Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip with Greek Yogurt

The game is on, people are coming over, and you want the dip everybody hovers around. This is it, except it’s mostly spinach, garlic and yogurt instead of a tub of mayo.

It’s one of the meals from our guide to iron rich foods that taste like dessert, and it’s built the Clean Fit Fab way: real food, big flavor, and no seed oils.

Why this spinach artichoke dip works on tired nights

• A full pound of spinach. Cooked spinach is one of the most concentrated plant sources of iron, about 3 mg per half cup.
• Greek yogurt replaces most of the fat. It adds protein and tang, and it still bakes creamy.
• Real block cheese, melted in. Mozzarella for the pull, parmesan for the salt.
• Peppers for dipping bring vitamin C. Red bell pepper strips help your body absorb spinach’s iron.

Spinach iron is non-heme, and its absorption improves when you eat it with vitamin C and keep coffee or tea for an hour later. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements explains those pairings in plain language.

The flavor: what makes it taste so good

A good dip needs more than cheese. So we sweat garlic and shallot in butter first, add a hit of lemon zest and red pepper flakes, and finish with parmesan on top for a crispy, salty crust.

• Four cloves of garlic and a shallot softened in butter
• Lemon zest and juice to cut the richness
• Red pepper flakes, black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg
• A parmesan crust that browns under the broiler

What you need

Here’s a quick look at the ingredients. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Ingredients: fresh spinach, butter, shallot, garlic cloves, artichoke hearts, plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, cream cheese, shredded whole-milk mozzarella, grated parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, sea salt, black pepper, ground nutmeg

Also, a note on fat: we cook with extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, butter or ghee. They taste better, and they’re real food.

How to make spinach artichoke dip

First, wilt the spinach and squeeze it very dry. Then cook the garlic and shallot, mix everything with the yogurt, cream cheese and cheeses, and bake until bubbly. Finish under the broiler for 2 minutes. The full recipe card is below.

Serving ideas

Serve it hot with red bell pepper strips, cucumber rounds, celery and toasted sourdough. The peppers aren’t just for crunch: their vitamin C helps your body take up the iron in the spinach.

Nutrition at a glance: each serving has about 190 calories, 11g protein, 8g carbs and 3g fiber. Numbers are estimates and change with your exact ingredients.

Swaps and variations

• Use frozen spinach (two 10 oz boxes), thawed and squeezed dry.
• Swap artichokes for roasted red peppers for a sweeter dip.
• Add a can of white beans, mashed, for extra fiber and iron.
• Make it in a cast iron skillet and serve it straight from the pan.

Make-ahead and storage tips

Leftover spinach artichoke dip keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Warm it in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes with a splash of milk stirred in, or spread it on sourdough and toast it in a skillet for a quick lunch.

Frequently asked questions

Save this one for your next long day. Want more? Try our dark chocolate beef and black bean chili next.

This article is for general information and is not medical or nutrition advice.