Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

Cook bacon

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Add the smoked bacon slices and cook until crisp, turning occasionally, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Once cool, chop into 1/2-inch pieces.

Sauté aromatics

Discard most of the bacon fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Return skillet to medium heat, add the finely chopped shallot and minced garlic. Sauté until translucent and fragrant, about 1–2 minutes, careful not to brown the garlic.

Wilt spinach

Add the fresh spinach to the skillet in batches, stirring until just wilted, about 2–3 minutes total. Remove from heat and transfer spinach, shallot, and garlic to a colander or cutting board. Let cool slightly, then squeeze out excess moisture from the spinach and roughly chop if large.

Prepare artichokes

Drain the canned artichoke hearts well and roughly chop into bite-size pieces. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess liquid.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Beat with a spoon or rubber spatula until smooth and homogenous.

Stir in the shredded pepper jack (1.5 cups) and grated Parmesan (1/2 cup) until evenly distributed.

Add the chopped, drained artichoke hearts and the squeezed, chopped wilted spinach mixture to the bowl. Fold gently to combine.

Add the chopped cooked bacon (reserve about 2 tablespoons for topping), lemon juice (1 tbs), hot sauce (1 tsp), kosher salt (1 tsp), black pepper (1/2 tsp), and red pepper flakes (1/4 tsp). Mix thoroughly and taste; adjust seasoning as needed.

Transfer the dip mixture to a 1.5–2 quart oven-safe baking dish, spreading it into an even layer.

Sprinkle the reserved chopped bacon and the extra 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack evenly over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the dip is bubbly around the edges and the top is lightly browned.

For a golden-brown crust, switch the oven to broil on high and broil for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh chives before serving.

Serve warm with toasted baguette slices, pita chips, tortilla chips, or raw vegetable sticks.