Crock Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip
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This Crock Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip combines fresh spinach, tender artichokes, and plenty of garlic with cream cheese, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Everything cooks together in the slow cooker for a warm, creamy appetizer that’s ready for chips, bread, or a particularly ambitious cracker. It’s an easy addition to game day, holiday parties, and potlucks, with no oven space required!
Why This Recipe Works
Three cheeses each bring something different to this dip. Cream cheese makes the base rich and creamy, mozzarella adds that stretchy melted-cheese texture, and Parmesan gives it a salty, savory flavor. Sour cream adds a little tang and helps bring everything together without mayonnaise.
The fresh spinach goes straight into the crock pot, so there’s no separate pan to wash. As it wilts, it mixes into the cheesy base along with the chopped artichokes and garlic. A few occasional stirs are the main hands-on job while it cooks.
This is a generous batch for a party spread. If you’re putting together a whole snack table, our collection of dip recipes for parties has more ideas to serve alongside it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll find the exact measurements in the recipe card.
- Fresh spinach – Chop the leaves so you get manageable bites instead of long strands. If you wash the spinach, dry it well before adding it to the dip.
- Artichoke hearts – Plain canned or jarred hearts packed in water work well here. Drain thoroughly and chop them into small, scoopable pieces.
- Garlic – Fresh, finely minced garlic gives the dip plenty of flavor. Mince it evenly so you don’t bite into a large piece.
- Sour cream – Adds tang and helps soften the rich cheese base. Full-fat sour cream is a good choice for a creamy texture.
- Cream cheese – Use block cream cheese for the base. Cutting it into smaller pieces makes it easier to stir into the other ingredients as it melts.
- Freshly grated Parmesan – Adds a savory, nutty flavor. Grate it finely so it incorporates easily.
- Shredded mozzarella – Adds the gooey, stretchy cheese. Pre-shredded low-moisture mozzarella is fine to use.
- Onion powder – Adds onion flavor without needing to chop an onion.
- Salt and pepper – Round out the seasoning.
How to Make Crock Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip
Step 1 – Combine the ingredients. Add the chopped fresh spinach, chopped artichoke hearts, minced garlic, sour cream, cream cheese, Parmesan, mozzarella, onion powder, salt, and pepper to a large crock pot (6 quart or larger). Stir to combine as well as you can. The raw spinach will look bulky at first, and the mixture will be much easier to stir once the leaves begin to wilt.
Step 2 – Cover and cook. Cook on HIGH for 1½–2 hours or LOW for 3–4 hours, stirring occasionally. As the dip cooks, the spinach should soften and shrink, and the cheeses should melt into the sour cream. Stir around the sides and across the bottom to help everything heat evenly, then replace the lid.
Step 3 – Stir and serve. Once the dip is hot throughout and the cheeses are fully melted, give it one more good stir. There should be no unmelted chunks of cream cheese, and the spinach and artichokes should be coated in a creamy cheese mixture. Serve warm with chips, crackers, bread, or vegetables.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Stop cooking when it’s ready. Use the time range as a guide, then check the texture and heat throughout the dip. Prolonged cooking after the cheese has melted can make the edges dry or the mixture oily.text
- Keep extra water out. Drain the artichokes thoroughly and dry any rinse water from the fresh spinach. The leaves release moisture as they cook, so you don’t want to add extra liquid from washing or packing.
- Use the first stir to check the edges. Fold the hotter dip from the sides into the center and break up softened cream cheese. Replace the lid promptly after stirring.
Make-Ahead Instructions
To get a head start, chop and dry the spinach, drain and chop the artichokes, mince the garlic, and measure the remaining ingredients up to a day ahead. Refrigerate everything in covered containers, keeping the spinach separate so it doesn’t sit in liquid overnight.
When you’re ready to cook, add the ingredients to the crock pot and follow the recipe. Check that the dip is hot throughout before serving; very cold ingredients may take longer to heat.
Variations
For a little heat, stir in a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. If you enjoy a smoky cheese flavor, replace some of the mozzarella with shredded smoked Gouda. Either change will give the dip a different flavor while keeping the basic preparation simple.
For a heartier option with chicken and bacon, try our chicken artichoke dip. That recipe also includes Havarti and smoked Gouda for a different take on the combination.
What to Serve with Spinach Artichoke Dip
Choose dippers sturdy enough to hold a scoop of this cheesy dip. Tortilla chips, pita chips, thick crackers, toasted baguette slices, and chunks of crusty bread all work well. Bell pepper strips, carrots, and celery give the platter some crunch and color.
For a party with a little something for everyone, pair it with Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip. The garlicky spinach dip and spicy buffalo dip can share the same platter of dippers.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate: Transfer leftover dip to shallow, airtight containers and refrigerate promptly. If the dip isn’t being held hot, refrigerate it within two hours, or one hour when the surrounding temperature is above 90°F. Store in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
Reheat: Microwave portions in a microwave-safe dish in short intervals, stirring between each one, until the dip reaches 165°F throughout. You can also reheat it in a saucepan over gentle heat, stirring frequently. The cheese mixture will firm up in the refrigerator, so let it warm and stir it thoroughly before deciding whether it needs a small splash of milk to loosen it.
If you’re serving reheated dip from the crock pot, heat it in the microwave or on the stove first, then transfer it to a preheated slow cooker that keeps it at 140°F or above. This follows USDA’s slow cooker reheating and hot-holding guidance.
Freezing: This dip is best refrigerated and enjoyed within a few days. Cream cheese and sour cream can separate after freezing and thawing, leaving the dip less smooth.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This recipe uses chopped fresh spinach added directly to the crock pot. It wilts while the cheeses melt, so there’s no separate sautéing step.
Frozen spinach can work in spinach artichoke dip, but it changes the preparation and the amount of packed spinach going into the recipe. Thaw it and squeeze it very dry before using. This recipe is written for fresh spinach, so don’t assume a 20-ounce package of frozen spinach is a tested equivalent.
You can use them for a different flavor, but their oil, vinegar, and herbs will affect the finished dip. Drain them thoroughly. Plain water-packed hearts are the choice for the classic garlic-and-cheese flavor described here.
Yes. Halve every ingredient and choose a slow cooker suited to the smaller amount. Start checking earlier because a smaller batch may heat faster; the finished dip should still be hot throughout with fully melted cheese.
The spinach releases moisture as it wilts, and the cream cheese may not yet be fully incorporated. Let the dip finish cooking, then stir thoroughly before judging its texture. It will also thicken somewhat as it cools from cooking temperature to serving temperature. A persistent pool of liquid can come from insufficiently drained artichokes or excess water on the spinach.
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Crock Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 20 ounces Fresh spinach, chopped
- 28 ounces Artichoke hearts, chopped
- 8 cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 16 ounces Sour cream
- 16 ounces Cream cheese
- 1.5 cups Grated fresh Parmesan
- 2.5 cups Shredded mozzarella
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large crockpot.
- Cover and cook on High for 1.5 – 2 hours or Low for 3-4 hours. Stir occasionally.
- Once everything is heated through and the cheese is fully melted, give it one more good stir and serve with chips, crackers, bread, or veggies.
Nutrition
