Roasted Artichoke Dip with Spinach
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 3, 2009
Yield
Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
Topping
2 slices high-quality white sandwich bread, quartered2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, meltedDip
1 (9-ounce) box frozen artichokes (do not thaw)1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and ground black pepper 1 medium onion, minced2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)1 cup mayonnaise 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about ½ cup)2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves Pinch cayenne pepperBefore You Begin
It’s important that the cream cheese be at room temperature, otherwise it will not mix well. Also, this dip is best served warm, so make sure it comes out of the oven just as your guests are starting to arrive. Removing the excess moisture from the spinach is crucial here; we found it best to wrap the thawed spinach in paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Serve with crackers or small toasted baguette slices.
Instructions
- Pulse the bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs, about 6 pulses. Toss the bread crumbs with the Parmesan and butter; set aside.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the artichokes with 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and spread out over the prepared baking sheet. Roast the artichokes, stirring occasionally, until browned at the edges, about 25 minutes. Let the artichokes cool and then chop coarse.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chopped spinach and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the onion and spinach mixture to a large bowl and set aside.
- Stir the mayonnaise, cream cheese, Parmesan, lemon juice, thyme, and cayenne into the onion mixture until uniform, smearing any lumps of cream cheese against the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Gently fold in the chopped artichokes and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Unwrap the dip and bake, uncovered, until hot throughout and the bread crumbs are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
for the topping
for the dip
to store
to serve
Yield
Serves 10 to 12Ingredients
Topping
Dip
Ingredients
Topping
Dip
Ingredients
Topping
Dip
Why This Recipe Works
Right off the bat, we knew we’d need to find a replacement for the tinny-tasting canned artichokes that most roasted artichoke dip recipes use. We liked frozen artichokes, which were passable if boiled, but far better if roasted with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Most artichoke dip recipes specify a 1-1 ratio of mayo to cheese; however, we found this made for a dip with a grainy texture. More mayonnaise remedied that, but the resulting batch lacked the creaminess we wanted. Adding sour cream made the dip’s flavor too tart, but a small amount of cream cheese produced a dip every bit as creamy as we wanted.
Before You Begin
It’s important that the cream cheese be at room temperature, otherwise it will not mix well. Also, this dip is best served warm, so make sure it comes out of the oven just as your guests are starting to arrive. Removing the excess moisture from the spinach is crucial here; we found it best to wrap the thawed spinach in paper towels and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Serve with crackers or small toasted baguette slices.
Instructions
- Pulse the bread in a food processor to coarse crumbs, about 6 pulses. Toss the bread crumbs with the Parmesan and butter; set aside.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss the artichokes with 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and spread out over the prepared baking sheet. Roast the artichokes, stirring occasionally, until browned at the edges, about 25 minutes. Let the artichokes cool and then chop coarse.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and chopped spinach and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer the onion and spinach mixture to a large bowl and set aside.
- Stir the mayonnaise, cream cheese, Parmesan, lemon juice, thyme, and cayenne into the onion mixture until uniform, smearing any lumps of cream cheese against the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Gently fold in the chopped artichokes and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the mixture to an ungreased 8-inch square baking dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Unwrap the dip and bake, uncovered, until hot throughout and the bread crumbs are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
for the topping
for the dip
to store
to serve
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