This hot spinach dip is THE best appetizer you'll ever make. It's creamy, delicious, topped with golden cheese and has the added kiss of smokiness from roasted garlic. One of the best parts of this dip is that there's no mayo!!!!
So, why is it so awesome that this spinach dip contains no mayo??? Well, just because I don't always have mayo in my fridge. And because there are a lot of people out there who have egg allergies and they deserve to have amazing appetizers for the holidays and game days too!
How do you make easy hot spinach dip?
This dip uses thawed out frozen spinach and cream cheese. I also use another creamy cheese, usually Laughing Cow. That's because we're not using mayo, so I love to add another flavor note with some acidity. You can absolutely skip the second type of cheese if you want to. No judgment. But it really is worth adding it, if you can.
This recipe is a one bowl mix and then you're pretty much done. This is where you're ovenproof dish comes in handy. Grab a lovely dish that can go from oven to table.
You can absolutely use some roasted garlic from a jar, but it is worth roasting your own. Nothing compares.
And yes. You use a whole head of garlic. Truuuuust me on this one.
And what is better than a hot spinach dip?
The only answer could ever be a hot CHEESY spinach dip. And it's clear from these photos, I absolutely love dark golden cheese-y toppings.
I've never been a football fan. Don't get me wrong. I don't mind football, I just have no idea what's going on. But, I sit and watch all the action... just to be able to partake in all the food!
Dips and chips being my mainstay!
Okay. Okay. There are a few key points about this dip that you need to know.
- Make sure that you squeeze all the excess moisture out of the spinach. There will be lots!
- When you mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and Laughing Cow (if using) make sure that they're all at room temperature. This means that they'll so so easy to mix together. No need to use a mixer. A wooden spoon is all you'll need.
- You are more than able to pull this together in about 10 minutes before guests show up, but equally, you can assemble in your ovenproof dish and leave this in the fridge overnight until you're ready to bake this off.
- We're all about making food pretty, so let's throw some lemon slices on the top and some fresh thyme leaves.
So, make this recipe this weekend for sharing with a plate of tortilla chips. You can make your own chips if you want to. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Either way, make the dip. Dip the chips and love all the cozy fall appetizers that will be coming your way!
THANKS SO MUCH FOR READING AND COOKING ALONG WITH ME! IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE OR HAVE A QUESTION, I’D LOVE IT IF YOU LEFT A COMMENT AND A RATING. YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW ALONG ON PINTEREST, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM TO SEE WHAT WE’RE EATING, PINNING AND A LITTLE BEHIND THE SCENES TOO!
Lemon & Roasted Garlic Spinach Dip
Ingredients
- 1 head of roasted garlic about 8 cloves
- 13 oz frozen spinach- thawed squeeze out excess water
- ½ cup sour cream
- 8 oz package of cream cheese
- 5 oz package of Laughing Cow or other soft cheese
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 lemon separated (½ in thin wedges, ½ sliced for the topping)
- ½ cup mozzarella
- ½ cup gouda
For the topping
- 3 lemon slices thinly sliced
- ½ cup mozzarella shredded
- ½ cup gouda shredded
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Squeeze all the excess moisture out of the thawed spinach.
- In a small skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and warm the roasted garlic and the lemon wedges. Cook gently until the garlic is soft and warm and the lemon is breaking down into very soft pieces. About 8 minutes.
- In a medium bowl mix the sour cream, soft cheese and the cream cheese. Add the paprika, spinach and the mozzarella and gouda. Mix well to ensure the paprika is incorporated. Fold in the roasted garlic and the spinach.
- Place in an oven proof dish and top with the remaining cheese, lemon slices and fresh thyme leaves. Bake until the cheese topping is golden and the dip is hot. About 20 minutes. Serve with bread, tortilla chips or crackers.
Nutrition
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