the ultimate party favorite
Spinach artichoke dip is is easily one of my favorite dips on the planet. It’s either that or buffalo chicken dip … but spinach artichoke dip was my first love. This particular recipe is one that I’ve tweaked a few times, but it’s a personal favorite! The key here is to chop the spinach and artichokes into smaller pieces, so they distribute evenly throughout the dip. This guarantees a punch of flavor with every bite. Then, by scooping the dip into a bread bowl and broiling it for a few minutes, you’ll create a more elegant presentation to impress your guests for any dinner or game day party!
I’m a big fan of having equally distributed ingredients in dips, so if you are too, you are IN LUCK. Give me a little artichoke, a little spinach, lots of cheese, and tons of flavor in every bite I take. You know when you’re eating a sandwich, or any meal for that matter, and you save some of the best bites for last? Well, it’s like you get the best bite every time here. It’s magical.
Serving this spinach artichoke dip in a small bread bowl gives it a rustic, yet elegant presentation. Use the bread that you cut out of the bowl as a vessel to eat the dip, too. Cut the removed piece of bread into bite-size squares or rectangles, and place them in a bowl beside the dip. They don’t require any toasting or additional seasonings, as the spinach artichoke dip has tons of flavor on it’s own. It’s the star; let it shine.
You can also prepare this spinach artichoke dip a couple of days in advance, because as it sets, the flavors really being to meld and form a cohesive bond of flavor. Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to two days, then reheat the dip in a saucepan on your stove top when you’re ready to serve it. Scoop the dip into the bread bowl, and broil it on low for a few minutes to bring out the bubbly cheese + gorgeous browned top.
Serve hot, and feel free to eat the bread bowl itself as the dip beings to disappear. 😉 Stock up on pita chips, tortilla chips, baked flatbread, or fresh pita for other ways to indulge. 🙂
Sara Rose
spinach + artichoke dip
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil extra virgin
- 2 Tbsp. shallots finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp. fresh garlic minced
- 1 cup marinated artichokes rinsed, drained, and finely chopped
- 4 cups chopped fresh spinach chop before measuring
- 3 Tbsp. whole milk
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream full fat
- 1/4 cup good mayonnaise
- 4 Tbsp. grated romano cheese
- 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. your favorite hot sauce (optional)
- salt to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Warm a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil, allow to warm through, then add chopped shallots and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic, cook for another 1-2 minutes, until shallots and garlic are both fragrant and soft, but not browned.
- Add finely chopped artichokes, and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low, and add the finely chopped fresh spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts, about 3-4 minutes. (Note : the spinach will reduce GREATLY, so don't be alarmed if it seems like you're adding a lot at first!)
- Add milk, and stir until it has absorbed into the veggies. Add cream cheese, stir in completely, then repeat with sour cream and mayonnaise. Stir each ingredient in completely before adding the next. This helps with the equal distribution of flavors.
- Add romano cheese, pepper, and hot sauce (optional). Stir in. Add salt to taste (if necessary), and stir a final time to combine. Turn off the heat.
- Turn your oven to low broil. Using a serrated knife, cut a large hole out of the center of a small sourdough or other small, round bread loaf. Make the hole deep and wide enough to fit the majority (if not all) of your spinach dip.
- Place the bread bowl onto a baking sheet, and pour the dip into the bread bowl. Pop the baking sheet onto the top rack of your oven under a low broil, and allow it to broil for about five minutes. You're looking for the cheese to bubble and brown slightly, so feel free to remove it from the oven if this happens before you hit the five minute mark. The dip should already be hot from cooking it on the stovetop, so this part is more for presentation!
- Remove the bread bowl from the oven, and carefully move to your desired platter / plate. Cut the bread you removed from the bowl into squares or rectangles, and use as vessels for dipping. Alternatively, use fresh pita, pita chips, baked flatbread, or chips.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?
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