Everyone’s favorite game day dip, but with a spicy kick.
Slightly Spicy Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated on a microplane
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
- 12 oz of fresh baby spinach
- 1 14oz can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 2-3 medium fresno peppers, thinly sliced, or jalapeños
- 6 oz fresh mozzarella torn into 1/2 inch pieces, about 1/3 cup
- 1/4 cup parmesan, freshly grated
- 1/4 cup fontina, freshly grated
- 8 oz cream cheese
- zest from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped
- sourdough bread, sliced in 1 inch slices
- pickled peppers, like piparra or pepperoncini, for serving
- olive oil
- kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your broiler on high and set the top rack 3 inches from the top of your broiler.
- Heat a medium sauce pan over medium low heat. Add the olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook while stirring for about 60 seconds, careful not to burn the garlic.
- Add the spinach 1 handful at a time and stir as it wilts. Once the spinach is wilted, add the next handful and repeat. The spinach will release moisture as it cooks so once all of the spinach has wilted, continue cooking until the liquid in the pan has evaporated.
- Next, add the artichokes and 3/4 of the fresno peppers, reserving the rest for garnish. Mix to combine.
- Add the cream cheese and mix to combine. Then gradually incorporate the cheeses, folding in one at a time. Continue to cook until all of the cheese has melted. Fold in the lemon zest, parsley, a pinch of salt, and fresh black pepper and turn off the heat. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Transfer the dip into an oven-safe serving dish and place on to a baking sheet to catch any overflow.
- To toast the bread, arrange in a single layer on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil. Broil for 2-3 minutes a side until golden brown. Set aside, and keep the broiler on.
- Transfer the sheet pan with the dip into the oven and broil for 3 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbly. Top with remaining fresno peppers. Serve hot with the toasted bread and pickled peppers on the side.
