This baked Spinach Artichoke Dip (without mayonnaise) is rich, creamy, and loaded with all of the classic spinach dip flavors including tangy artichokes, fresh spinach, and 3 different kinds of cheeses, all with no mayo! With these simple ingredients, it comes together in minutes and is then baked until golden brown and bubbly. It’s easy to make and skips the oiliness that can come with recipes that include mayo.
Serving a hot spinach artichoke dip at any gathering is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Wherever this party dip is set up, that’s where you’ll find your people, hovering and scooping. It is that addicting!
A delicious dip can easily become the star of the show. It’s just a scoop of delicious one mouthful after another. If you’re looking for a whole table of dips and want to present a variety, try our buffalo chicken dip, homemade salsa verde, guacamole, and this creamy dill recipe. If you’re feeding a crowd, add some booty dip and dill pickle dip with ham to the spread! These are amazing appetizer recipes for your next party or for game days!
If you’re looking for more artichoke inspired recipes, try our grilled artichokes or our artichoke rice salad; both make great side dishes for feeding a crowd.
Or add in a bit of pickled goodness in this Pickled Mushrooms dish. A great side dish to add to the table next to the dips!
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🧀 Ingredients:
- Fresh spinach – If frozen is what you have, you can use it but make sure you squeeze ALL of the water out. The last thing you want is a watery dip. Fresh spinach can be washed and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. I typically grab a carton of baby spinach that has already been washed.
- Salted butter – There is no added salt in this recipe, other than what is present in the ingredients. So, we’re using salted butter. If you find the dip too salty because of the cheeses, you can use unsalted butter.
- Garlic finely minced – The additional subtle garlic flavor adds another layer to this cheesy dip.
- Cream cheese – This is the base of the creamy dip and used instead of mayonnaise. You’ll want it softened so it blends nicely with the other ingredients at the same time.
- Jack cheese – Freshly gratedis best. Pre-packaged grated cheese is typically coated to prevent the shreds from sticking to one another. Unfortunately, this means it usually doesn’t melt as well or turn out as smooth either.
- Parmesan cheese – Again, if you can grate your own, all the better!
- Sour cream – It adds creaminess to the dip along with the cream cheese. The higher the fat content, the thicker the sour cream will be.
- Quartered artichoke hearts – Canned or jarred artichoke hearts come in water or oil. If you want the flavor of just the artichoke, opt for the ones in the water. If you want to add a little of the salty oil marinade to your dip, you’ll want the one in the oil. Either way, it’ll be drained. I like to use un-marinated artichoke hearts in this recipe.
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Optional Garnish:
A sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley, a few slices of jalapeño pepper, red pepper flakes, or even some chopped red bell pepper will add color and freshen up the top of the dip.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cheeses – Use mozzarella cheese instead of the jack cheese or in combination with the jack cheese. Pepperjack cheese would add a kick of heat!
- Frozen Spinach – One of the things I love about this recipe is how easy it is to make spinach artichoke dip with fresh spinach. But if you want to use frozen, thaw it completely and then squeeze it thoroughly with a kitchen towel to remove all of the excess liquid. You can still toss it in the skillet to heat up while the garlic cooks.
- Jalapeños – Toss in a can of sliced jalapeño peppers (drain them first, please!) for some extra heat and tang.
- Hot or cold – This dip starts off hot in order to melt the cheeses altogether, but it is delicious as a cold spinach dip also. If you have leftovers, enjoy warm or cold, it’s a perfect appetizer either way.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 1: In a cast-iron pan or medium skillet saute, on medium heat, the spinach and fresh garlic in butter until the spinach is wilted and the garlic fragrant. This only takes 1-2 minutes. If you have an oven-safe skillet, use it, that way you can transfer the dip straight into the oven.
Step 2: To the pan, mix together cream cheese, a portion of the jack cheese, half of the parmesan cheese, sour cream, and artichoke hearts. Combine with the cooked spinach mixture.
Step 3: Spread the ingredients in a single layer in your oven-safe pan or skillet. Otherwise, spread it in a baking dish.
Step 4: Continue with instructions for each step. Steps that do not have an associated picture can be written in a regular paragraph block between or after the columns.
Step 5: Bake for 20 minutes. Then top with remaining cheeses and continue baking until brown and bubbly.
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: For a rustic presentation, transfer the artichoke spinach dip without mayo directly from the oven to the table in the cast iron skillet alongside some crusty bread, baguette slices, and a platter of crackers, veggies and all your favorite chips: (pita chips, potato chips, and tortilla chips).
No Mayo Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe Tips
- When mayonnaise is heated, the oils separate. This means that mayo might be a great creamy component in cold dips but this warm, melted cheese version is best as a spinach artichoke dip without mayonnaise. The cream cheese and sour cream provide all the richness and creaminess and their structure doesn’t change with heat.
- Wilting the spinach takes just a minute or two and the garlic will sauté just as quickly. Don’t burn the garlic; its bitter flavor will ruin the dip!
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the dip to a 9×9 or 9×13 baking dish. This is also a great option if you wish to double the recipe.
Recipe FAQs
You can cook the spinach and then mix up all of the ingredients up to a day ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Once you take it out of the fridge, keep it at room temperature about a half an hour before baking. You can cook the spinach and then mix up all of the ingredients up to a day ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Once you take it out of the fridge, keep it at room temperature about a half an hour before baking.
If you have a lot left (you won’t), and want to turn the oven back on, you can. Reheat it at 350°F for a few moments until heated. Alternatively, you can reheat smaller portions in the microwave.
More Delicious Dips and Appetizers
If you tried this best Spinach Artichoke Dip without Mayonnaise or any other easy recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Spinach Artichoke Dip without Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2-3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 8 oz. cream cheese softened
- 2 cups jack cheese grated, divided
- 1 cup parmesan cheese grated, divided
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 15 oz. quartered artichoke hearts drained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a cast iron pan or medium skillet (preferably one that is both stovetop and oven-safe), saute the spinach and garlic in 2 tablespoons of butter until the spinach is wilted and the garlic fragrant.
- Mix together cream cheese, 1 cup of jack cheese, ½ cup parmesan cheese, sour cream, and artichoke hearts. Combine with the spinach mixture.
- Spread ingredients in a single layer in the skillet or a baking dish.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven to cover with remaining 1 cup of jack cheese and ½ cup of parmesan.
- Bake until brown and bubbly or broil for just a couple minutes longer to melt and brown the cheese.
- Serve hot with tortilla chips, baguette slices, or thick crackers.
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Notes
- When mayonnaise is heated, the oils separate. This means that mayo might be a great creamy component in cold dips but this warm, melted cheese version is best as a spinach artichoke dip without mayonnaise. The cream cheese and sour cream provide all the richness and creaminess and their structure doesn’t change with heat.
- Wilting the spinach takes just a minute or two and the garlic will sauté just as quickly. Don’t burn the garlic; its bitter flavor will ruin the dip!
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the dip to a 9×9 or 9×13 baking dish. This is also a great option if you wish to double the recipe.
Nutrition
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