Party Spinach and Artichoke Heart Dip

Name: Party Spinach and Artichoke Heart Dip
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, room temperature, room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream; ¾ cup (75 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated, finely grated; 10 oz (285 g) frozen spinach, thawed, thawed and squeezed dry; 14 oz (400 g) canned artichoke hearts (water-packed), drained, drained, patted dry, coarsely chopped; 3 cloves (9 g) garlic, minced, minced; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; to taste salt; to taste black pepper, freshly ground, freshly ground; ⅛ tsp (¼ g) cayenne pepper (optional); 0.06 tsp (0.1 g) nutmeg, freshly grated, freshly grated (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A warm, creamy dip loaded with tender artichoke hearts and fresh spinach, bound together with cream cheese, sour cream, and sharp Parmesan. This crowd-pleasing appetizer bakes until bubbly and golden on top, served warm with crackers, bread, or fresh vegetables. It's rich enough to impress guests yet simple enough to pull together in minutes.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 45 min
Makes: 3½ cups dip (makes about 12–14 servings as an appetizer)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C)
Have cream cheese at room temperature so it mixes smoothly
Drain canned artichoke hearts and spinach thoroughly to avoid watery dip

1
Prepare ingredients
- Drain the thawed frozen spinach in a colander, then squeeze it firmly with your hands in small batches until very dry—this prevents the dip from becoming watery.
- Place the drained spinach on a cutting board and chop it into small pieces.
- Drain the canned artichoke hearts, pat them dry with paper towels, and coarsely chop them into roughly ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.
- Mince the garlic finely.
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Ready when: Spinach is very dry to the touch, artichoke pieces are about ½-inch size
Tip: Squeezing spinach is crucial; excess moisture is the main reason dips become soupy and separate when baked.
2
Mix cream base
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature cream cheese and sour cream.
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir and blend them together until smooth and well combined, about 1 minute.
- The mixture should have no lumps.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and creamy with no visible lumps
Tip: Cold cream cheese will be lumpy and hard to blend; leaving it out 30–45 minutes ahead makes mixing effortless.
3
Combine vegetables and seasonings
- Add the chopped spinach, artichoke hearts, minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using) and nutmeg (if using) to the cream cheese mixture.
- Stir well with a spoon until all ingredients are evenly distributed and the mixture is uniform in color and texture, about 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Vegetables are evenly mixed throughout and dip is uniform green and cream colored
Tip: Don't overmix; you want the vegetables visible, not pulped. Stir just until combined.
4
Transfer and bakeOven 375°F / 190°C
- Transfer the mixture into a 9-inch (23 cm) shallow round baking dish or 2-quart (2 L) pie dish, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Place in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven and bake for 22–25 minutes, until the dip is bubbling at the edges and the top is light golden brown.
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Ready when: Dip is bubbling at the edges, top is light golden brown, and it jiggles only slightly when gently shaken
Tip: Overbaking will cause the edges to brown too much; watch from the 20-minute mark so you catch it at bubbly but still creamy.
5
Rest and serve
- Remove the dip from the oven and let it rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- This allows it to set slightly and become less runny while still staying warm.
- Serve with crackers, toasted bread slices, tortilla chips, or fresh vegetables like celery, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes.
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Ready when: Dip is still steaming and bubbling gently at the edges
Tip: Don't skip the rest—it makes the dip easier to scoop and less likely to fall apart on the cracker.

Good to know

Tips

Squeeze frozen spinach very dry. Excess water is the leading cause of watery, separated dips that weep liquid during or after baking.
Use room-temperature cream cheese so it blends smoothly with the sour cream. Cold cream cheese will form lumps that are hard to incorporate.
Pat artichoke hearts dry with paper towels after draining to remove surface moisture and prevent sputtering in the oven.
For a crisper top, sprinkle an extra 2–3 tbsp grated Parmesan on top of the dip just before baking, or top with panko breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter.

Make ahead

Assemble the dip up through step 3 (before baking) in the baking dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate up to 8 hours. Bake directly from the fridge; add 2–3 minutes to the baking time and bake until bubbling and golden.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (in the dish): up to 2 hours, loosely covered. Refrigerator (in an airtight container): up to 4 days. Freeze (in the dish, covered): up to 3 months. To reheat from refrigerated, bake covered at 350°F (175°C) for 10–12 minutes until hot throughout. From frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat as above.

Substitutions

frozen spinach, thawed → 10 oz (285 g) fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped. Sauté fresh spinach in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until wilted and any moisture evaporates, then squeeze dry. The texture will be slightly different but equally delicious.
canned artichoke hearts (water-packed), drained → 14 oz (400 g) canned roasted red peppers (drained) plus 6 oz (170 g) fresh mushrooms, finely chopped and sautéed until dry. This creates a roasted pepper and spinach dip with earthiness from the mushrooms; reduce lemon juice to ½ tbsp and add ½ tsp balsamic vinegar.
sour cream → 4 oz (115 g) plain Greek yogurt plus 2 oz (60 ml) heavy cream. Greek yogurt makes the dip slightly tangier and a touch thicker; mix with the cream to achieve the right consistency.
Parmesan cheese, finely grated → ¾ cup (75 g) Asiago cheese, finely grated. Asiago has a nuttier, sharper flavor and works beautifully in place of Parmesan for a more assertive taste.