Vegetarian Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

Prepare spinach

Trim and rinse fresh spinach. Blanch in a large pot of boiling salted water for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain well and squeeze out as much liquid as possible using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Roughly chop and set aside.

Prepare artichokes

Drain canned artichoke hearts thoroughly and pat dry. Chop roughly into 1/2-inch pieces.

Grate the Parmesan and shred mozzarella if not pre-shredded. Mince the garlic and measure out sour cream, mayonnaise, and softened cream cheese so they come to room temperature for easier mixing.

Sauté garlic (optional)

Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tsp olive oil (optional) and sauté minced garlic for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Remove from heat.

Combine base ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add sour cream and mayonnaise and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in the grated Parmesan, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, lemon juice, sautéed garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using).

Fold in vegetables

Add the chopped, well-drained spinach and chopped artichoke hearts to the cheese mixture. Fold gently until evenly distributed, scraping the sides and bottom to incorporate all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as desired.

Preheat oven

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Transfer to baking dish

Spoon the dip into a 1.5 to 2-quart oven-safe baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and 2 tbsp grated Parmesan evenly over the top.

Bake

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

Broil for color (optional)

If you want a deeper golden top, broil on high for 1–2 minutes — watch closely to prevent burning.

Garnish and serve

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil (optional) and sprinkle chopped parsley over the top. Serve warm with pita chips, sliced baguette, or raw vegetable sticks.