Who doesn’t love spinach dip? It’s one of my go to recipes whenever I’m entertaining or just want to load up on carbs. This easy hot spinach dip recipe is quick to put together and tastes delicious.
Once it’s done baking, pair the dip with sliced French bread or your favourite crackers. It would also taste great with veggies, but let’s face it… Bread is so much tastier.
How to Make This Easy Baked Hot Spinach Dip Recipe
I love this recipe because it’s really easy. All you have to do is throw everything together in a mixing bowl and then bake it in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Really, the only planning ahead required (besides making sure you have the ingredients on hand) is thawing the spinach and softening the cream cheese.
Throwing a party? You’ll also love this slider recipe!
Can You Thaw Spinach in the Microwave?
Although I don’t officially recommend it, I do this myself all the time. Make sure you take it out of the packaging and place the spinach in a microwave safe container.
Then use your microwave’s defrost setting to slowly thaw out the spinach. Make sure to check it often because it does get hot spots!
How Can You Soften Cream Cheese Faster?
This is another one that I will sometimes put in the microwave in a pinch. Again, be careful because the cream cheese can get hot spots and melt in certain places.
To soften, I put it in the microwave in 30 second increments just like when I melt butter.
Can I Use Fresh Spinach Instead?
Yes, but you’ll need to do some prep first. Frozen spinach is blanched before it’s frozen so that it can cook easier. Even though we drain our spinach first, the blanching process does add water that helps make this recipe turn out too.
If you use fresh spinach, blanch it first. Blanching is easy; bring a pot of water to boil, then boil your fresh spinach for one minute. Let it cool before mixing with the other ingredients.
Be aware that it will cook down! One 10oz package of frozen spinach (or blanched spinach) is equal to about 1 pound of fresh spinach.
Can Baked Spinach Dip Be Made Ahead of Time?
You can prep and mix the ingredients in advance. Then about 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve, bake your hot spinach dip in the oven as per the recipe instructions.
I like to put everything in the brie baking dish and pop that into the fridge. Then I place it in the cold oven and let it heat with the oven to prevent any damage to my dish.
Some baking pans are OK if you go from fridge to oven, some may crack with sudden temperature changes. Always follow your baking dish’s cooking instructions and use your own judgement.
Fully baked spinach dip can be reheated in the oven, but be aware that it won’t be as good as fresh.
How to Keep Baked Spinach Dip Warm
You can keep cooked dip warm by not quite baking fully then lowering the oven temp to “warm” or shutting the oven off completely. Most brie bakers are also stovetop safe, so you can also set the dish on your warming burner to keep it hot longer.
Don’t take the lid off – with the lid on the baker should hold the heat for awhile. You can also wrap your dish in a towel or place it in an insulated bag to retain heat.
Finally, there are electric warmers. One option is a hot plate type device, or you can warm your dip up in the slow cooker on “warm” too. Or if you prefer, see below for how to make the whole thing in the crock pot!
Recipe Variation: How to Make Hot Spinach Dip in the Slow Cooker
If you’d rather turn this into a slow cooker recipe it’s super easy! I like the slow cooker because it can be left on the warm setting until guests arrive and opens the oven up for other cooking options at a dinner party.
To make it in the slow cooker just place all ingredients inside your crock pot and mix it up. Then cook it on low for 4 to 6 hours or high for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Ingredients for My Baked Hot Spinach Dip Recipe
- 10oz Frozen Spinach (Thawed)
- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- 8oz of Cream Cheese (Softened)
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/4 Tsp Pepper
- 2 Cups Grated Cheese (Parmesan, Mozzarella, Cheddar, etc)
- 1 Tablespoon of Parsley
- 1 Clove of Garlic
You’ll also need some kind of baking dish for this recipe. I like to use a brie baker, but any similarly sized dish will work. A lid isn’t required.
What is the Best Cheese for Baked Spinach Dip?
My recipe for hot spinach dip uses cream cheese and grated cheddar cheese. The cream cheese is a must, it’s part of the dip’s base and it won’t turn out the same without it. The cheddar cheese, on the other hand, can be substituted with any cheese (or a combination of cheeses) that you prefer or have on hand.
Some cheese ideas for hot spinach dip variations:
- Cheddar and gruyere
- Mozzarella cheese
- Nacho cheese blend (monetary jack, cheddar, and jalapeno)
- Gouda
- Havarti
Baked Hot Spinach Dip Recipe
This spinach dip is easy to make and bakes up delicious every time. Serve with slice French bread or your favourite crackers!
Ingredients
- 10oz Frozen Spinach (Thawed)
- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- 8oz of Cream Cheese (Softened)
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/4 Tsp Pepper
- 2 Cups Grated Cheese (Parmesan, Mozzarella, Cheddar, etc)
- 1 Tablespoon of Parsley
- 1 Clove of Garlic
Instructions
- Thaw spinach, soften your cream cheese to room temperature and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Open and drain the spinach by squishing out as much water as possible.
- In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients until they're well combined. Optional: set aside 1/2 cup of cheese to place on top of your dip.
- Spread the mixture into a greased oven safe dish.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly and the edges are golden.
- Serve immediately with bread or crackers.
Notes
I personally like the cheese mixed in so I didn't top my dip with cheese. Speaking of cheese, I like a combination of mozzarella and parmesan but you can really use anything that you like/have around the house.
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What Do you Dip in Spinach Dip?
I personally am a huge fan of dipping sliced French bread with mine. I like to arrange everything, including the dip, on my charcuterie serving board.
Here are some other things (besides bread) you can dup in spinach dip:
- Crackers
- “Toasts” style crackers
- Veggies (peppers are especially good)
- Corn chips
- Pita chips
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