• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Mind "Full" Mom
  • Instant Pot
  • 30-Minute Meals
  • All Recipes
    • Main Courses
      • Beef Recipes
      • Chicken & Turkey
      • Pasta
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Soup, Stew, and Chili
      • Vegetarian
    • Breakfast
    • Breads and Muffins
    • Desserts
    • Kid-Friendly
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Snacks
    • Pantry Staples
    • Allergy Friendly Recipes
      • Plant-Based
      • Gluten-Free
      • Dairy-Free
  • Meet Kristen
  • Subscribe
  • Instant Pot
  • 30-Minute Meals
  • All Recipes
    • Main Courses
      • Beef Recipes
      • Chicken & Turkey
      • Pasta
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Soup, Stew, and Chili
      • Vegetarian
    • Breakfast
    • Breads and Muffins
    • Desserts
    • Kid-Friendly
    • Salads
    • Side Dishes
    • Slow Cooker
    • Snacks
    • Pantry Staples
    • Allergy Friendly Recipes
      • Plant-Based
      • Gluten-Free
      • Dairy-Free
  • Meet Kristen
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Instant Pot
  • 30-Minute Meals
  • All Recipes
  • Meet Kristen
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Real Food » Appetizers

    Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip

    December 26, 2022 | By Kristen Chidsey | 47 Comments | *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Pin
    Share
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    This Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip uses just the right combination of flavorful cheese, creamy Greek Yogurt, and seasonings to create a lightened-up version of a classic appetizer with just as much creamy goodness!

    This Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip uses just the right combination of flavorful ingredients to create a creamy, cheesy, lightened-up version of a classic appetizer.

    Serve this better-for-you Spinach Artichoke Dip at your next holiday party or potluck with Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms, Bacon Wrapped Dates, and Jalapeno Poppers.

    Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip in white baked dish.

    Let me start by saying, this recipe for Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip may not be considered healthy by everyone. 

    But what I can guarantee, is that this recipe is significantly lower in fat and calories than the classic recipe and my recipe for Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip.

    By strategically using a few key ingredients, you can achieve the same cheesy, creamy, flavor of classic, decadent Spinach Artichoke Dip.  And whenever you a classic can be made a bit healthier, sign me up!

    Whether served with tortilla chips, bagel chips, vegetables, or toasted bread, your guests will thoroughly enjoy and likely not even realize they are enjoying a healthier version of Spinach Artichoke Dip.  

    Notes on Ingredients

    When preparing a healthier version of a classic recipe, it is crucial to select your ingredients wisely, so that you can cut back on fat, sodium, calories, and cholesterol, without sacrificing flavor. For this Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe, I have tested many combinations of healthier ingredients and finally landed on perfection using the following ingredients.

    Ingredients of Lemon Spinach Artichoke Dip on counter, labeled.
    • Greek yogurt: Instead of mayonnaise, this recipe replaces it with nonfat plain Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt will give the dip the same creaminess that the mayonnaise provides, just minus the additional fat and cholesterol.
    • Sour Cream: I do like to use a bit of sour cream to add some tanginess to the Spinach Dip. Use full-fat or reduced-fat sour cream or omit and use additional Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream, for any even lighter recipe. Just whatever, you do, DO NOT use fat-free sour cream, as it will not yield a creamy result after baking.
    • Neufchatel Cream Cheese: The difference in flavor between full-fat cream cheese and the ⅓ less fat version of cream cheese in this recipe is insignificant. So save the fat and calories and use light cream cheese. Just do NOT use fat-free cream cheese, as the flavor and texture will not be the same.
    • Cheese: To pack in flavor I use a combination of parmesan, feta, and mozzarella cheese. Feta may not be traditional in most Spinach Artichoke dips, but just like parmesan cheese, feta packs a huge flavor punch and therefore we can cut back the amount of mozzarella cheese with success.
    • Lemon: A little bit of fresh lemon juice enhances and brightens the flavors in this dish.
    • Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes: When cutting back on calories and fat in dishes, a great trick is to use a lot of herbs and spices to enhance the recipe. 
    • Spinach: For the best results, use frozen, defrosted chopped spinach that has been squeezed dry of excess moisture.
    • Artichokes: Use frozen, defrosted artichoke hearts, or canned, drained artichoke hearts instead of marinated artichoke hearts, which can pack in significant fat and calories to the dip.

    How to make Spinach Artichoke Dip

    • Place the defrosted spinach into a clean kitchen towel or piece of cheesecloth and give the spinach a good squeeze over a sink or bowl to remove the excess liquid. Do not skip this step, or your dip will be watered down and lack flavor.
    Side by side picture of spinach being squeezed dry.
    • In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, and yogurt together until smooth. You can do this by hand with a spatula or with a handheld mixer at low speed. Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that the ingredients will combine better and the dip will not be lumpy. 
    • Add in the chopped artichoke hearts, drained spinach, parmesan cheese, feta, mozzarella, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt, and stir well to combine.
    Ingredient for Spinach Artichoke Dip in clear mixing bowl.
    • Spread the spinach artichoke mixture into a baking dish. Pro-tip: Use a dish that you want to present this dip in so that it can go straight from the oven to serving.
    Unbaked spinach artichoke dip in baking dish
    • Bake until warmed through and slightly browned on the top.
    • Serve this warm Spinach Artichoke Dip with chunks of fresh bread, tortilla chips, fresh veggies, or crackers, and watch it disappear!
    White Baking Dish filled with spinach dip served with tortilla chips on the side.

    Preparing in Advance

    Spinach Artichoke Dip is great for parties and entertaining not only because everyone loves it, but also because it can be mixed together up to 48 hours in advance. 

    • Prepare the recipe as written, up to baking. 
    • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. 
    • When ready to bake, remove the dip from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature while the oven is preheating. Don't skip this step, as you should NEVER put a cold baking dish into a hot oven, which can result in your dish cracking. 
    • Once the oven has preheated, remove the plastic wrap and bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until warmed through.

    Storage Directions

    Leftover spinach dip can keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For best results, reheat in a 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes before serving. This dip does not freeze well, as it will separate while defrosting.

    You can also opt to get creative with your leftover spinach artichoke dip and serve it in the following ways: 

    • Instead of using the ricotta spinach mixture to make Spinach Pizza, spread pizza dough with a thin layer of the spinach artichoke dip. Top with additional cheese and bake as directed. 
    • Use the dip as a cold spread for a vegetable or turkey sandwich. 
    • Toss the dip with cooked pasta and ½ cup of the cooking liquid for a delicious Spinach artichoke pasta.

    More Party-Friendly Dips

    • Rotel Sausage Dip
    • Cream Cheese Taco Dip
    • French Onion Chip Dip
    • Hot Corn Dip

    If you enjoyed this Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe, please leave a comment and review below.

    Chip scooping out spinach dip from baking dish.

    Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip

    This Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip uses just the right combination of flavorful ingredients to create a creamy, cheesy, lightened-up version of a classic appetizer.
    4.74 from 34 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 65kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese at room temperature
    • ½ cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
    • ½ cup sour cream full-fat or reduced-fat
    • 10 ounces frozen spinach defrosted and squeezed dry
    • ½ cup artichokes (canned or jarred in water) drained and chopped
    • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
    • ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
    • ⅓ cup crumbed feta cheese
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
    • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 1-quart baking dish.
    • Defrost frozen spinach in the microwave or overnight in the refrigerator. Place defrosted spinach in cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out excess moisture over the sink.
    • Drain a 10-ounce jar of artichoke hearts and chop well, measure out ½ cup of artichokes to use for the dip.
    • In a large mixing bowl cream the cream cheese, sour cream, and yogurt together until creamy and smooth.
    • Add the spinach, artichokes, cheese, salt, lemon juice, garlic cloves, and red pepper flakes to the cream cheese mixture and mix together until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
    • Transfer the mixture to the greased baking dish. 
    • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until warmed through and slightly browned on the top.
    • Serve with veggies, tortilla chips or pita chips.

    Notes

    Storage: Store cooled Spinach Artichoke Dip in an airtight container for  3-4 days in the refrigerator.
    Cream Cheese: Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. While you can use full-fat cream cheese, do not use fat-free cream cheese as the texture will not be the same. 
    Feta Cheese: If you do not like feta cheese, omit and add an additional ¼ cup of Mozzarella cheese. 
    Decadent Recipe: To make this dip decadent, add use mayo in place of the yogurt and add in ¼-1/2 cup more Mozzarella cheese. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 152mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2855IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 0.5mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!

    This post was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2022.

     

    Pin
    Share
    « Bacon Wrapped Dates
    Stuffed Mushrooms »

    Categorized Under: Appetizers, Gluten Free, Real Food, Snacks

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Katie

      September 03, 2020 at 1:21 am

      5 stars
      This was so good!

      Reply
    2. Melissa

      September 03, 2020 at 1:15 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe- we loved it and will make it again soon!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 03, 2020 at 7:02 am

        I love hearing that you plan to make it again Melissa! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!

        Reply
    3. Lily

      September 02, 2020 at 8:35 pm

      5 stars
      Oh this spinach artichoke dip was amazing, so creamy and flavorful. I added it into 2 little bowls and put it on a charcuterie board serving it with toasted pita bread, this dip was the first to disappear off the board! This is defiantly going to be a staple for any game nights in our home.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 03, 2020 at 6:59 am

        I love hearing that you enjoyed this Lily--what a perfect addition to your charcuterie board 🙂

        Reply
    4. Stephanie

      September 02, 2020 at 7:28 pm

      5 stars
      Oh man, this dip was incredible! I actually ran out of chips and may or may not have just dug in with a spoon!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 03, 2020 at 7:00 am

        No judgement here Stephanie! So glad you enjoyed!

        Reply
    5. Joni

      June 16, 2020 at 4:26 pm

      This is actually a great recipe! I tweaked it a little. I made a double batch. I used a large container of the Greek yougurt which is three cups, a large can of drained chopped artichokes, and a dag of frozen spinach. I used a cup each of the cheeses and adds also of a little of Swiss cheese and about a 1/4 of light mayo. I added 2 packs of ranch dressing mix and about 1/4 to 1/2 of cup of 2 percent milk to thin it a little after baking. It came out great!! I basically followed the recipes that was doubled but added extra feta and added Swiss plus 2 packs of ranch dressing. It still comes out low fat. Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 16, 2020 at 5:38 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed! Thank you for letting us know your modifications as well.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    Meet a Mind "Full" Mom

    A Picture of A Mind"Full"Mom

    Hi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

    5

    SECRETS

    TO CUT FOOD COST

    Bag of fresh groceries.





    Instant Pot Favorites

    • Instant Pot Yogurt
    • Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
    • Instant Pot Pot Roast
    • Instant Pot Whole Chicken
    • Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt
    • Instant Pot Beans
    • Instant Pot Chicken Breast (Fresh or Frozen)
    • How to Use Your Instant Pot as a Slow Cooker

    Reader Favorites

    • Chili Seasoning Recipe
    • Easy Baked Salmon
    • Instant Pot Chicken Wings
    • Easy Homemade Latte Recipe
    • Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice
    • The Best Stuffed Shells
    • The Best Baked Meatballs
    • Air Fryer Potatoes

    Footer

    Featured on:

    Websites AMind"Full"Mom has been featured on

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with me

    DISCLAIMER: THE SITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE AND IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR TREATMENT. AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I GENUINELY LOVE ARE OFTEN INCORPORATED IN MY POSTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

    Copyright © 2020 · A MIND "FULL" MOM