spinach artichoke dip:
We love serving this dip with classic tortilla chips, but you also can’t go wrong with toasted slices of baguette. We love toasting the baguette in the oven and rubbing them all over with a fresh garlic clove when they’re still warm– it’s like instant garlic bread! Beyond bread, any of your favorite crackers, chips (pita, potato), or veggies (celery, carrot sticks) will do. 

Make it ahead:
Prep it– you can even go so far as to sprinkle the cheese on top– but don’t actually bake it until you’re ready to serve. If you’re working a day ahead of time, you can pour it into the baking dish, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it like that. But if you’re prepping it more than a day in advance, we’d suggest storing it in an airtight container, where it’ll keep for 3 days before baking. 

Storage:
Leftovers of this dip are unlikely, but if you DO happen to have some, you can refrigerate it in an airtight container where it will stay good for up to 3 days. Simply preheat your oven to 350° and transfer the dip to a baking dish, top with more shredded cheese if you like, and bake until warmed through when you’re ready to enjoy again. 

Have you made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!