I absolutely love warm spinach dip but unfortunately, I am not a fan of artichokes, so it has been difficult to find a recipe for this party standby that I adore. I finally cracked the secret to warm spinach dip by adapting Ina Garten’s Spinach Artichoke Dip. This dip makes for delicious snacking. There’s a little bit of heat from the cayenne pepper and the caramelized onions add great depth of flavor. And, of course, if you happen to like artichokes, feel free to add a 9 oz. package of frozen artichokes, that have been defrosted, along with the spinach. I sometimes make this recipe in a baking dish if it’s for a large gathering, but more often, I divide the mixture amongst 4 ramekins and heat up each ramekin throughout the week whenever I need a quick snack. As it can be assembled ahead of time, refrigerated and baked before serving, this is a great make-ahead dish for company as well as a lovely snack to have waiting for you whenever you feel like it! I like to serve this dip with crudites including carrot sticks and steamed broccoli as well as toasted baguette slices or sliced pumpernickel bread. 

Warm Spinach and Caramelized Onion Dip

Adapted from Ina Garten’s Spinach Artichoke Dip

Serves 8 (4 small ramekins or 1 8×8 baking dish)

Ingredients:

• 2 large Spanish onions, peeled, halved, and sliced thin
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on your desired level of spiciness
• Salt and Pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin
• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayo
• 12 oz. container fresh spinach
• 3 tablespoons chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Crudites and toasted bread or pita wedges, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large sauté pan, heat the butter and olive oil over med-high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 30-40 minutes until caramelized. Lower the heat to med-low if the onions are browning too quickly. Once caramelized, add the cayenne, ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes then remove from heat.
2. In a separate sauté pan, place the fresh spinach and chicken broth and cook on medium heat until spinach is wilted. Remove spinach from pan and squeeze out excess liquid.
3. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo on medium speed until completely smooth. Stir in the spinach and onion mixture along with half of the Parmesan and salt and pepper, to taste. 
4. Place spinach dip into an 8×8 inch square baking dish or divide amongst 4 ramekins. Sprinkle on the remaining ½ cup of Parmesan. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake or bake immediately for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with crudites and toasted bread. 

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