Easy Cast Iron Spinach Artichoke Dip

This hot spinach artichoke dip is oh so creamy and delicious! A few simple ingredients are mixed in a bowl and then baked in a cast-iron skillet until warm and bubbly. It is the perfect easy appetizer for game day, a family gathering, or your next party!

One of my favorite restaurants serves spinach artichoke dip in a cast iron skillet and it opened up my eyes that a cast-iron is the superior baking dish for this cheesy dip. It keeps everything hot and bubbly for so much longer and the best part... it creates more of those burnt cheese bits! This method quickly became my favorite way to make spinach artichoke dip!

This baked spinach artichoke dip is one of those appetizers that you set on the island and a crowd slowly forms around it. It is such a crowd pleaser! It is so good that no one will want to walk away. One of the best appetizers for a get-together of any kind.

ingredients

• Cream cheese: You will need 16 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature. This is 2 blocks of cream cheese. Do not use light cream cheese, the stabilizers and additives in light cream cheese can separate this creamy dip.
• Spinach: I prefer frozen spinach simply for the texture. You will need 24 ounces of thawed & drained frozen spinach.
• Artichoke hearts: This cast iron spinach artichoke dip calls for 10 ounces of marinated artichoke hearts. Drain them and then cut into smaller pieces.
• Onion: I use yellow onion for this recipe. It adds a touch of sweetness. Make sure the onion is finely diced.
• Sour cream: You will need 1 cup of sour cream for this dip. Do not use low fat sour cream, the stabilizers and additives in low fat sour cream can separate this creamy dip.
• Cheese: For this dip, you will need fresh parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. 3 ounces of parmesan and 8 ounces of mozzarella. Do not purchase pre-shredded cheese! Buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself.
• Garlic: We don't skimp on the garlic here... you will need 5 cloves of garlic finely minced.
• Seasonings: We add a couple different seasonings in this dip for extra flavor. You will need ¼ teaspoon of onion powder, ¼ teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of sea salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper.
• Olive oil or butter: A little butter, olive oil, or cooking spray is needed to grease the skillet.

variations & substitutions

If you can't find frozen spinach, you can also use fresh spinach. 32 ounces of fresh spinach can be substituted for the 24 ounces of frozen spinach. Fresh spinach will need to be washed, trimmed, and sautéed before adding into the dip mixture.

You can substitute sour cream for creamy greek yogurt. If you don't have sour cream on hand but happen to have plain greek yogurt, you can use that as a 1:1 substitute.

This homemade spinach artichoke dip can also be made in a slow cooker or any oven-safe dish. I prefer the cast iron skillet as my baking dish since it holds heat longer and creates more burnt cheese bits, however if you don't own a cast iron try these methods! For the slow cooker method, cook on low for 2-3 hours or on high for 1 hour, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

tips & tricks

Be sure to get all the excess water from the spinach. If you don't really drain the spinach and squeeze out the excess moisture, you will be left with a runny watery spinach dip.

If you're a burnt cheese lover like me, broil the delicious dip for a couple of minutes after baking. Broiling after it is all cooked through makes the top of the dip extra bubbly and burnt cheesy. 1-2 minutes on high will do the trick!

Do not get pre-shredded cheeses! Just trust me on this. Pre-shredded cheeses are covered in preservatives that make the cheese not as melty. If you want an ooey gooey cheesy dip, buy the block of cheese and shred it yourself. It is so worth the extra effort!

For a smoother dip, pulse the mixture in a food processor. I typically hand mix the dip since I like mine kind of chunky and all of the different textures, but if you are a fan of a super smooth dip, try pulsing it a little bit in a food processor.

step by step instructions

1. Prepare the skillet & preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 350F. Rub your cast-iron skillet with oil or butter. This ensures the dip doesn't stick to the skillet and gets extra bubbly.

2. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Make sure you use a large bowl. Leave out about ½ cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese for the top of the dip.

3. Fill your skillet with the mixture. Use a large skillet, this recipe makes a lot of dip! I suggest a 10-12 inch cast iron pan.

4. Bake it. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until hot & bubbly.

serving suggestions

Serve this hot dip with crusty bread, pita chips, tortilla chips, or bread rolls for dipping.

If you're preparing this for game day, you should also try soft pretzels with beer cheese, three herb french fries, and crispy coconut shrimp.

If you're making this for a friend or family gathering, you should also try some of my other favorite appetizers! Which are fried goat cheese balls, baked goat cheese dip, and sweet potato crostini.

storage & reheating

Store this cast iron spinach artichoke dip in a sealed container, or with aluminum foil or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Spinach artichoke dip can be reheated in the microwave, oven, or stove top. For the microwave, in a safe container heat in 30 second increments stirring in between until fully heated. For the oven, place the dip in an oven-safe skillet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20 minutes at a lower oven temperature of 300F. For the stove top, place the dip in a non-stick pan on medium heat, frequently stirring until fully heated. If the dip seems dry, add in milk or water one tablespoon at a time until the consistency is thick & creamy.

faq's

Is spinach artichoke dip supposed to be warm?

• Spinach artichoke dip can be served warm or cold, it is up to your personal preference. If serving cold, ensure to follow all cooking instructions and then chilling after being cooked.

Can spinach artichoke dip be made ahead?

• Oh yeah! Spinach artichoke dip is amazing made ahead of time. Simply follow all cooking instructions and store in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to eat. Then reheat in the microwave, oven, or stove top. For the microwave, in a safe container heat in 30 second increments stirring in between until fully heated. For the oven, place the dip in an oven-safe skillet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 20 minutes at a lower oven temperature of 300F. For the stove top, place the dip in a non-stick pan on medium heat, frequently stirring until fully heated. If the dip seems dry, add in milk or water one tablespoon at a time until the consistency is thick & creamy.

Best things to dip in spinach artichoke dip?

• Some of the best things to dip in spinach artichoke dip are crackers, pita bread or pita chips, tortillas or tortilla chips, sliced bread or bread rolls, or even fresh vegetables! The options are endless to dip into delicious spinach artichoke dip.

how-to video

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