Hot Spinach Dip
Hot Spinach Dip
I first posted this recipe back in 2010, my oldest daughter Karina loves this dip! It was the only way I could get her to east spinach and made it often for her as an after school snack. Other dips you may enjoy are Buffalo Chicken Dip, Hot Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Dip, and Crab Guacamole or check out a full list of Party Dips.
Ordering a traditional spinach dip from a restaurant can land you 1,600 calories and 100 grams of fat. Removing the cream cheese and using lighter ingredients just makes this dip much lighter by half! Only 85 calories a serving and you can’t even tell!
With the Super Bowl coming I thought I would revive this dip! You can prepare this a day ahead and bake as needed. It can also be frozen before heating up if you want to prepare this a few days ahead. Check out a full list of my Super Bowl Party Food ideas.
More Dips you might enjoy:
Hot Spinach Dip
Ingredients
- 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 5 tbsp light mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1/4 cup scallion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 cup 4 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- fresh pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Place in an oven-proof dish and bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes, until hot and cheese is melted.
- Serve right away.
Nutrition
Photo credit Sarah of Broma Bakery
Also can I mix everything together earlier , put it in the fridge and then few hours later bake it for guests?
Yes
Can the sour cream be sub for block cream cheese, if so how much? Thanks
How much mozzarella do you actually use? 1 Cup plus 4 oz? The recipe is confusing…thanks for the clairification!
This recipe is delicious! Every time I make this and bring it to parties it is a crowd pleaser. It’s my go to when I want a yummy snack.
I just made this dip a few minutes ago. I doubled the spinach, light mayo and cheeses. I used garlic powder because I’m a lazy git about using fresh garlic in appetizers. I omitted the scallions because I don’t have any scallions. I squeezed all the moisture out of the spinach and artichokes, mixed everything together in a bowl, and whacked it into a 9 x 9 glass baking dish for 28 mins at 375. The only thing I’d change is the temperature. Next time, I’d do 400 degrees because the cheese on top didn’t brown enough for my liking. It was very good. I recommend this recipe. It’s tasty and for a lighter recipe, it didn’t taste “light” to me. Try this recipe–you won’t regret it.
I made this and brought it to a party, it was an absolute hit, and it was delish. I can’t quite get the nutrition estimation that you have though, 85 cal per serving seems low. I calculated it out and I was at closer to 130 cal per 1/4 cup serving. Is there something that I am missing?
Would I be able to cook this in a crockpot or should I just transfer it over to the crockpot after it cooks and keep it on “warm”? Having company over and want it to stay warm while people socialize.
This was delicious! My husband and I will never order it out again. Simple and so flavorful. Thank you!
I made this dip for Christmas Eve and it was beyond good. So good that I’m still thinking about it!!!
A definite keeper iin the rotation.
This was some of best spinach dip I’ve ever tasted. Next time I think I may add some lump crab…, delish!
Can you use the “powdered” Parmesan Cheese you get in the grocery store in the shaker?
Yes, that’s what I used and it was awesome b
Hi there! Can you please tell me what baking dish size? Thanks!
I made this for a family Easter get-together. Was so embarrassed. No one ate it. They ate the chips and veggies that I brought to go with it, though. The dip ended up getting thrown away. It did not turn out well.
Delicious, delicious, delicious!
Doubled this recipe for a Christmas party and it got rave reviews from everyone as “the best spinach dip I’ve ever eaten”. We served it with sea salt & olive oil flatbread crackers, which really let the dip speak for itself. Bravo!
Easy & delicious!
Very easy to make and absolutely DELICIOUS!! Thank you guys for posting this recipe. Made it without the scallions but will use them next time!!
Really good stuff!
No one knew that it was Skinnyfied….it tasted so good!
Instead of baking this I’m thinking of trying it in a crock pot. Just got some mini crockpots and looking for skinny recipes to try in them. 🙂
How did it go in the mini crockpot? I’m going to try it today.
Can I make this early in the day, keep it in the fridge raider and cook it later.
Yes
I found this under the “Freezer friendly” section of SkinnyTaste. But it also says to serve immediately. Can it be frozen and defrosted/consumed later?
Yes.
Just made this and found it to be very tasty. I used fresh spinach and added about 5 garlic cloves.
This looks delicious! Would it work to add crab meat (or imitation)?
Love this recipe, but now that I’m doing low-carb, I find I don’t know what to eat this with. Haven’t liked any alternative chip recipe that I’ve tried. Any ideas?
Maybe try the mini bell peppers cut in half?
I’m also doing low carb and just discovered these wraps called extreme wellness. I found them at a regular grocery store by the regular wraps. I cut them up into “chips” spray them with olive oil spray and bake until crispy! 5 net carbs I believe. Great alternative!
Can you use fresh spinach if.so how much x
What about using fresh spinach instead of frozen?
I used fresh, also a bit of baby kale, because I needed to use up the kale. Tasted great ????
Has anyone ever added water chestnuts to this recipe
Hi cN I use baby spinach fresh ? And how would I prepare it ? Txs in advance
Hi Gina,
This dip is amazing! I’ve also tried your spinach and artichoke dip! I’ve never used recipes that are consistently good.
I’ve lost 15 pounds and my boyfriend 40. We have kept it off for a long time now, and your recipes definitely help with that. When people ask us how we did it. We say it’s a balance of healthy eating and exercise and direct them to your website. Keep up the great work!!
Thanks Caroline! Congrats that is awesome!
Huge hit in my house for Super Bowl! Thank you for the recipe.
🙂
the recipe says ” 1 cup (4 oz)” of shredded mozzarella -which is the proper measurement?
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Instead of sour cream and mayo can I just use Greek yogurt??
Would love to know too!
Can you add artichokes to this?
Would love this but can’t do mayo 🙁
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Do you think I could add chopped artichokes to this?
Check this one out… https://www.skinnytaste.com/hot-spinach-and-artichoke-dip/
Do you use grated, shaved or shredded parmigiano?
I usually use grated but you can use whatever you have on hand.
Thanks!
I want to make this for the game. What kind of chips should I serve this with?
I use tostado scoops, celery, and carrots. 🙂
Tostitos also work
One of my favorite “old school” skinnytaste recipes! But Gina, one clove of garlic? More like 7 in our house!
Lol!
We love this at our house, which is why I haven’t made it in 2 years. I made it for the Game of Thrones season premiere and hubby and I ended up eating the whole thing all 10 servings by ourselves. So good but dangerous for us.
Lol! It is addictive!
Is there something I can replace the mayo with?
I have the same issue. Egg allergy. Does anyone have a mayo sub?
Vegan mayo would work!
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Do you have a substitution that could be used for sour cream?
Greek yogurt should work.
Made this tonight for New Year's Eve…OMG amazing taste!! Can't believe this is "light"!! Thanks SkinnyTaste!
I didnt have scallions, so I subbed some shallots. I hope it works out.
Making this tonight along with Beer Bread to go with it for the game tomorrow, can't wait to try this!
We made this to go along with some baked wings for football, and served with broccoli, carrots and baguette slices. Wonderful. Even better, I'm sure, with the pretzel crisps.
So good! I subbed cream cheese for the mayo (not a fan) and it was so creamy and delicious. I would definitely add artichoke hearts next time.
Made this last night for New Year's Eve for my husband and myself and it was as good as it looked! Glad I tried it…another winner!
what is that delicious looking pretzel thing???
They are called "Pretzel Crisps" by Snack Factory…come in several different varieties but I used the original or classic flavor with ours last night. You might find them on the snack cracker aisle in your store.
Two great additions: chopped artichoke bottoms and/or chopped water chestnuts!
I plan to add this to my New Year's Eve spread – looks delish!
This sounds really good! The pic that showed up on my Facebook page is rather unappealing though – I think it was a close-up of the second shot, very stringy.
I love hot spinach dip but never made it myself since the full fat version is, well, so full fat. So I'm so glad I found this recipe! Although I don't keep sour cream or mayo around, since nobody in my house is a huge fan. Instead, I subbed 1 cup fat free plain yogurt and 4 oz fat free cream cheese. Just as creamy and delicious, and still low cal!
Made this dip for my dinner party yesterday and everyone loved it! Didn't taste like a healthier option. I still have some left so hoping I can freeze it as well?
I think this would be great to store in individual containers and heat them up throughout the week as wanted. Do you think this would freeze well? How long would it stay in the fridge?
Thanks! Looks GOOD!
Have you ever tried vegetarian "mayonnaise" in any of your recipes? Such as Vegenaise. I have a jar of it in my fridge that I would like to incorporate in a recipe or two.
Thanks!!
Made this again last night for Super Bowl… My brother, who does not like Spinach, said it was the best item on the table! I warm it in a small crockpot for about an hr and a half, and it is perfection!
Thank you for this!!!
As Gina said: Gina @ Skinnytaste2/10/11, 10:51 AM
There are no stupid questions. Sure, you could steam the spinach, but a whole big bag shrinks down to nothing, so I warn you… you won't have enough to make this! My two cents: frozen is also cheaper and you get tons more for your money and it's frozen at it's peak of freshness.
can you make iwth fresh spinich? why frozen?
Making this Today!!! Love making something new, I love your'e blog!!!!
Making this Today!!! Love making something new, I love your'e blog!!!!
This is amazing and so easy to make! This morning, we mixed the leftovers with egg beaters for breakfast. YUM!
I made this for our New Year's Eve party last night and it was a hit! We served it with pita chips and completely cleaned the dish. This will be a go-to, thank you!
So good! I made this for my family today. My sister said it tasted like spinach dip she orders at restaurants! Thanks for the recipe.
Made this tonight for my family. SOOOO GOOD! I didn't have sour cream, so I used nonfat plain greek yogurt!
Delicious!
Thank you so mcuh!
Gina-
Parmigiano Reggiano is so hard to find at the grocery store and it is at least $6 plus! Is there a different kind of cheese that I can substitute?
Made this today, hubby and I both loved it!
Delicious! Love it!
Made this for dinner with crudites instead of chips/pretzels, and my kids and I loved it! Another bonus – two servings (1/2 cup) is only 5 points, not 6 like you would expect! Thanks Gina!
If I do it in microwave, how much time I have to cook it?
This looks amazing, can't wait to try it!! I will probably add diced artichoke hearts to it as well!! I love spinach dip and can't wait to try this lightened up version!!! Thanks, Gina!!
I never knew spinach could be so versatile, this looks great!
How much spinach would I need to use if using fresh instead of frozen?
This sounds fabulous! Can't wait to try it, but is there a good substitute cheese for the parmiagiano reggiano? Not sure my store sells it, and I don't want to have to order it!
I enjoy your recipes, thanks for helping me with my weight loss!
Made this for a get-together last night! I added chopped artichokes! Not sure what it did to the calories, but I know it was delicious!!!
I liked it it looks so yummy but I want to ask about the scallion what is it can you please explain it to me ?
Similar to green onions.
made this weekend in one of those little dip size crockpots, it barely just fit inside lol! this was so tasty but i had concerns about it actually being able to provide 10 quarter cup servings. i brought to a party so i have no way of knowing since not everyone was on a diet and took whatever size serving they wanted but it looked extremely small to produce that many…..i will make again someday and then measure out individual portions for me to snack on just to be sure. 🙂
I made this for Super Bowl. Loved it. You don't miss all the fat.
This is amazing! I swapped out the mayo for low fat cream cheese (my husband and I both hate mayo with a passion, so we don't keep it in the house). PERFECT Super Bowl day food. Thanks!
I made this…but I added whole wheat pasta and made it like mac & cheese…my family luv's it!!
Where did you get those flat pretzel things? I saw this on Pinterest, and re-pinned it. I'm making it tonight and super psyched about the idea to use the small crock. I have one of those, which will be perfect!!!
Thanks for sharing!
Making this for tonight's New Year's Eve party! Can't wait to try it (and tell everyone that it's healthy)!
I posted a comment on the wrong dish. It was on the Bake Potato soup. I am going to try the spinach tonight.
Hi Gina I tried this recipe last night and it was so good. My family loved it I added chicken to it though.
I've never heard of that kind of cheese. May not be a Texas thing….Can I substiture another kind?
I tried this out at a video game party on Saturday night–I only told the others that I would reveal my secret if they liked it. Well, after demolishing 3/4 of the dish, they certainly couldn't believe that it was so healthy!
I couldn't find scallions at the store, and I did substitute light cream cheese for the mayo per some other suggestions, and it was excellent! Thank you!
Oh my YUM can I eat this with a spoon and only a spoon? Seriously, genius. Thanks so much for all the wonderful recipes
Thought I would test it out and reheat tomorrow and it tasted good but not as good as normal so going to remake it. Thanks so much for the reply and for making such amazing recipes! Katie
Oops! Maybe bake it a little longer.
I have made this before and it is AMAZING! Just like the 30 other recipes we have tried! I made this tonight for a party this weekend (haven't baked it yet) but I forgot to squeeze out the water. Is there any way to salvage it? Thanks Gina! Thanks, Katie
Made this today for lunch 🙂 I only have one suggestion – when you make it, make sure and measure out your portion . . . if you eat it out of the dish, well, it will be gone. HA! This was fantastic!!!
I made this today with Greek yogurt and it turned out great. I used 1/2 cup of mayo and 3 tbsp of the yogurt. Definitely a hit. Thanks for your great recipes!
Great idea!
I substituted light cream cheese for the mayo and actually saved 100 calories! It gave it another layer of flavor. (5 Tbsp low fat mayo=250 cal where 5 Tbsp light cream cheese=150 cal!)
I just made this and omg it was to die for. I subed in fresh spinach and instead of parm used low fat feta. Also being a garlic lover i used two cloves for a little extra oomph.
This looks tasty. What do you use to dip into it?
I've never tried canned spinach, makes me think of popeye!! Good to know though!
I forgot to tell you that I used canned spinach and it tastes great! I've been subbing it for frozen a little bit lately (in things like baked ziti) and it tastes exactly the same.
Made this today and my husband I l loved it! Very Yummy!
Made this for a my best friends bachorlette party last night and everyone loved it! no one knew that is was a light version but me =) worked to my advantage. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. it was AMAZING !!
Thanks Justin
I think freezing this, then putting it in the oven frozen a little longer of course will work just fine!
Recipe looks great, I've been stocking your site for a while now and basically everything looks great 🙂
Would I be able to make this and freeze it for a later date? I would thaw it before cooking it in the oven.
Justin
TL, you should be fine,
Cinci- hmm, never used canned spinach either! Not sure how that would taste.
How much moisture can be left in the spinach? I keep sopping up the excess liquid with paper towels and although I have gotten a lot, there is still quite a bit of liquid in the spinach. I hope it doesn't ruin the finished product. : )
My husband brought home canned spinach instead of frozen. Would that taste OK? I've never used canned spinach….thought that was just for Popeye.
Absolutely, you can double this recipe, but instead of adding more spinach, add a can of drained artichokes (in water). It's delicious!
I was wondering if there was a way to combine this with the Hot Artichoke dip? One of my favorites is the Spinach Artichoke dip at Chili's. I don't think it would be too hard but I thought I would get your opinion on how to do it and which ingredients would work best. Thanks for your help. Love your blog!
thanks so much, Gina! yep, i actually figured my *extra* wouldn't be enough, as they'll shrink (in a major way!lol) once wilted. good thing though, i browsed through your other recipes while waiting for a response, and realized i could do your lighter spinach frittata or the spinach lasagna rolls in the meantime. thanks again, and…im sure you already know, but your site is truly awesome!!! 🙂
There are no stupid questions. Sure, you could steam the spinach, but a whole big bag shrinks down to nothing, so I warn you… you won't have enough to make this!
Wen you have extra spinach, you could always wilt it as a hot side dish, saute a little garlic and oil, add the leaves and season w salt and pepper.
hi there! i dont know how to post this question without sounding st**pid. i always buy those pre-washed spinach leaves that are packed like those lettuce for salads. however, since i'm all alone in this WW thing, i almost always end up having a lot of extras on hand. in short, i cannot always consume them right before their expiration dates. so my question is, is there a way that i can use my spinach leaves (not frozen, as the recipe indicated) for this amazing recipe? thanks so much!
Isn't this delicious!! You probably don;t want to eat the whole thing so make sure you have help eating this when you make it!
Along with some other people, I also made this for the Super Bowl… and unfortunately it was SO GOOD that I ate half of it myself! My fiancée and I agree it is by far the best homemade hot spinach dip we have ever had!
I made this yesterday for the Superbowl and it was DELICIOUS!! Thank you for the lighter versions of yummy recipes. I am really happy with this!
I made this spinach dip for the Steeler playoffs, and everyone, I mean everyone, raved about it. I doubled the recipe, and am planning on doing the same for Superbowl. My friend sat at the table the whole time eating it by the spoonful. Super quick and easy. It was nice knowing there was something I could snack on throughout the game without feeling too guilty! Thanks Gina, your recipes rock!
Another amazingly delicious recipe! Just made it tonight and my husband loved it. Unfortunately, I didn't have light sour cream on hand so I used fat-free cream cheese but it was still delish. Will have to try it again next time with the sour cream.
Just made this…changed up some of the ingredients…fantastic dip…gonna make it for sunday's superbowl
I made this tonight and it was amazing! Thanks again!
I know, it really doesn't taste light!
Just made this last night, and it was beyond incredible!!! Unfortunately, I didn't have scallions, and I forgot to add fresh pepper, but it was still delicious! I still am in total disbelief that it's "light"! My boyfriend couldn't stop gobbling it up, either! He kept saying over and over, "You need to make this all the time. It kicks ass!" Thanks SO much for posting this! You're a genius!
You're welcome Andrea!
Gina, we had this for our NYE celebration last night and it was SO good we had a hard time walking by it without dipping into it!!! DH loved it! The scallions, garlic and parmesan cheese really make it tasty!
Thanks again for another great recipe!!!
Andrea
Gina, I just bought all the ingredients today and will make it tonight. I told my husband about it and he can't wait to come home for it!
Excellent! So happy you enjoyed it!
Made this for our family Christmas dinner as an appetizer. It was a huge hit and everyone loved it. This is a keeper!
I am making this TONIGHT
I absolutely LOVE this recipe. Thank you so much for posting this as a healthy holiday alternative.
FUNNY YOU POSTED THIS – I WAS ACTUALLY ON THE HUNT FOR A SPINACH DIP TO MAKE THIS WEEKEND – I THINK YOU WERE READING MY MIND 🙂 THANKS FOR POSTING
Thank you so much for keeping the old point values on your recipes! This looks delicious and I'm so excited to try it! 🙂
Ha ha!! My picky teen daughter loves this!!! She was very excited to eat this and she too took the rest to school the next day!
Hi Gina, I made the dip last night and my picky husband loved it. He took haft the dish to work last night saying “Men get 50 more points then Women right?” He is not even doing WW. LOL
Tammy,
Both Spinach and Artichoke recipes look delicious… love your blog, sooo many good recipes!!
Both would work fine, if you use yogurt, let me know how it tastes.
I love spinach dips but do NOT eat mayo. Do you think it would be better to increase the light sour cream by 5 tbsp OR sub 5 tbsp low or non-fat greek yogurt? Points wise I wonder which is the better sub + which will give the right amount of richness and flavor?
I'm sure it could, but… taste is a big factor, I'm not sure if it would alter the flavor.
Yum!! Can Greek yogurt be used to sub for the sour cream, and maybe even the mayo? I think that would bump up the protein! I just don't know how it would taste =/
This looks gorgeous!
I plan on finishing the week with some skinny dips!
Again, you are torturing me with this yummy goodness and with the pretzels..nommmy
mmmmmm….I want some NOW! 🙂
I am so drooling right now that looks SO YUMO!
If you have a small crock pot, you could cook it on high for 2 hours, then keep it on warm for your guests.
Thanks, yes, yogurt is also great in dips, although I prefer light sour cream in some dips, and yogurt in others. Just my preference.
You can also try doing a spinach dip with plain non-fat yogurt. It tastes just as decadent as sour cream varieties without the calories!
Great Tip! Thanks!
WOW, looks incredible!!