Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip Made With Greek Yogurt
This hearty dip is a winter favorite, especially for entertaining around the holiday season. However, this dip is traditionally made with mayonnaise, cream cheese and sour cream and loaded with more cheese, meaning just a few spoonfuls can contain a significant amount of calories and fat. I slimmed down the traditional, creamy dip and pumped up the protein by using 2% fat Greek yogurt and keeping the ingredients simple, while adding a ton of flavor. Since it is made with Greek yogurt and parmesan cheese, it is also likely to be well tolerated by many people with lactose intolerance, because these are relatively low lactose sources of dairy (although individual needs will vary). Also, I've included a simple swap to make this dip gluten free, if needed, so that everyone can enjoy! This dip is the perfect appetizer for a holiday party or a New Year's celebration and is actually a nutritious party food!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients (serves 6):
1 1/2 C 2% fat Greek yogurt
3/4 C fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 C frozen, chopped spinach, thawed (the only ingredient should be spinach)
12 oz canned artichoke heart, drained
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (swap this for gluten free flour, if needed)
2 Tbsp paprika or smoked paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Squeeze out excess water from thawed spinach and drained artichoke hearts (using paper towel or a dish towel) so that the vegetables are no longer wet. This may take a few rounds of squeezing the veggies in paper towel or cheese cloth. Be careful when drying the spinach, as it may take awhile to cool once thawed if using microwave or stovetop.
3. Add Greek yogurt and flour to a large mixing bowl and mix until well-combined. This prevents the Greek yogurt from curdling when baking.
4. Chop the artichoke hearts into small pieces and add artichoke hearts, spinach, spices (paprika, garlic powder and salt) and 1/2 C parmesan cheese to mixing bowl. Mix all ingredients together.
3. Sprinkle remainder 1/4 C parmesan cheese on top and bake in oven until the top is browned and the dip is hot through the center, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve hot with pita chips, bread, or veggies and enjoy!
Nutritional Analysis Per Serving (1 serving = approximately 1/3 C)
Calories 141 calories, Total Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 14 mg, Carbohydrates 12 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 13 g, Sodium 620 mg, Calcium 243 mg