Creamy Spinach Dip Recipe

Spinach dip is a versatile dish that works as an appetizer, a snack, or simply a delicious munchie for a party. While the dish is known for its blend of cheesy, creamy goodness, the key is getting the balance just right alongside the spinach. Luckily, recipe developer Jessica Morone has nailed this balance, and she shares it with her creamy spinach dip recipe. 

Morone's recipe combines various cheeses, seasoning, and sour cream with the spinach for an ideal dip for bread and chips. It is also an appetizer that runs the risk of filling you up before you get to the entree, given how addictive the decadent flavors can be. The special ingredient, according to Morone, is the crushed red pepper, which adds a wonderful hint of spice to the mix. "It's not a big part of the recipe but it gives the dip a nice little kick that really makes it stand out from other spinach dips," she explains. If you're looking for the perfect snack or appetizer, look no further than this delicious and easy spinach dip recipe.

To make creamy spinach dip, you'll need spinach of course, and Morone calls for using the frozen-then-thawed variety. You'll also need sour cream, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, onion powder, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. For serving, Morone suggests bread and crackers.

Start by preheating the oven to 350 F. As the oven warms up, spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with a cooking spray and set aside. Now, combine the sour cream and the cream cheese, which should be softened. "A rubber spatula is good, or any kind of spoon," says Morone. "You could also use a hand mixer to make it extra creamy if you want." Mix the sour cream and cream cheese until the combo is smooth.

Once the sour cream and cream cheese mixture is smooth and well-blended, add in the rest of the ingredients. Specifically add the spinach, the Parmesan, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the onion powder, the garlic, the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Make sure to keep mixing until it's one well-combined dip.

Transfer the dip from the bowl to the coated baking dish and spread it evenly, filling the dish. "I just used a spatula to transfer the mixture to the baking dish and smooth out the top," Morone suggests. Sprinkle the last ½ cup of mozzarella on top of the dish to create the perfect cheesy crust.

Finally, you can bake your dip. Put it into the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the top is golden and the cheese is melted. When it's ready, pull the dip out and let it sit for a beat. "You should let the dip cool for a few minutes after taking it out of the oven," explains Morone, "but you will want to serve it warm. If you have leftover dip you should keep it in the fridge, but you can warm the dip up in the microwave before serving it."

Now get out your bread or crackers and dig in. "I think the best bread with this dip is more of a crusty bread like French bread," suggests Morone, "but any kind you like will work. Crackers are also really great with this dip, or you can even dip vegetables in it."