No baking, no cooking — so easy! This creamy spinach and artichoke dip is a classic Southern appetizer that can be made in just 10 minutes. Served cold in a Hawaiian bread bowl, it’s my go-to dip for hosting when I’m short on time.
I guarantee you there are others like my husband and I who could just make a meal out of homemade dips and spreads. Who needs a full dinner when you can dunk a warm pretzel bite into quick Kentucky-style beer cheese dip? Or scoop out a serving of creamy whipped feta drizzled with honey on crusty bread. Or what about tomato bacon and cream cheese dip?! Give them all to me - bless it!
OK, maybe you should serve some "real food" with this, but goodness, you never can go wrong with a cheesy dip of any kind!
The next time you are having friends over, going to a party, or heck, need a 10-minute dinner (just kidding 😉 ), this easy spinach dip recipe should be your go-to back-pocket recipe!
Loaded with cream cheese and parmesan, and the convenience of frozen spinach (no cooking down 10000 pounds of fresh spinach here!) and canned artichoke hearts, plus the kick of some spices to round everything out - this spinach dip in a bread bowl is served cold and can be made in just 10 minutes. Plus IMO the real star of the show is the King's Hawaiian bread bowl! What is better than being able to eat the serving vessel and all?!
You and your guest will love this cold spinach artichoke dip and it won't last very long. Let me show you just how to make it!
Ingredients Needed
6 ingredients plus some spices and the bread bowl are all that is needed. The prep and quality are important for ensuring the best outcome and flavor, so be sure not to skip out on anything.
- Cream Cheese - lay out your cream cheese about 30 minutes before making this recipe so that it softens a little making it easier to mix. Trust me, I have tried to be impatient and not wait for this to soften and it just results in chunks of cream cheese throughout the dip that never fully mix together
- Parmesan - I highly recommend buying a block of parmesan and grating it on a fine grater yourself. It will result in a better flavor and texture of dip than buying a bagged pre-shredded kind.
- Frozen Spinach - no cooking down 10 bags of fresh spinach here for this recipe! We are leaning toward convenience on this one. You will just need 1 box of frozen spinach. Be sure to thaw BEFORE you make the recipe according to the package directions (I like to lay mine out on a plate in the fridge the night before I plan to make it). You will also need to drain and remove all the excess water really well!
- Canned or Jarred Artichoke Hearts -like the spinach, convenience, and ease win here! Purchase jarred or canned artichoke hearts. Drain in a colander and roughly chop to make smaller bite-size pieces.
- Sour Cream - I recommend using a high-quality brand like Daisy for this recipe to give it a more rich and full flavor. Use full fat as well.
- Mayonnaise - Just like the sour cream, use a high-quality mayo like Duke's for the best flavor.
- Spices - white pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper - a combo of all of these will round out the flavor of this dip and give it a little something special...especially the white pepper.
- King's Hawaiian Bread Bowl - the star of the show! These are usually found in the bakery section of your grocery store, along with the other King's Hawaiian bread options. See the pictures below for how I cut the bread bowl for this dip.
Pro tip for removing moisture from spinach: use a cheesecloth, paper towels, or your hands - gather the thawed spinach together and squeeze in a tight ball until no more water remains. You do not want any excess moisture in the spinach.
How to Prepare the Bowl
The best part of this recipe is that you can eat it all - the serving bowl AND the dip - yes, please! Cutting the bread bowl is easy to do and there are no real rules to it, let me show you how I like to prepare it in 3 easy steps.
Filling Instructions
Spoon the dip inside the bread bowl and spread it evenly across. Place on a serving platter with the inside bread cubes around it. To serve, spoon some of the dips onto the bread cubes and enjoy!
To prepare ahead of time, make the dip completely but store in an airtight container up to 24 hours before serving (do not put in bread bowl yet - wait until right before serving for best results and freshness). When you are ready to serve, prepare the bread bowl and spoon the dip inside right before needed. This does not freeze well so I do not recommend freezing it.
Recipe
Spinach & Artichoke Dip in a Bread Bowl (Serve Cold)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 1x
Description
This Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip is a classic Southern appetizer that can be made in just 5 minutes. Served cold in a Hawaiian bread bowl, this dip is perfect for any occasion. The combination of creamy spinach and tangy artichokes makes for a delicious and indulgent dip that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese - softened to room temperature
- 8 Ounces Parmesan - finely grated
- 10 Ounce Frozen Spinach - thawed, drained, and all water squeezed out
- 14.5 Ounce Can Artichoke Hearts - drained & chopped
- ½ Cup Sour Cream
- ¼ Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Teaspoon White Pepper
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 King's Hawaiian Bread Bowl
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the softened cream cheese and grated parmesan along with the thawed and drained spinach, drained and chopped artichoke hearts, and the rest of the ingredients.
- Stir until the dip is completely smooth and everything is completely mixed.
- To make the bread bowl - remove the bread from the pan. With a serrated knife, cut about an inch inside and along the edge and about an inch deep into the bowl. Run the knife towards the middle of the bowl and then gently lift the top off the bread creating a "bowl". Cut more of the middle out creating a large bowl and hollow centered without cutting into the bottom or sides. Cube the middle into bite-size cubes that will be used to serve the dip on (refer to the pictures for cutting reference).
- Spoon the dip inside the bread bowl and spread out evenly across. Place on a serving platter with the inside bread cubes around it.
- To serve, spoon some of the dips onto the bread cubes and enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftovers in the bread bowl - wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep for 1-2 days in the fridge. If you have leftover bread cubes, store in a zip-top bag to preserve their softness and freshness.
- To serve without a bread bowl, place the dip in a serving bowl. Cube up regular King's Hawaiian rolls to serve alongside. Or use crackers, pretzel things, slices of French bread, or fresh veggies.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer - Cold Dip
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 scoop
- Calories: 330
- Sugar: 8.6 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 19.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.5 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 13.4 g
- Cholesterol: 58.8 mg
Lynn says
This sounds yummy! I’m going to have to try it. 😋
Heather Bilyeu says
It is seriously our favorite and go-to right now. I can't tell you how many times I have made it in the past 6 months - a shameful amount haha!