Easy Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip

This easy baked spinach artichoke dip is irresistibly creamy, super cheesy, loaded with sautéed spinach and marinated artichoke hearts and packed with flavor. This crowd-pleasing recipe can be prepared ahead of time.

This spinach artichoke dip is quite possibly one of the tastiest and easiest appetizer recipes you can make for a gathering. It's my go-to recipe for parties and it always disappears fast.

This easy homemade dip recipe is packed with flavor and loaded with lots of cheeses. This dip starts out with a creamy base, thanks to cream cheese and some mayonnaise. Next, the flavor is amped up by Gouda cheese that brings a slightly sweet and nutty taste, followed by a punch of flavor and texture from Parmesan cheese. Is your mouth watering yet?

One of the reasons this recipe sets itself apart from store-bought spinach artichoke dip is that it focuses on the extra flavor of the marinated artichokes. Most cold spinach artichoke dips from the store lose the taste of artichokes; I mean, are they really in there? Most times, it's hard to tell. And don't get me started on the tiny specks of fibrous spinach and excess water texture...

Cue this easy and cheesy dip recipe. Using marinated artichokes and fresh baby spinach sautéed in olive oil and garlic, adding lots of creamy and flavorful cheeses, you've got yourself an appetizer that will disappear fast! Oh yeah, this recipe is oven-baked so the cheese top is golden and bubbly – now who can resist that?!

Baked spinach artichoke dip is the easiest and tastiest appetizer you can make. Because it's made ahead of time and ingredients can be swapped out for what you have on hand. While I use fresh spinach in this recipe, you could substitute it with frozen spinach. You can also change out the cheese for what you already have.

Make this cheesy appetizer recipe for Super Bowl, a holiday party, or next time it's movie night!

p.s. for another easy and tasty appetizer, check out my Refrigerator Pickled Asparagus!

Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip Ingredients and Substitutions

Fresh Baby Spinach – for best results, use fresh spinach. If you use frozen spinach,thaw out the spinach and squeeze out access water before sautéing in olive oil and garlic.

Cream Cheese – the base of this dip is softened full fat cream cheese, and melts in the skillet before baking. It helps this easy spinach artichoke dip recipe become a really creamy dip.

Gouda Cheese – provides a slightly sweet and nutty flavor that gives the dip a wonderfully creamy, melty texture. You can substitute with Gruyere cheese or mozzarella cheese if needed. If you use mozzarella, you'll lose some of the tremendous nutty flavors that come from Gouda cheese.

Parmesan Cheese – adds a sharp and complex taste and great texture. You can substitute Parmesan cheese with Romano cheese, Asiago or dry jack cheese.

Marinated Artichokes – are one of the star ingredients of this dish and add a ton of flavor. Their flavor is amplified because these artichokes are packed in olive oil and seasonings. If you only have canned artichokes, add a pinch of Italian seasoning to this cheesy mixture before baking.

Basic ingredients: mayonnaise, olive oil, cloves of garlic, pepper and cayenne pepper.

Can I Make this Dip a Little Lighter?

Although I wouldn't necessarily associate a cheesy dip with the healthy recipes category, you could lighten this up by using light cream cheese instead of full-fat. You could also swap out the mayo for Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Can I Prepare Spinach Artichoke Dip Ahead of Time?

Yes! You can prep this dish a day in advance by following the instructions below to Step 2. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to bake, let the dish come to room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes and bake as directed below.

How to Make Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip:

This recipe is so simple and easy to make. But I'm begging you not to skip the most important step: sautéing the fresh baby spinach in olive oil and minced garlic cloves. It only takes a few minutes and it increases the flavor so much. This is the most "complicated" step in the entire recipe – and it's pretty simple, right?! Right.

So, let's start cooking, shall we? First, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F.

Next, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and cook the minced garlic for about 30 seconds – until it's fragrant. Add in the fresh baby spinach until wilted and the excess liquid has evaporated. This usually takes about 3-4 minutes. The most labor-intensive step is done. Easy right?!

Remove the skillet off the heat, add the softened cream cheese, and stir until melted and thoroughly combined. Next, stir in all the other ingredients until mixed well and transfer to a 2-quart baking dish. Smooth out the top with a spatula and sprinkle with some more cheese if desired.

Bake until you start to see the top of the dip with some golden-brown spots and bubbling around edges, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

What to serve with a Cheesy Dip:

This simple homemade baked spinach artichoke dip is so versatile. I love to serve it with tortilla chips, crackers, pita chips, baguette slices, or fresh veggies. I'll even just eat it by the spoonful - it's that GOOD! Honestly, regular spoonfuls is one of my favorite ways to eat this great recipe!

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