Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip with a Kick is the perfect appetizer dip for a game day spread! No mayo, double spinach, four cheeses and just a hint of spice make this ooey gooey yumminess the best spinach artichoke dip I have ever made!!
When college football season hits, our Saturday afternoons turn into Game Day Central! We love watching college football and especially our Florida Gators! The hubs is a Georgia Bulldog fan so we are a house divided and we have a “sorta agreement” that we will root for the other person’s team as long as they are not playing each other. I say “sorta” because we aren’t’ exactly at 100% with this, but we try… What we are 100% with is having a yummy game day spread on the table by early afternoon and munching on it for the rest of the day while watching as much college football, especially SEC football as we can!
I have been on the hunt for a good spinach artichoke dip that is worthy of our game day spreads for quite a while! I have tried to make “healthy” versions with limited success… The biggest problem that I encounter is that most are full of mayonnaise, which is something that I just don’t like. I know call me “un-American” but I really just don’t like it! Add that to my list of other “All American” foods that I don’t like, bacon and ketchup, and you will probably stop reading my blog right now! Please don’t! Just give me a chance and I will show you how I can claim that this is the best spinach artichoke dip I have ever made!
Now fair warning…this is NOT the healthiest dish that I have ever made!! I chalk it up to the baby and pregnancy cravings 😉 I am giving myself a little more leeway when it comes to my eating habits now that I am pregnant! I am indulging myself just a bit 😉 I figure that this is probably going to be the first and last time that I am pregnant and have a good excuse to gain a few pounds, so why not! As long as it isn’t in excess, I am ok with that!
My inspiration for this dish came from this recipe for The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip Ever from the Pioneer Woman (so you know it isn’t the healthiest…no offense because her recipes are amazing!!)
I doubled up the spinach to bump up the healthy greens, you know to balance out all the cheese 😉 I’m using frozen spinach here because it is really is the best bang for your nutritional buck at the grocery store!! You get so much spinach in one package for only a little over a $1!! It just makes me smile 🙂 Yes, I am that dorky!!!
The four cheeses are cream cheese, goat cheese, parmesan cheese and finally pepper jack cheese (part of the “kick” part). I also added some cayenne pepper to the mix because we like all things spicy, but this spinach artichoke dip doesn’t turn out too spicy…just a little kick 😉
Of course, I served it with my Healthy Pita Chips because you just have to have something to dip up all that ooey gooey cheesy wonderfulnees with!! Nothing better in my book 🙂
Everyone agreed that this Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip with a Kick was a winner and probably the best one that I have ever made!! I loved how fabulous it turned out!! I am planning on turn leftovers of this spinach artichoke dip into a chicken pasta dish for tonight’s dinner. I think that it will turn out well and hope that it does!! If so, you will be seeing that one here on the blog as well! Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Here is your recipe for Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip with a Kick:
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced or pressed
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 2 cups reduced fat milk
- 1 package (8 oz.) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 can (14 oz.) quartered artichoke hearts, chopped
- 2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed andAdd drained.
- ½ tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less depending on taste)
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
- ½ cup freshly grated pepper jack cheese
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Spray a medium baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Once butter is melted add olive oil and then add garlic.
- Cook garlic for a couple of minutes or until it is fragrant and beginning to turn a golden brown.
- Sprinkle in flour and then whisk continuously for 1-2 minutes to "cook" the flour and create a paste.
- Slowly and gradually add milk, about ½ cup at a time, whisking each portion to create a roux.
- Continue until all milk is added and mixture thickens slightly.
- Turn off heat and add cream cheese, goat cheese and parmesan cheese. Stir in a "figure 8" motion to melt and combine all cheeses into the roux.
- Add in artichoke hearts and spinach and stir to combine.
- Add cayenne, salt, pepper and stir to combine.
- Pour spinach artichoke into the prepared baking dish.
- Top with grated pepper jack cheese.
- Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and serve with pita chips, crackers and/or fresh veggies.
