This High Protein Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe is quick to make with a few simple ingredients, ready in one pan, and sure to be a favorite dip at your next party or football game! This perfect appetizer is made with Greek yogurt, spicy jalapenos, and delicious spinach and artichokes, making it a real crowd-pleaser.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get fun new recipes from us every week!
💬 featured comment
"The recipe was quick and easy and the dip is PHENOMENAL. Completely in love!" Thanks to our reader Hannah for her kind words!
why this dip is the best!
- A ton of flavorful thanks to pantry staples - no special ingredients here, everything can be found at one grocery store!
- A crowd favorite (seriously, my family requests this at every gathering!)
- Same great creaminess, but no mayo!
Spinach artichoke dip is one of those things that I acquired a taste for much later in life. My parents would always buy it from Costco to bring to parties and I was like ya, no thanks. Jokes on me I guess since now I could eat it on everything.
Then, I had my now favorite appetizer at Dan and I's favorite happy hour in Carpinteria and I was like woh - this is seriously good. So, after some trial and error, I've developed the perfect homemade spinach artichoke dip recipe (without mayo because, gross). Let me show you exactly how to make it for your friends and family!
Ingredients & Substitutions
All substitution options given are a 1:1 replacement of the called-for ingredient unless otherwise noted.
- Greek Yogurt: Dairy-free Greek-style yogurt or thicker yogurt can be used in place of plain Greek yogurt. Just aim for a thick yogurt that has no flavorings.
- Cream Cheese: The ratios of cream cheese to Greek yogurt can also be adjusted to match whatever you have in the fridge at the moment. Goat cheese could be used in place of cream cheese.
- Shredded Mozzarella cheese: Italian blend cheese can be used.
- Parmesan Cheese: Italian cheese can be used or extra mozzarella.
- Minced Garlic: Fresh garlic is best but a ½ teaspoon garlic powder can be used in place of minced garlic. If using garlic pre-minced from the store, add about 25% more than the called-for quantity.
- Spinach & Artichokes: I prefer to use canned, quartered, artichoke hearts and fresh baby spinach. Chopped spinach that's large can be used too.
- Butter: Ghee, olive oil, or avocado oil can be used in place of butter.
- Jalapenos: Optional, but ⅛ teaspoon of cayenne powder or red pepper flakes can be used in place of jalapenos. Fresno chilis or chipotles could be used as well.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
recipe testing notes
- Using baby spinach really helps with making everything bite-sized. It also cuts down on prep time making this a super easy recipe. Large spinach works, I just found that it needs to be chopped up first.
- Shredded mozzarella is key because mozzarella balls do not melt the same. I tried this spinach dip recipe with mozzarella pearls, packed in water and the texture was all wrong.
how to make this - step by step
- Preheat the oven and heat an oven-safe skillet on the stove
- Saute the veggies (garlic and onion first, then the rest) in butter on the skillet until soft and wilted
- Add the cheese and drop the heat to low while you mix everything else together
- Bake the mixture or broil until bubbly and golden
watch how to make this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8DvR1wUwJs
helpful tips
- Heat the cream cheese first: I find that it helps to add the cream cheese to the pan first and break it up into small pieces with a spatula. This helps it melt faster and incorporate with the rest of the cheese.
- Dicing the veggies: For the best results, it's super important to make sure everything is chopped to bite-size. No one likes to try and take a bite only to have chunks of spinach or artichoke too big to stay on their chip.
- Try to use room temperature ingredients: This cuts down on the work of trying to get the cheeses to melt.
common questions
Can I make this dip with frozen spinach?
Unfortunately no. Frozen spinach has excess water from being frozen which messes up the texture of this no-mayo spinach artichoke dip.
Can I make this dip in advance?
Yes, this easy spinach artichoke dip is great because you can mix everything together in advance and then just bake it a little longer. If doing this, I find it helpful to use a hand mixer to fully incorporate everything. This is also a great way to prep this dip to bring to someone's house because you just need to pop it in the oven when you arrive.
What can I serve this spinach artichoke dip with?
This can be enjoyed with everything from toast to veggies to eggs. I like it on our cottage cheese egg bake, bison sloppy joes, and flamethrower burger! This is also delicious with tortilla chips, toasted bread, pita chips, potato chips, carrots, and more!
Can I make this dip in the crockpot?
Yes, to make this delicious dip in the crock pot or slow cooker, mix everything directly in the crockpot and set it on low. Cook for 2-3 hours and you're ready for game days. It can be helpful to saute the garlic first but it's not absolutely necessary.
storage tips and how to travel with dip
Storage: This dip can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. To reheat it, pop the mixture in the microwave for 1 minute or in the oven to reheat for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Traveling: If you are bringing this dip to a party, I recommend either making it all the way to the point of it being ready for the oven. Then, pop it in the host's oven for 10 minutes when you arrive.
Or, if you are short on time the day of, mix everything together with a hand mixer (or some elbow grease) in a large mixing bowl and store it in the fridge until the day of. To serve, pop it in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes until golden brown, bubbly, and heated through.
more party-worthy recipes
Recipe
High Proteim Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe
Equipment
- 1 oven safe skillet like dutch oven or cast iron skillet
- or 1 skillet and 1 oven safe baking dish
- alternative method can be made in a crock pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ of a onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 8 oz bag of fresh baby spinach* (See notes below)
- 14 oz can of artichoke heart* (See notes below)
- 1 jalapeno (diced)
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup parmesan* (shredded, see notes below)
- ¾ cup mozzerella (shredded)
- 1 pinch salt and pepper
Before you start!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to leave us a review. We love to hear from you!
Instructions
- Heat a pan on the stove top over medium heat. I recommend a Dutch oven, cast iron skillet, or another pan that is oven safe. This allows you to make the entire dish in one pan. The other option is to make this on the stove top in a sauce pan and then transfer to a baking dish
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While this preheats, set out the cream cheese to come to room temperature. Hot Tip! If your cream cheese is still cold, unwrap, cut into ½ wedges and place in a large bowl. Microwave for 15 seconds, then remove, flip the cream cheese wedges and heat one more time for 15 seconds. This should soften it enough to be mixable.
- Drain artichoke hearts and rough chop. Dice the onion and jalapenos (sometimes I will do this in a food processor). Mince the garlic if using whole garlic.
- Melt butter in hot pan and saute onions. Saute for 3-4 minutes on medium heat and then add garlic and jalapeños. Continue to saute until garlic is fragrant. This should be 1-2 minutes more.
- Add spinach and artichoke hearts to pan. Cook until the spinach has wilted down. Approximately 6-8 minutes. The spinach will overflow and be everywhere! That's ok! Even full size regular spinach will melt down tremendously after being sauted for a couple minutes. Just be patient until it wilts!
- Drop the heat to low. Add cream cheese and mix well. I find that it helps to break the cream cheese up into small pieces with a spatula. Once melted, mix everything together until well combined and smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients. Mix everything together until well combined. Keep mixing until all the cheese is melted and gooey. Transfer to a baking dish if need and then place in the oven.
- Bake for 10 minutes and broil. After 10 minutes, switch to broil and bake for another 5-7 minutes until golden brown.
- Enjoy this cheesy spinach artichoke dip with toasted sourdough, chips, veggies, or however you like (might I suggest this spinach dip on a burger??)! Ya for gluten-free appetizers!
Notes
- Heat the cream cheese first: I find that it helps to add the cream cheese to the pan first and break it up into small pieces with a spatula. This helps it melt faster and incorporate with the rest of the cheese.
- Dicing the veggies: For the best results, it's super important to make sure everything is chopped to bite-size. No one likes to try and take a bite only to have chunks of spinach or artichoke too big to stay on their chip.
- Try to use room temperature ingredients: This cuts down on the work of trying to get the cheeses to melt.
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
The recipe was quick and easy and the dip is PHENOMENAL. Completely in love!
Hi Hannah,
Thanks so much for trying it and the kind words!
Happy cooking! Dan & Mika
I was recommended to try growing orach, or red mountain spinach in my garden this year as a hardy, drought resistant vegetable. It's gone into salads, worked as lettuce wraps, sautéed with eggs, and blended into smoothies. My last use I had to try was a spin dip. Oh MY the internet is full! I loved that this one works with the spinach from fresh, and has the added protein of Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Came together quick and has been a crowd favourite. Works great in a half batch, and planning to freeze it too. The orach makes it just a bit pink instead of white. Thank you for sharing!
That sounds wonderful! I'll have to check out that variety.