Best Spinach Artichoke Dip (Restaurant-Style)
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Learn the cheffy method for making a top-notch spinach artichoke dip — once you try it, you’ll never go back to the traditional recipe.
Creamy, cheesy, and brimming with veggies, spinach artichoke dip is a surefire hit at any gathering. While most homemade versions rely on cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise, restaurant chefs take a different approach. They typically use a Mornay sauce—a cheesy variation of the classic béchamel sauce—to bind and flavor the dip. Although it sounds fancy, Mornay sauce is actually the same easy sauce you’d use for homemade macaroni and cheese and some creamed spinach recipes. This restaurant method, which is done entirely on the stovetop, is actually a bit faster than the baked home-style version. And, in my opinion, it results in a much more delicious dip.
“This was AMAZING! There’s a restaurant near me that has something very similar and this was just as good if not better…It’s a WINNER!”
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by prepping the frozen spinach and canned artichokes. The spinach should be thawed and squeezed as dry as possible. The artichokes are packed in water with salt and citric acid, so they need to be rinsed, drained, and then blotted dry with a paper towel. (If you add them directly to the dip without first rinsing them, they will give the dip an off flavor.)
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Mix in the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Stir in the flour.
Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more. Pour in the half & half.
Then add the spinach and artichokes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until hot and thickened, about 2 minutes.
Add the Cheddar, Parmigiano Reggiano, cream cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg and hot sauce.
Transfer the hot dip to a serving bowl and serve with tortilla chips.
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Spinach Artichoke Dip (Restaurant-Style)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (from 1 medium onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups half & half, plus a few more tablespoons if needed
- 1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
- 1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, chopped, and blotted dry with paper towels (see note)
- 2 oz (¼ cup) cream cheese
- 2 cups shredded extra sharp Cheddar
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons Frank's RedHot sauce
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute more; do not brown. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the half & half, stirring to prevent lumps. Stir in the spinach and artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until hot and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese, Cheddar, Pecorino Romano (or Parmigiano Reggiano), salt, pepper, nutmeg, and Frank’s RedHot and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheeses are melted and the dip is smooth, about 2 minutes. Taste with a chip and adjust the seasoning with more salt or hot sauce, if necessary. If the dip is too thick, thin it with a few tablespoons more half & half. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve lukewarm with tortilla chips.
Notes
- Canned artichokes are packed in water with salt and citric acid, so they need to be rinsed very well, drained, and then blotted dry with a paper towel before using. If you add them directly to the dip without first rinsing them, they will give the dip an off flavor.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The dip can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated in a covered container. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a bit more half & half to thin the dip, if necessary.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made this for a bridal shower and it was delicious! I tripled the recipe and with all the other food, I have some leftover. Any chance it can be frozen? Or any suggestions on how to use the remaining amount in another dish?
Hi Sherry, I think it would be delicious tossed with hot pasta. (You may need to thin it out- you could use milk, cream, or some of the pasta water. And because of all the dairy in this, I’m not sure it’s a great dish to freeze, but if it’s going to go to waste otherwise, I think it’s worth a try.
Hi Jenn, I’ve tried several of your recipes with great results.
Can this be frozen either before or after cooking?
Glad you like the recipes! Because of all the dairy in this, I’m not sure it’s a great dish to freeze – sorry!
Is the parmesan cheese to use, the powdered kind in a tub from the dried food section of the grocery store (looks like it from the pictures)? Pls confirm. Can’t wait to try this! 😊
Hi Caroline, No, the cheese should be grated from a wedge that you can usually find in the nicer cheese section of grocery stores. I usually get mine at Whole Foods. Here’s some more info. Hope you enjoy the dip!
I loved this recipe.
Every year, 3 close friends and I go away for a few days to relax, recharge, and eat great food. This year I made Spinach Artichoke dip and it was excellent. There was none left. Thank you for another hit!
Fantastic! I insisted we halve the recipe because my (young adult) children can (still) be picky. We are not halving this recipe the next time. Amazing stuff!!!
Delicious! I couldn’t find organic spinach in a box so I used organic frozen chopped spinach from a bag and I did not thaw it and it still came out great (not watery at all). Simple to whip up and the taste is fantastic. One to keep on rotation.
Made this for Christmas Eve! Awesome!
Absolute perfection! Served this for New Year’s Eve and it was a huge hit. Thanks again for your great recipes. Easy to follow and always delish.
This recipe is the absolute BEST, no need to look for any other. My guests ate this all up with some warm tortilla chips. Jen, thank you for helping me look good!