Hot & Light Spinach-Artichoke Dip
My favorite part of the Superbowl is the food. I won’t even pretend that I’m a huge football fan. In fact, I think it’s kind of unfair that there’s no massive nation-wide event that appeals to women. I know that there are women who honestly enjoy football (not just because they want to impress a guy) but just a glimpse at the Superbowl commercials and you know which sex its geared to.
Anyways. This dip is to die for. It’s seriously better than any spinach-artichoke dip I’ve had at a restaurant, and it’s lighter too. Make it for the Superbowl or the next time you have friends or family over. Or, like me, make it just because it sounds wonderful.
Recipe Rundown
Taste: Flavorful and fresh yet rich and cheesy.
Texture: Thick, creamy, with melted cheesy everywhere.
Ease: Easy enough that you can’t really get this wrong. Plus you can make the dip up to a day ahead of time before baking.
Appearance: Bubbling cheese is bound to make anyone’s mouth water.
Pros: Perfect appetizer.
Cons: None.
Would I make this again? Yes.
Hot & Light Spinach-Artichoke Dip
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
Kosher salt
1 10-ounce bag fresh baby spinach
1 cup packed fresh basil
3/4 cup canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
6 ounces Neufchatel (1/3-less-fat) cream cheese
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, squeezed dry and finely chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
Pinch of cayenne
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
Chips, for serving
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. Stir the spinach and basil into the boiling water and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately shock in ice water. Drain and squeeze dry, then roughly drop.
In the bowl of a food processor, puree the beans, cream cheese, garlic, and chicken broth until smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and fold in the spinach and basil, artichokes, parmesan, and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Add the cayenne, Worcestershire, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste.
Spray a large baking dish with nonstick spray and spread in dip mixture. Top with remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella (at this point you can refrigerate the dip for up to 1 day, let come down to room temperature before baking or bake 5-10 minutes longer). Bake until golden and bubbly, 20-25 minutes. Serve warm with chips.
From Food Network Magazine November 2009
I love this! Nothing like a healthier appetizer!
I've never seen this made with those beans, great idea.
I was looking for a spinach/artichoke dip! This one sounds so good!
I love the look of this dip!
I'm all about healthified versions of classic dips, but I never would have thought to use cannellini beans in spinach-artichoke dip… love it!
Mmm. This is one of my all time favorite dips. I am going to call this post an excuse to make it soon!
I'd gladly give all of my attention to this dip over the game…haha!
Thank god!!! Nothing is worse than all those awful Spinach-Artichoke Dip recipes out there with mayonnaise. It drives me crazy!!!! I've used a recipe similar to yours for years and can't wait to try yours. Everyone always comments that it's better than their mayonnaise dip.
wow…sounds irresistable & hearty
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Tasty Appetite
I love the football and the food equally when it comes to the Super Bowl
This dip sounds fantastic, and slightly healthier? A definite win!
WOW this is a great Super Bowl snack. YUM!
Spinach dip is my favorite… This looks fabulous!
Looks great!
Is Neufchatel cream cheese much different to any other cream cheese? …is regular American cream cheese or French Neufchatel closer to Neufchatel cream cheese?
This was a HIT with my family. it was delicious. It scared me a bit because when it came out of the oven, it was perfectly cooked but seemed a bit runny- but if you just let it sit and cool for 5-6 minutes- its PERFECT.
Thank you for this!
The globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus)[1] is a variety of a species of thistle cultivated as a food. The edible matter is buds that form within the flower heads before the flowers come into bloom. The buds go away or change to a coarse, barely edible form when the flower blooms. The uncultivated or wild variety of the species is called a cardoon. It is a perennial plant native to the Mediterranean region.’
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