Cream Cheese Spinach Dip (Baked Spinach Dip) is an easy oven baked dip that can be served hot or cold! Using everyday ingredients, this spinach cream cheese dip is perfect for both crackers and corn chips.
Recipes like my Chili Cream Cheese Dip, Corn Dip with Cream Cheese and Ham Dip are easy and everyone will enjoy them!
My Cream Cheese Jalapeno Dip, Baked Brie With Red Pepper Jelly and Cream Cheese Bacon Dip help us to get the party started.
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🤍 Recipe Highlights
The things that you will come to know and love about this dip are summarised in the points below:
- Save time on making lots of nibbles and choose a huge dip bowl that will feed a crowd.
- Everyday ingredients: everything you need to make the recipe is simple and easy to find at the local shops.
- No mayonnaise: some people love mayo and some find it a bit too tangy! I use Greek Yogurt in my dip recipes and avoid using mayo altogether. The yogurt is creamy and smooth with no additional or overpowering taste about it.
- Vegetarian dip: sometimes you need a dip that will be able to entertain the whole crowd. This is a vegetarian dip, so almost everyone at the party will find it right up their alley.
- Versatile: be it game day, a party, family get together, pot luck or picnic, this dip will tick all of the boxes necessary!
- Multiple serving ideas: if crackers are your favourite, pop them on the side for serving or use corn chips or hot toasted crusty bread. The dip is perfect to pair with each of these serving ideas.
- Ideas for sub ins and outs: regular readers know that I like to provide some substitutions and variations so that you have ideas on how the recipe will still work with a few tweaks, in case you want to add bacon for example!
Top Tip: I like to serve the dip with a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley! I think the herby freshness takes the dip to the top notch level of yum it can be.
🥗 Ingredients
The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for exact measurements.
As you can see, the recipe calls for:
- Salt and pepper: we only use a small amount of each of these ingredients. They help to season the dip ensuring the combination of flavours rises to the most delicious level possible!
- Dried onion: this will be located with the herbs and spices section of the supermarket. It is handy to have in the pantry as it delivers onion flavour without tears and slicing and dicing.
- Garlic: I recommend using fresh cloves, finely chopped for maximum flavour although you can use minced garlic if you prefer (have) already in the fridge and no cloves.
- Baby spinach leaves: the spinach is one of the key ingredients in this dip! I recommend using baby spinach leaves as they are less bitter than the larger varieties. When measuring, firmly pack the leaves into the jug and aim for at least 4 cups.
- Parmesan cheese: you can grate your own or use store bought, we want this cheese has it has a strong bold flavour about it.
- Greek yoghurt: always my preference to use in dip making over sour cream and or mayonnaise. It brings a creamy thick texture to the dip, without an overpowering taste of its own. It blends in very well with the other ingredients.
- Cream cheese: this is a great ingredient for dips as it lends itself to both sweet and savoury options. It is also reasonably economical and you can purchase the home brand variety which tastes no different to the premium brands!
🍳 Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. Ensure you have a heatproof bowl or dish that is at least 1.3 litres (5.4 US cups).
- Add cream cheese to dip bowl (Photo 1)
- Blitz spinach leaves in the food processor (Photo 2)
- Add Greek yogurt and spinach to mixing jug (Photo 3)
- Add parmesan cheese, dried onion, garlic, salt and pepper (Photo 4)
👩🍳 How to Make Cream Cheese Spinach Dip
Start by ensuring you have a large heatproof dish. Add the cream cheese to this bowl then prepare the spinach by adding it to a food processor and blitzing it.
The next step is to combine the Greek yogurt, chopped spinach, parmesan cheese, garlic, dried onion, salt and pepper.
Once these are in the one jug, we simply stir to create a thick cheesy spinach mixture.
If you follow my blog and recipe development (thank-you!) along the way, you may wonder if the technique I use in my Cream Cheese Jalapeno Dip would work (where the ingredients are added, cooked and then combined), no it won't.
The reason why for the development of this recipe involves blitzing and combining with spinach with the yogurt and cheese with other ingredients, is because combining it protects the spinach from getting too hot, burning and or drying out.
- Stir to combine (Photo 5)
- Add spinach cheese mixture to cream cheese in dip bowl (Photo 6)
- Cook for 10 mins, then remove from oven and stir (Photo 7)
- Cook for 5 mins, remove, stir and cook for a further 5 mins (Photo 8)
Once the spinach cheese yogurt mixture has been added to the cream cheese, we place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes.
Then use oven mits to remove, place on heatproof surface, stir and return to the oven. Cook for a further 5 mins, then repeat the process of removing and stirring then cook for a final 5 mins.
The total cook time for the recipe is 20 mins in a moderate oven.
The stirring in between cook periods is to ensure that the cream cheese gets mixed in with the spinach cheese mixture.
So the only decision you will have to make is to serve the dip warm (fresh from the oven) or cold......both are super delicious so whichever decision you make will still deliver crackers full of yum!
🍽 Serving Suggestions
As I mention in my top tip above, I like to garnish the dip with some fresh parsley that has been finely chopped.
The herb brings a lovely additional flavour to recipe as well as the texture of the plant.
Crackers (Jatz or Topz), corn chips, crostini, pita or tortilla chips are also good options. Healthy choices are grated and sliced carrot and celery sticks or crudités.
A spoon like shown in the photo above is also a handy serving suggestion.
You (or guests) can give the dip a stir every now and then as the level of it drops with the eaters devouring it!
👍 How to Guide
How to Store
Once baked, serve immediately or pull cling film over the top and refrigerate.
How to Freeze
The only freezer method I recommend for this dip is if serving in a bread bowl. This way you can make the dip to the pre cook step, then cut the top of a round bread variety and spoon the dip into the bowl.
Put the top pack on the bread and place bake into the plastic the bread came in (or use cling wrap if you purchased from a bakery and got a paper bag).
How to Reheat
To cook the dip from frozen if using the bread bowl idea above, place into a moderate oven and cook for 30 mins.
Once the dip is cooked if using a glass bowl or baking dish, it is only recommended to reheat once. Simply place back in the oven for 10 to 15 mins.
😉 Substitutions and Variations
Here are my suggestions for a few sub in and outs you may want to try or be wondering if would work as you make the recipe:
- You can add diced bacon or shredded ham to the dip. Simply pop this on top of the spinach mixture and cook as per instructions (ie 10 mins, stir, 5 mins stir, 5 mins).
- Sub in the equivalent amount of mozzarella cheese for the parmesan cheese or use jack cheese.
- You can use a baking dish instead of a glass dip bowl, aim for a similar size.
- Or for a novel idea, bake it in a bread bowl like these recipes: Bacon And Cheese Cob Loaf, Spinach Cob Loaf Dip and the Brie Bread Bowl.
- Add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes (with the garlic and dried onion) for a slight touch of heat.
- Serve with crusty toasted French bread as an alternative to crackers!
🤓 Frequently Asked Questions
What is creamy spinach dip made of?
Creamy spinach dip is made of a combination of fresh baby spinach leaves, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, parmesan cheese, garlic, dried onion, salt and pepper.
Should spinach dip be served warm or cold?
Spinach dip is versatile and can be served warm or cold.
This recipe caters to both as after being cooked, the dip can be refrigerated then served as a cold dip.
Can you use fresh spinach instead of frozen in spinach dip?
Yes, you can use fresh spinach instead of frozen in spinach dip.
This recipe calls for the use of fresh baby spinach leaves which have greater texture than their frozen counterparts.
What is the best thing to eat spinach dip with?
There are a number of ideal serving suggestions to eat with spinach dip. Try serving with crackers, corn chips, crudités or toasted sliced crusty bread.
How many calories are in creamy spinach dip?
There is 90 kcal per individual portion of this dip.
It is a large dip, aimed at feeding a crowd. The 1.3 litres (US 5.4 cups) will provide at least 24 portions (ie 24 crackers dunked in). So you can aim for 2 dunks per 12 people or more dunks for less.
Can I make this dip ahead of time?
Yes, you can make the dip in advance. Options you have are to get to the pre bake step and place (sealed with cling wrap), in the fridge.
💡 Tasty Tips
Here are my top tips and tricks so that you can get the recipe right from the get go:
- Ensure you have a heatproof bowl or dish that is at least 1.3 litres (5.4 US cups).
- (Optional) spray the dip bowl with cooking oil. This makes no difference to getting the dip out, but some people like the baked brown mark at the edge of the bowl and some people want a more unbaked look. The oil trick delivers the unbaked appearance.
- Refrigerate then serve cold: I mentioned in my recipe highlights that you could serve this dip hot or cold. To serve it cold, place it in the fridge until chilled (around 2 to 3 hours), then remove and serve at room temperature. I don't recommend trying this ingredient combination and not baking in a bid to serve cold as we cook to ensure the raw garlic, dried onion are palatable.
- Choose solid crackers if serving cold as the dip will thicken as it chills and therefore be firmer when the cream cheese 'resets'. An alternative to solid crackers is that you can pop a small cheese knife in the top as then people can 'spread' the dip on their cracker as opposed to getting their dunk on!
😍 More Easy Dip Recipes
If you love dipping and dunking your way through a party (no judging here), then I have some more ideas for you to try.
- Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Dip
- Gherkin Dip
- Cream Cheese Onion Dip
- Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip
- Avocado Sweet Chilli Dip
- Cream Cheese Salsa Dip
- Corn Relish Dip
- Black Olive Dip
- Green Olive Dip
- Pistachio Spread
You can also find all of my dip recipes in the one location or give my Grazing Platter a go if you want to impress a crowd!
Adrianne
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📖 Recipe
Cream Cheese Spinach Dip
Equipment
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Heatproof glass bowl
- 1 Soup Spoon
Ingredients
- 500 grams/1 lb cream cheese Note 1
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 cups spinach leaves Note 2
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon dried onion
- ½ cup parmesan cheese
- ½ tablespoon cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350-375°F / Gas Mark 4-5.
- Begin the dip: spoon the cream cheese into the heatproof dip bowl.
- Prepare the spinach: add spinach leaves to food processor and blitz to combine.
- Combine spinach mixture: add Greek yogurt to glass jug, then add blitzed spinach, dried onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Spinach mixture into cream cheese: spoon the combined spinach mixture into the cream cheese.
- Oven bake: place the dip into the oven and cook for 10 mins. Then remove, stir to combine and return the dip to the oven for a further 5 mins. Remove and stir again, then return to the oven for a final 5 mins.
- Serve and enjoy: use oven mits to remove the dip from the oven. Place on timber board, spread crackers around the outside to serve and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- Note 1 - Cream cheese: I use 2 x 250 gram tubs of cream cheese. It won't matter if you use the block or the tub (ie spreadable version or not), however, measure to the equivalent 500 gram (one pound) amount.
- Note 2 - Spinach leaves: when measuring these, firmly pack them into the measuring cup.
- Note 3 - Dried onion: this is my go to when I want the onion flavour in a recipe without the time and tears. You will find it with the herbs and spices section in the supermarket, most commonly sold in a small plastic packet.
- Note on serving size: this is a large dip and is aimed at feeding a crowd. For the serving size, I have estimated at minimum 24 dunks of crackers. It might be that you serve it for a party of 12 with a 2 dunk per person theory in mind.
Amanda says
I am going to make this tomorrow! The second I saw it I knew I had to try it for the whole family.
Adrianne says
Awesome thanks Amanda! hope you enjoy it!
Shira says
Do you have to bake the spinach dip?
Adrianne says
Hi Shira! I do recommend it as it has the raw garlic and dried onion flakes which wouldn't go so well not baked. However, that being said you can either bake it, let cool and then serve or consider omitting the dried onion and raw garlic and make is a cold unbaked cream cheese spinach dip. You will loose some of the flavour due to the combination of ingredients. Would you perhaps instead like to make the Chive and Onion Cream Cheese dip as it requires no baking but has similar flavours. I do have around 6 cream cheese dip recipes on the blog which require no baking at all. The Gherkin Dip and Corn Relish Dip are good options as well as the Cream Cheese Pepper Jelly. Thanks!!