Hot Spinach Dip

2587 Ratings
  • 5 405
  • 4 491
  • 3 1001
  • 2 528
  • 1 162

This rich, creamy dish makes the perfect party dip. Otherwise, you might devour it all yourself.

Everyday Food, April 2004

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Read the full recipe after the video.

Recipe Summary test

prep:
30 mins
total:
1 hr
Yield:
Makes 3 cups
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Ingredients

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; cook until lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes.

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  • Add spinach in two additions, letting the first batch wilt before adding the next; cook until completely wilted, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a colander; drain, pressing to release all excess liquid.

  • In the same pot, warm milk over high heat. Whisk in cream cheese until melted, about 3 minutes. Add spinach, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and 1/4 cup mozzarella; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a lightly oiled 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.

  • Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot with accompaniments, as desired.

Cook's Notes

The recipe can be assembled through step two up to three days ahead, then covered and refrigerated; it can also be served as a side dish. Two 10-ounce packages of frozen spinach can be substituted for the fresh. Thaw according to box instructions, drain well, and chop.

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Reviews (52)

2587 Ratings
  • 5 405
  • 4 491
  • 3 1001
  • 2 528
  • 1 162
Martha Stewart Member
12/13/2015
This is not a vegetarian dip. Worcester sauce is made with fish oil. This is something I would expect the cook to know. Removing it isn't easy since it seems to be the only flavouring.
Martha Stewart Member
06/10/2015
Worst recipe I've prepared to date. I found this dip bland and dry and it just all together made me feel sick. Bleck! Don't make it. Save your money and time.
Martha Stewart Member
01/31/2015
There's no artichoke listed in the ingredients?
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Martha Stewart Member
12/22/2014
I made it last night and found it to be a little bland. I'm going to try to make it again with more seasoning before I put it in the oven.
Martha Stewart Member
10/17/2014
This is definitely my go to dip recipe and everyone raves about it everytime I make it. I have never found this to be bland at all I always add a little chilli flakes, and wine to the spinach mixture which turns out beautifully! Thanks for the keeper Martha!
Martha Stewart Member
10/17/2014
This is definitely my go to dip recipe and everyone raves about it everytime I make it. I have never found this to be bland at all I always add a little chilli flakes, and wine to the spinach mixture which turns out beautifully! Thanks for the keeper Martha!
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Martha Stewart Member
02/03/2014
I made this yesterday for a Superbowl party. I agree that it was good but pretty bland. I added extra salt and pepper, garlic powder (I already had the two cloves in the recipe), paprika, and Parmesan cheese. I think that the Parmesan was the ingredient that made it a lot better.
Martha Stewart Member
01/25/2014
This dip has been very delicious every time I have made it. I recommend adding a dash or two of paprika to the mix. The recipe also worked well with the substitutions I made this time. I used 2 tbs garlic powder in place of the garlic cloves, 1/2 cup almond milk in place of cow's milk, and about 6 oz of ricotta cheese in place of cream cheese.
Martha Stewart Member
12/13/2013
This was ok but really didn't have much taste at all. We've had other spinach or artichoke dips before that have been super tasty but this was a bit of a bore. I didn't even use the fat free cream cheese so that wasn't the issue.. I used the normal kind since that's what we had here.. Again, it was OK but I won't make it again.
Martha Stewart Member
01/18/2013
I made this tonight for poker night and it was a hit! It was pretty easy to make and that baked mozzarella crust on top is to die for!
Martha Stewart Member
12/01/2012
I'd love to try this recipe for a Christmas party at the office. It must be warm to serve. Can this recipe be made in a crock pot?
Martha Stewart Member
09/27/2012
I love it!
Martha Stewart Member
09/27/2012
I love it!
Martha Stewart Member
08/19/2012
LOVE IT! Takes awhile to prep and cook but its worth every minute. Let's just say the bowl is basically licked clean....I couldn't help it :p :p
Martha Stewart Member
07/04/2012
2 pounds of spinach is way to much. I used 1 and was still alot, was very tasteless needs more flavor
Martha Stewart Member
11/22/2011
It did not make that much even though it was 2 pounds of spinach I would double the recipe next time.
Martha Stewart Member
11/09/2011
this is the first time i've made spinach dip and it was delicious. it actually doesn't taste as heavy as i thought. i used light cream cheese and a pack of frozen spinach. i'll be making it again for guests this weekend.
Martha Stewart Member
10/05/2011
It's too rich, but if you add Sour Cream and more Cheese it's nice. In fact I've made this so many times now it's my signature dish at parties.
Martha Stewart Member
05/30/2011
I made this for a bbq the kids and adults both like it.
Martha Stewart Member
03/21/2011
I brought this dish to a dinner with friends and was so disappointed at how bland it was. I ended up putting it back on the stove and adding a few spoonfuls of mayo,a little sour cream, garlic salt and a bunch a shredded parm. I am usually a fan of any recipe I try from this site, but this one left a lot to be desired! Next time I will add artichoke hearts and use Guryere instead of Mozzerella.
Martha Stewart Member
02/15/2011
I made this for a party over the weekend, everyone loved it. It's really good. I added some chopped water chestnuts to add some crunch. I will be making this again!
Martha Stewart Member
01/16/2011
I will make this dip for every party. It is simple and delicious.
Martha Stewart Member
10/01/2010
I love this recipe! I do cut down on the Worcestershire a smidge and add a can of chopped artichoke hearts! Deeeelish :)
Martha Stewart Member
05/02/2010
I made this a while ago, but I have to comment...I'm no Martha in the kitchen, but this turned out absolutely amazing! My family loved it so much that I only got to try a mouthful of it by the time I brought out the second course.
Martha Stewart Member
01/03/2010
Did anyone try making this in a bread bowl?
Martha Stewart Member
01/29/2009
Very yummy vegetarian dish! I added zucchini and baby portobellas (before the spinach) and I used sweet onion, cayenne, and a little ground mustard. We started by dipping raw veggies and bread and by the end we were fighting over the rest with our forks! I would probably use less worcestershire sauce in the future, and next time will try it with some grilled chicken or seafood. Mmmmm...
Martha Stewart Member
01/21/2009
I've made this once already for New Year's and despite the fact that I spent the night pouring over other dishes, this one was my favorite. I substituted Gruyere and just served it with a loaf of sourdough. I would say that 3 cups easily serves 6-8 people in a dinner setting, but probably a few more if you used smaller pieces of bread or bread sticks and served at a potluck.
Martha Stewart Member
01/19/2009
five stars ! its easy to make and tasts great. my kids loved it and they're four and two. I added more hot sause and worcestershire sause and did 8oz of cream cheesee. yummm :)
Martha Stewart Member
01/03/2009
This was an excellent dip - very tasty but not heavy or fatty. I used frozen spinach, lite cream cheese, and shredded baby Swiss cheese instead of mozzarella for more flavor. We served it with those super-thin pretzel crackers.
Martha Stewart Member
12/25/2008
This was delish! I made for a Christmas party. It took a long time to cut up the spinich but it was worth it. Maybe next time I'll add more mozz cheese. Yumm.
Martha Stewart Member
12/08/2008
I noticed that this receipe only make 3 cups? Doesn't seem like much. i have a pot luck to attend with about 25 people? Think I should double the recipe?
Martha Stewart Member
12/04/2008
lindsayjo, how many ounces of the frozen spinach did you use?
Martha Stewart Member
12/02/2008
I made this last year as a appetizer for our Christmas gathering. It was delicious and very popular. I used frozen spinach which made it quicker and easier to make.
Martha Stewart Member
11/26/2008
FRESH WASHED SPINACH IS EXPENSIVE AND WELL WORTH IT! I SUBSTITUTED GRUYERE, AND WASABI POWDER, OHH, OOHH, YUM. COARSE SALT WAS USED-AS FOR THE ONION, I PROBABLY OVER DID IT, WHICH WAS O KAY CONSIDERING I INCLUDED ALL THE JUICE FROM THE ONION----WHAT RAVES--VERY TASTY-A LOT OF WORK. EXCELLENT !
Martha Stewart Member
11/08/2008
I made this for a family get-together. Everyone raved about this dip. I have been asked/demanded that I bring it again and every time.
Martha Stewart Member
07/16/2008
This sounds delicious! I'm having a small party this weekend and I can't wait to try this.
Martha Stewart Member
05/05/2008
I made this, substituted Aloutte spread for cream cheese, no hot sauce, and served over whole wheat pasta and my picky toddlers loved it! They ate more than we did!!! I feel so good that they got a healthy meal. It was a great recipe for kids.
Martha Stewart Member
05/03/2008
This is a great recipe. I made it for a clothes swap party at the end of the year and everyone loved it. I'm about to make it again today.
Martha Stewart Member
02/03/2008
So simple to make and just delicious! I also used chopped leaf spinach that I had thawed and it was perfect.
Martha Stewart Member
02/01/2008
This is simply delicious. 2 lbs of spinach is definitely not too much since it wilts down to a fraction of the original volume. One wonders why midnight aisle would even bother to make this recipe considering that its name "Hot SPINACH Dip" gives a pretty clear indication that spinach will in fact be the primary ingredient. Duh!!
Martha Stewart Member
01/28/2008
Can't stand frozen spinach, but love it fresh in salad, and now this recipe intrigues me. Will definately make it, only I will use the Fresh stuff. read all the comments, thanks for your input. I'm sorry for you midnight_aisle, perhaps you just dont like spinach, and should stay away from. we have grown to love it. but it does take time.
Martha Stewart Member
01/06/2008
Alternatives: Cheese - substitute Gruyn n n n re or Asiago Spices - add cayenne
Martha Stewart Member
01/03/2008
ick! 2 lbs of spinach is waaay too much! this dip was flavourless and boring.
Martha Stewart Member
12/31/2007
This was great for Christmas. I used the Frozen spinach and it turned out good. Eveyone thought it was great..
Martha Stewart Member
12/26/2007
Turned out perfect for a Christmas party. Used about 18 oz of spinach and added a couple more ounces of cream cheese. Tasted wonderful.
Martha Stewart Member
12/12/2007
you can purchase fresh pre-washed spinach and it works like a charm! My problem is converting imperial to metric (that we have here in Canada - ugh for us older ones who were taught with imperial measurements and still find them in most cook books!)
Martha Stewart Member
12/11/2007
The neatest way I know to thaw and drain frozen spinach is to put unwrapped frozen block on a double thickness of cheesecloth, and set in a colander. Once thawed, you fold the cheesecloth over the spinach and wring like crazy. You can speed the whole process up by running cold water over the spinach block, over a fine mesh colander, then scooping everything into a cheesecloth.
Martha Stewart Member
12/11/2007
I've never used this exact recipe, but.....It says use 2 10 oz packages frozen spinach, drain well: but the trick is not just to drain the frozen spinach, but to squeeze ALL of the water out of it. you can even squeeze it in paper towels. otherwise you'll get really runny dip. works just as well as fresh as long as you get all of the water out
Martha Stewart Member
12/11/2007
please ,someone tell me if i use frozen spinach how much do i use? would love to try recipe but fresh is to expensive and too time consuming to clean.
Martha Stewart Member
12/11/2007
This is one of my favorites for comfort food. Great for dipping veggies into....kids don't even realize how many veggies they've eaten by the time they're ful. Plus, it's so quick and easy to make.
Martha Stewart Member
11/29/2007
If you don't object to frozen spinach, it's much quicker to prepare. Let your frozen spinach begin to thaw out a little bit, enough for your knife to be able to cut it easily, then either chop it up or throw it in the food processor and pulse it (not too much!). This works best while there are still plenty of ice crystals present in the spinach. Once you have chopped it how you want it, let it thaw the rest of the way and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Martha Stewart Member
11/07/2007
Looking for a tasty nibble to serve to your family and friends on a holiday pre-supper time? This hot spinach dip is delicious, yet a little time consuming. Chopping the spinach certainly takes a bit of time but it's well worth it. My family was nearly licking this dip out of the bowl by the time it was gobbled up. Serve with breadsticks or some nice crusty bread. Make this! I'm telling you, it's really yummy.
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