Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
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Published Jan 30, 2023, Updated Oct 03, 2023
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This healthy spinach artichoke dip is made with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and avocado mayo. It’s lighter, super creamy and delicious served as an appetizer with tortilla chips or bread.
I’m all about the dips! Black bean dip, guacamole, hummus… I’ll take them all!
That being said, one of my absolute favorite dips is spinach artichoke dip, so with the Super Bowl coming up I thought it was time to try and make an EBF-approved, healthier version of my favorite.
It took a little testing to get the right consistency, but the recipe I’m sharing today is definitely a winner! Typically, spinach artichoke dip is made with a full block of cream cheese, sour cream and mayo. To make things a bit healthier I swapped the cream cheese and sour cream for Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, which adds some protein and healthy fats. I originally left out the mayo, but after testing a batch with it I decided to keep the mayo in the recipe because it definitely adds some much-needed creaminess to this dip.
It’s seriously so good, I can’t wait for you to try it! We easily polished off an entire batch in one night… with the help of some friends of course. 😉
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A healthier version of a classic favorite made with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and avocado oil mayo which makes it lower in fat and calories, but still creamy and flavorful.
- Perfect appetizer for serving a crowd!
- Super easy to make and comes together quickly!
Ingredients Needed
- greek yogurt – instead of cream cheese or sour cream as used in some spinach artichoke dips, we’re using plain, full-fat Greek yogurt. When blended with the cheese, the Greek yogurt helps to make this dip more spreadable and it also adds a healthy dose of protein and calcium.
- cottage cheese – used in this recipe as a low-fat alternative to cream cheese. It adds a creamy texture and tangy flavor to the dip, while also adding a boost of protein, which helps to make the dip more filling and satisfying.
- avocado oil mayonnaise – adds more creaminess and flavor to the dip. Avocado oil mayo is a healthier option compared to traditional mayo which is made with soybean oil, canola oil or other vegetable oils. I love the Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo. Regular mayo will work if you don’t have avocado oil mayo on hand.
- artichoke hearts – these can be found in the canned vegetable aisle of most grocery stores. Look for hearts that are packed in water or olive oil. Be sure to drain and pat dry them well. This is super important! If you don’t dry them well, your dip could turn out watery.
- spinach – we’re using frozen spinach in this recipe, but you can use fresh spinach cooked down if that’s what you have on hand. See below for my note on how to make this recipe with fresh spinach. Either way, you’ll want to make sure you drain and squeeze out any excess liquid from your spinach before adding it to the rest of your ingredients!
- garlic – adds a boost of flavor to this recipe.
- parmesan & mozzarella – adds salty and cheesy goodness to this artichoke dip. I recommend using fresh blocks of cheese that you shred yourself for the best results.
- onion powder, sea salt & black pepper – for seasoning and to bring all the flavors together.
How to Make
This spinach artichoke dip recipe is pretty straight-forward and easy to make!
Prep: Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a small baking dish with cooking spray. I used an 8×8 glass baking dish.
Blend: Blend yogurt and cottage cheese together in a blender or food processor until creamy. Add mayo, artichoke hearts, spinach and minced garlic and pulse until combined.
Combine: Place mixture in a large mixing bowl and stir in parmesan cheese, ¾ cup mozzarella, onion powder, pepper and salt.
Bake: Place mixture into prepared baking dish and top with remaining ¼ cup mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, bubbly and browning a bit, about 20-25 minutes. Broil for an additional 1-2 minutes if you want to brown your cheese even more.
Serve: Remove from oven and serve warm with crusty bread, crackers, chips or veggies.
Tips For Success
- Use fresh spinach. If using fresh spinach add about 10-12 ounces of spinach to a pan and cook it down until wilted. Let cool, squeeze out any excess liquid, roughly chop and use as directed.
- Drain artichoke hearts. Make sure to drain and dry your artichoke hearts well otherwise they’ll add excess moisture to the dip and cause it to be watery.
- Squeeze spinach. Make sure to really squeeze the excess liquid from your spinach before adding it to your food processor. If you skip this or don’t squeeze the spinach well it’ll add too much extra liquid to the dip.
- Thaw spinach fast. If you don’t have time to wait for your spinach to thaw, just add it to a strainer and run warm or hot water over the spinach until thawed. If you do this give your spinach an extra squeeze to remove the excess liquid!
- Use a hand mixer. If you don’t have a food processor, you can easily combine your ingredients with a hand mixer instead.
- Use high-quality cheese. Skip the store-bought pre-shredded cheese and use hand-shredded cheese! I definitely recommend buying a block of cheese and grating it yourself. Fresh is always better and shredding the cheese takes no time at all. The pre-shredded store-bought cheeses typically contain preservatives like potato starch, natamycin and/or cellulose to prevent the shreds from clumping together in the bag. This will prevent your cheese from melting properly and will likely lead to more of a grainy taste texture.
What to Serve With Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Tortilla chips – my go-to pairing when serving this dip! My two favorite tortilla chip brands are Late July (I like their organic chia & quinoa chips) and Zack’s Mighty, which are organic.
- Bread – a warm slice of bread such as baguette slices, focaccia, sourdough or pita bread for dipping.
- Crackers – try my almond flour crackers or use store-bought. I love Simple Mills crackers for store-bought.
- Pita chips – some homemade pita chips would taste delicious with this dip.
- Veggies – serve this dip with a variety of raw veggies, such as carrots, celery, cucumber, bell pepper or cherry tomatoes, for a healthier option.
- Protein – if you’re looking to turn this spinach dip into a full meal, serve it on top of chicken like this air fryer chicken breast for a spinach artichoke chicken!
How to Store Leftovers
Store any leftovers in an airtight sealed container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I recommend reheating it in the oven or toaster oven for the best results. You can always use a microwave if you need to reheat it quickly.
More Dips and Spreads
- Creamy Hummus
- Lima Bean Hummus
- Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Everything Bagel Dip
- Healthy 7-Layer Dip
- Easy Guacamole
- Cowboy Caviar
- Almond Pesto Dip
- Smoked Salmon Dip
- Beet Hummus
- Sweet Potato Hummus
- Yogurt Fruit Dip
- Whipped Feta Dip
- Easy Black Bean Dip
- Whipped Cottage Cheese
- Hot Honey Whipped Cottage Cheese
Be sure to check out all of my spinach recipes as well as all the dips and spreads here on EBF!
Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- ¾ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- â…“ cup avocado oil mayo
- 1 14 oz can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained WELL, squeezed and patted dry
- 6 ounces thawed frozen spinach, squeezed WELL to release liquid
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup high quality grated or shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- â…› teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- Pinch of salt, if needed
- Tortilla chips and/or bread, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and spray a small baking dish with cooking spray. I used an 8×8 glass baking dish.
- Blend yogurt and cottage cheese together in a blender or food processor until creamy. Add mayo, artichoke, spinach and minced garlic and pulse until combined.
- Place mixture in a bowl and stir in parmesan cheese, ¾ cup mozzarella, onion powder, pepper and salt.
- Place mixture into prepared baking dish and top with remaining ¼ cup mozzarella cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is melted, bubbly and browning a bit, about 20-25 minutes. Broil for an additional 1-2 minutes if you want to brown your cheese even more.
- Remove from oven and serve warm with crusty bread, crackers, chips or veggies.
Notes
- Fresh spinach: If using fresh spinach add about 10-12 ounces of spinach to a pan and cook it down until wilted. Let cool, squeeze out any excess liquid, roughly chop and use as directed.
- Thaw spinach fast:Â If you don’t have time to wait for your spinach to thaw, just add it to a strainer and run warm or hot water over the spinach until thawed. If you do this give your spinach an extra squeeze to remove the excess liquid!
- Use a hand mixer: If you don’t have a food processor, you can easily combine your ingredients with a hand mixer instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
OMG!!!!!!! I made this recipe for my girl’s night and it was a HUGE hit!! Next day the boys were allowed to come home and my son enjoyed the leftovers. He mentioned that this has to be something I make on a regular basis. Thanks Brittany for all of these recipes that me, my family and friends continue to enjoy. Much love from Canada!
WOO! I am SO glad this recipe is a hit and you and the family are loving it, Robin. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
can I use fat free yoghurt Instead?
Sure! It might not be as creamy though. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you!