Introducing everyone’s new game day favorite: healthy spinach artichoke dip. It’s warm, creamy, and super cheesy – you’d never know it was lightened up and packed with protein. Made without mayonnaise, sour cream, or cream cheese, this is a decadent dip you’ll feel good about scooping.
You’ll also love my cottage cheese buffalo chicken dip, protein jalapeno popper dip, and cottage cheese queso.
Creamy, Satisfying, and Packed With Protein
I love a warm and savory dip, but don’t always love how they leave me feeling. As a dietitian, I created this spinach artichoke dip so I could indulge without the post-snack nap. Here’s why you’ll love it too:
- So creamy. I didn’t want this dip to taste healthy, I wanted it to have that same creamy and decadent feel as the real deal. This recipe delivers, and is sure to leave any party guest seriously satisfied.
- Packed with protein. We swapped sour cream and mayonnaise for blended cottage cheese and Greek yogurt for a delicious dip with 15 grams of protein per serving. Bonus: you can eat a huge portion without feeling weighed down.
- Easy and quick. You’ll have this tasty snack ready in less than 30-minutes with minimal chopping and prep.
Need more game day snacks? Try my easy taco cups, Greek yogurt pizza, or baked panko chicken nuggets.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Marinated artichoke hearts: You’re looking for jarred artichoke hearts marinated in water or oil. Drain and pat them dry before using to minimize excess moisture.
- Freshly grated parm: Avoid powdered parmesan from the deli counter — it’s a little too salty.
- Frozen spinach: Make sure to fully defrost this and squeeze out every drop of excess moisture before using. If you don’t, your dip may be watery.
- Blended cottage cheese: Take an immersion blender to your cottage cheese and blend until smooth. You could also buy smooth cottage cheese if your grocery store carries it.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list and detailed recipe.
How To Make Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Combine 1 cup mozzarella with all other ingredients, and stir.
- Transfer to a baking dish and top with remaining mozzarella.
- Bake until warmed through, and serve immediately!
Avoid These Common Mistakes
- Wet and watery spinach. It’s critical to fully defrost your frozen spinach and thoroughly squeeze out every drop of excess liquid. If you don’t, you’ll be left with extra liquid that can make your dip watery.
- Over-cooked dip. The goal is to warm your dip, not to cook it. Cottage cheese is a little temperamental and can separate when it’s over-heated. Take your dip out of the oven when it’s warmed through and gently bubbling around the edges.
- Room temperature dip. Healthy spinach artichoke dip is best served right out of the oven when it’s fresh and warm. As it sits, the fat from the cheeses harden and your dip becomes less creamy.
Explore more cottage cheese recipes, healthy fall favorites, and high-protein recipes.
What To Serve With Mayo-Free Spinach Artichoke Dip
This healthier spinach artichoke dip pairs well with most chips, crackers, and veggies. My favorite way to serve it is with tortilla chips, cubed pumpernickel bread, or crostinis. For a little extra nutrition, you could also pair with vegetables like carrot chips, cucumber slices, or celery sticks, or your favorite whole grain cracker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use fresh spinach but make sure to cook it down first. If you don’t properly wilt the spinach, you’ll be left with too much extra moisture and your dip might be watery. You’ll need about half a pound of fresh spinach.
Did you fully defrost your spinach and squeeze out all the extra moisture (see above)? If yes, your cottage cheese may have been over-heated, which can cause it to separate. Not to worry! Give your dip a stir and it will come right back together.
The easiest way to blend cottage cheese is to use an immersion blender right in its original container. You can also blend it in a small blender with a blender cup, but it’s tricker to do.
Yes! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Re-heat in the microwave in 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between, until just heated through. You can also re-heat on the stove over medium-low heat. Be careful not to over-cook.
More High Protein Snacks
Need more protein-packed snack ideas? Here are my favorites:
- Bacon Gruyere Egg Bites
- Panko Chicken Nuggets
- Cookie Dough Protein Balls
- Black Bean Brownie Muffins
- Cottage Cheese Guacamole
If you tried my Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip, please leave a ⭐️ star rating below and share a photo on Instagram!
Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Equipment
- Medium-sized baking dish (mine is about 7 x 9.5 inches)
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup blended cottage cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 ½ cups shredded pizza mozzarella cheese, divided
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped chives
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tsp Frank's RedHot, or similar cayenne pepper hot sauce
- ½ tsp salt, adjust to taste (see notes)
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 jar (12-oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained, patted dry, and chopped small
- 5 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of all excess liquid
To Serve
- tortilla chips, crackers, cubed pumpernickel bread, crostinis, carrot chips, and celery sticks are all great options
Instructions
- Position oven rack to the middle and pre-heat to 400 F.
- Add all ingredients to your mixing bowl, using only 1 cup of mozzarella cheese (you’ll use the rest on top of your dip before baking).
- Mix until combined and smooth. Make sure the frozen spinach is broken up and evenly spread throughout the dip.
- Transfer to your baking dish and spread to the edges.
- Top with remaining mozzarella.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and your dip is warmed through. You’ll know it’s done when the edges are lightly bubbling. If desired, broil for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is browned. Do not over-bake this or the cottage cheese may separate and get watery – you’re just looking to heat and melt it.
- Serve immediately with chips or veggies of choice. Enjoy!
Notes
- Do not use non-fat yogurt or cottage cheese. I typically use 2% for both, but higher fat will yield a creamier dip.
- I prefer freshly grated parmesan to the powdered-type from the deli counter.
- Pizza mozzarella is the firm mozzarella that’s easy to grate. Do not use soft mozzarella.
- I use Frank’s RedHot because it’s more tangy than it is spicy. If you’re using a different type of hot sauce, use half the amount.
- The saltiness of your dip will depend on the specific cottage cheese you’re using. Start with less salt, taste, and add more only as needed.
- It’s very important to fully thaw your spinach and squeeze out every last drop of liquid. If you don’t, the dip could be watery.
- Did your dip separate? You likely over-cooked the cottage cheese! Give it a stir and it will come back together.
- Nutrition facts calculated with low-fat cottage cheese and Greek yogurt.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
