The World's Best Spinach Artichoke Dip
Friday, March 25, 2011 at 3:00AM | Taneasha 
A friend was coming over to my house for a day of hanging out, playing cards, laughing, and of course, eating. I had decided rather than going out, I’d cook something for us. The something I decided on was spinach artichoke dip. Who doesn’t love that, right? Well, little did I know, when I was throwing the ingredients into the bowl, just how fabulous it would be. Oh my… there are no words for the delight of that gooey, cheesy, goodness. The first bite was to die for, and yet somehow, it just got better from there. If you follow this recipe to the letter, I guarantee it will be the best spinach artichoke dip you have ever tasted.
Here’s what you’ll need: (Oops… mayo isn’t in the picture)
1 package of cream cheese, softened
¼ cup mayo
1 ½ cups smoked cheddar
¾ cup Parmigiano Reggiano (not that stuff in a green can)
3 cups baby spinach
3 artichoke bottoms
3 – 4 green onions
I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to say it again anyway. Please, please, PLEASE buy good cheese for something like this. Yeah, you’re going to have to pay more for it, but it makes all the difference in the world.
Alright, let’s get started, shall we?
Let’s talk artichokes first. Artichokes are one thing I do tend to use from a can. The truth is I'm just too lazy to go to all the work it takes to get an artichoke to this point. I didn’t have a can for the picture because I was using the second half of a can I’d already opened a few days before. You should be able to get them in your grocery store with the rest of the canned artichokes. I prefer the bottoms over the hearts. Three of them will be plenty here. This is what they look like when they come out of the can.
Dice them fairly small, followed by the green onions, and set them aside.
Next comes the spinach. We need to get rid of some of its water before we throw it in with the cheese. I think the easiest way is to just throw it into a pan over medium heat and stir it around until it’s wilted.
It’ll shrink down a lot as it wilts.
When it looks like this, scoop it out of the pan, chop it roughly.
Set it aside with the other veg and we’ll start on the cheese. Oh, this is also a good time to preheat your oven to 350°
If you haven’t grated your cheese yet, go ahead and do it now, setting aside ¼ cup of each of them. Drop the cream cheese into a mixing bowl, and beat it until it’s smooth. Add the mayo and cream them together.
Add the cheeses (not the ¼ cups you set aside) along with some salt and pepper and stir.
Next comes the veg.
When everything is combined nicely, spread the mixture into a small casserole dish or other oven safe dish.
Sprinkle with reserved cheese and pop it into the oven for about 25 minutes.
It will look mouthwatering and golden around the edges when you pull it out.
It’ll be really hard to do, but allow it to cool for at least five minutes before serving. When you can wait no longer, scoop more than you’d ever think a normal person could eat into a dish (you’ll still want more, even though it won’t possibly fit in your stomach) and serve it with a sliced baguette.
You'll never want the crap from (insert chain restaurant here) again.
Reader Comments (4)
I've never used smoked cheddar. It sounds lovely.
I think smoked cheddar is probably my very favorite kind of cheese. The smokiness partnered with the green onions and the salty tangy flavor of the parm... Ok, I'm going to start drooling just talking about it. LOL
I wondered about using the smoked cheddar, even though I love it. And I took your suggestion, substituting a half cup of artichoke hearts for the three artichoke bottoms. It turned out so well, and was so delicious.
My husband thanks you. I'm making round two this afternoon. ;)
The smoked cheddar really does bring a fabulous flavor, doesn't it? I'm so glad you both liked it! Enjoy round two!