How to Make Spinach Artichoke Dip the Easy Way
Whether you're serving it as a snack to your hungry family or as part of an appetizer spread at a party, spinach artichoke dip is always a hit. The delightful combination of rich, oozy cheeses balanced with copious amounts of healthy green spinach and yummy bites of artichoke is delicious on crackers, crusty bread or crudites. It's especially appealing when it's at that perfect warm, melty, dip-able temperature, which is why making and serving spinach artichoke dip in a Crock-Pot is an inspired idea. It makes the preparation a cinch, with the Crock-Pot's gentle heat warming and melding all the ingredients together with no risk of scorching, and requiring very little attention from you. If your Crock-Pot has a "keep warm" setting, it also makes an ideal serving vessel that keeps the spinach artichoke dip at the perfect consistency until every last bite is gone.
Total Time: 2 to 3 hours | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1 (10-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
- 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Add all the ingredients to the Crock-Pot and stir everything together as thoroughly as you can. You might need to crush the spinach down with your spoon to make it fit at this point, but as it cooks the volume of the spinach will shrink considerably.
- Place the lid on the pot, and set it to cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or on low for 2 to 3 hours.
- If it's convenient, stir the dip every 30 minutes or so. Otherwise, just stir it thoroughly before serving.
- To serve the spinach artichoke dip in the Crock-Pot, switch the setting to "warm," and advise everyone that the pot is still hot. Otherwise, transfer the dip to a serving dish.
Tip
- You can use a box of frozen spinach in place of the fresh spinach. Thaw it, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible before adding it to the Crock-Pot.
- If you like a little spice, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the dip, or a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce.
- Consider using marinated artichoke hearts, which are often sold in jars, to give the dip a zesty flavor. Smoked cheeses, such as mozzarella and Gouda, also offer a different flavor profile.
- Other nice additions to this spinach artichoke dip include onion (use half a medium red or white onion, sliced thin), diced red pepper or sliced roasted red peppers from a jar. For some great crunch, drain a small can of water chestnuts; finely dice them, and add them to the dip.
References
Writer Bio
A writer of diverse interests, Joanne Thomas has penned pieces about road trips for Hyundai, children's craft projects for Disney and wine cocktails for Robert Mondavi. She has lived on three continents and currently resides in Los Angeles, where she is co-owner and editor of a weekly newspaper. Thomas holds a BSc in politics from the University of Bristol, England.