Spinach dip or Spin dip is a popular dip that is eaten along with bread, and poultry products like chicken, duck, turkey, pork, etc. It can be served hot or cold, but cold ones are far more common and enjoyed a lot with fish n chips, chicken wings, etc. A dip is part of the appetizer or a part of platter in the meals. It comes in different variations like spinach dip with artichokes, with cheese, bacon and other ingredients, which depends on the region and food culture. So, if you want to enjoy a nice healthy dip with your snacks or main course then let’s learn how to make a spinach dip. The spinach dips can be eaten hot and Cold, both ways.
Hot Spinach Dip Recipe
A hot spinach dip is a blend of cooked spinach with three types of cheese, seasoning, all baked together to perfection for that creamy cheesy dip that melts in your mouth. You can enjoy hot spinach dips with your various breads.
Procedure:
- Take the fresh spinach and parboil it for 30 secs to 60 seconds and then just dip it straightway in the ice-cold water. This will help in retaining the luscious green color of the spinach.
- Now, drain the spinach completely so that no extra moisture is left. Now, chop the blanched spinach finely and try to remove excess liquid. Some people prefer using frozen spinach for this dip.
- Now, take a bowl and add the chopped blanched spinach in it with three types of cheese which are parmesan, mozzarella, and fontina/Monterey cheese.
- Now, to the bowl add some seasoning like crushed pepper (red or black), salt (keep it less than usual as cheese is high in salt). You can add some spices or condiments for flavoring the dip like garlic, coriander or dill while serving.
- While baking if you want to experiment furthermore you can add bacon, mushrooms or artichokes to your hot spinach dip. U need to bake the dip for 15-20 minutes or till the cheese melts properly and has golden markings on it.
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Cold Spinach Dip Recipe
Well, cold spinach dips are easier to prepare as they do not need any cooking or baking. They can be stored in the refrigerator easily. They can be prepared in advance for any gathering or party, saving your time. You can easily customize the cold spinach dip in terms of flavor and ingredients. This will result in more variations for your spread. So, let’s first learn how to make a spinach dip, cold one. The ingredients are:
- Fresh baby spinach leaves
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese
- One medium scallion/onion (optional)
- Onion powder and garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper
- Lemon juice
- Worcestershire sauce
- In a bowl mix cream cheese (should be at room temperature for good texture) and sour cream till they are completely combined.
- Now, add finely chopped baby spinach leaves which are blanched or you can use frozen one. Make sure excess liquid is drained out from the spinach. Otherwise, the dip will be watery or runny.
- Now, add salt, pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, onion and garlic powder. Now, add the finely chopped scallion for that crunch and crisp to the dip. Mix well and refrigerate the dip for at least 15 mins before eating.
For better flavor you can refrigerate the dip overnight too.
The Nutritional value of cold spinach dip (for 8 servings, of the above recipe)
| Calories | 140 |
| Carbohydrates | 4 gm |
| Protein | 4 gm |
| Fat | 13 gm |
| Vitamin A | 5788 IU |
| Calcium | 101 mg |
| Potassium | 386 mg |
| Sodium | 446 mg |
After reading out the above value mentioned, most of us will think that it’s a high-calorie food which has high-fat content. But that is not the truth, in fact spinach dip is a healthy side dish, if consumed in a limited quantity.
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Benefits of eating spinach dip:
Well, spinach dip can be a healthy option if there is addition of vegetables like artichokes, mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, etc or nuts like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, etc. If you replace cream cheese or mayonnaise with greek yogurt then also you can cut down the calories.
In general spinach dip has three main ingredients which are spinach, dairy (cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, greek yogurt, etc) with spices and herbs. So, on the basis of these the main benefits spinach dip provides is that it provides fiber, vitamins (vitamins A, C, E, K) and minerals (calcium, potassium, magnesium, and sodium) along with energy.