This hot spinach artichoke dip is the kind of thing that turns a “just one bite” crowd into a circle of quiet, happy grazers. It’s low carb, rich with cream cheese and mozzarella, and it bakes up bubbly and golden in the same sort of glass dishes my mother, Ruth, used for every church supper and Christmas Eve spread. I started lightening up her old recipe when some of the kids went low carb, but I refused to give up that thick, scoopable, stick-to-the-chip creaminess. This version keeps all the Midwestern comfort—warm, cheesy, and familiar—just without the bread crumbs or flour you’ll find in some old recipes. It’s the kind of dish Grandma Ruth would set down on the butcher block with a bag of napkins, and before you know it, no one remembers they promised to behave themselves around the appetizers.
Serve this dip piping hot, right in the glass baking dishes, with sturdy low-carb dippers: cucumber rounds, bell pepper strips, celery sticks, pork rinds, low-carb crackers, or toasted low-carb tortillas cut into wedges. It also spoons nicely over grilled chicken or a bunless burger for those who want to make a meal of it. Add a simple relish tray—pickles, olives, and carrot sticks for those not counting carbs—and a big pitcher of iced tea, and you’ve got the kind of spread that keeps folks hovering around the kitchen counter until the very last swirl of cheese is scraped clean.
Low Carb Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip
Servings: 10-12
Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup full-fat sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cups shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (14 oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and very well squeezed dry
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for a little kick)
1 tbsp olive oil or softened butter (for greasing the glass dishes)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease two small glass casserole dishes (about 8×8 inches or similar size) with olive oil or softened butter. Set them on a sturdy baking sheet for easier handling.
In a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Beat together with a wooden spoon or hand mixer until smooth and creamy with no big lumps of cream cheese remaining.
Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the shredded mozzarella cheese and all of the grated Parmesan cheese until evenly combined. Reserve the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella for the top.
