Spinach Artichoke Dip

When Emily was here for our most recent Smitten Kitchen day, we realized we’re also becoming a pair of Annie’s Eats lovers.  I think about half of our recipes came from her blog.  She’s as reliable and charming as Deb – I hope she writes a cookbook, too!

When we cook, we always make a dip – like peacamole or roasted red pepper and white bean dip.  We both love spinach and artichoke dip but had never made it, so it was not a difficult decision to make Annie’s spinach and artichoke dip.

A quick note on this recipe – I made it again, and I felt like the results were infinitely better when I (well, Emily and I) used frozen spinach from a bag than when I (singular) used frozen spinach from a box, which retains a lot more water and therefore (I think) loses more flavor and is stringier.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Adapted slightly from Annie’s Eats

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened completely (this makes a difference!)
• 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, and more to sprinkle on top
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 10-12 oz frozen spinach (the chopped kind)
• 14 oz can of artichoke hearts (mine was actually 13.75 oz, but y’know)
• 4-5 cloves roasted garlic (roasted using the method described here)
• 1/4 tsp salt, rounded
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• tiny pinch of black pepper

Sprinkle extra Parmesan cheese evenly on top.  You want the dip to be well-covered but you don’t want it to be so thoroughly covered that the cheese won’t brown well.

Using a paper towel, wipe any stray dip off the edges of the baking dish, because it will burn in the oven.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.  The dip should be lightly browned and smell so good it makes your stomach rumble.  Let cool for about five to ten minutes so you don’t burn yourself, but you should at least try the dip warm.  It’s phenomenal.

You can serve with chips, crackers, or bread.  I liked it best with Carr’s Table Water Crackers with Cracked Pepper (I’m not being paid for this recommendation, although I would love it if someone would offer to pay me to tell them what crackers to eat.  I have many opinions).

P.S. I would make some next week for the Super Bowl, but sadly I don’t care about the Super Bowl now that the Ravens aren’t in it (I married into Ravens fandom, as many of you know).