Slow Cooker Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Dump and go, set and forget right into the crockpot for the best and easiest cheesy, creamy dip ever!
Ingredients
- 2 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed, at room temperature
Equipment
Instructions
- Place artichoke hearts, spinach, sour cream, onion, garlic, Parmesan, milk, feta, mayonnaise, vinegar and pepper into a slow cooker. Stir until well combined. Top with cream cheese.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
- Uncover and stir until cream cheese is well combined. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 15 minutes.
- Keep warm up to 2 hours.
Notes
- Squeeze dry the spinach. This is a key step to avoid watery, soggy spinach and artichoke dip. We want that favorited creamy, cheesy, scoopable consistency. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight (or quickly in the microwave), wrapping in a clean dishtowel or cheese cloth (or even a potato ricer) and squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
- Use “brick” cream cheese. Brick cream cheese is ideal here, not whipped. It will add all the lovely rich and creamy textures here.
- Soften the cream cheese. Using room temperature cream cheese is key to avoiding lumps!
- Freshly grated cheese goes a long way. Opt for freshly grated Parmesan as pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent the velvety, smooth consistency.
- Make it lighter. For a lighter dip, use Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream. Greek yogurt will have that similar creamy consistency while adding a slight, mild tang.
- Add some heat. Add a dash of hot sauce or a little bit of cayenne pepper to the mix.
- Mix it up. Swap out the spinach for kale, or use a combination of the two.
- Loosen it up. For a thinner consistency, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of milk, or more as needed.
- Stir occasionally, if possible. Keep a close eye on the time as slow cookers can vary in temperature, checking at the 1-hr mark to ensure the cheese is melted and bubbly. Stir occasionally to prevent the cheese from burning on the bottom and sides.
- Keep it on warm. Once cooked, the slow cooker can be kept on the warm setting for up to 2 hours, stirring as needed (the spinach may turn color thereafter).
- Serve it warm or cold. Spinach and artichoke dip can be served warm or cold, with some actually preferring it as a cold dip!
- Serve with sturdy crackers. Use your favorite (sturdy) vehicle for dipping. Pita chips, crostini and crispy tortilla chips are all great options. Pita bread and sliced vegetables (carrot sticks and celery) will also work well here.