Spinach and Artichoke Dip
To me, Thanksgiving is all about easy comfort food. Especially if I am hosting, I don’t want to be worrying about anything last minute. The name of the game is to totally enjoy myself and hopefully not stress.
I love to make food that is tasty but also can be made ahead. That goes for appetizers too - no reason to be making any dishes that require last minute attention. Enter my spinach and artichoke dip. I took the traditional spinach and artichoke dip and lightened it, by adding more spinach and artichokes, and the result is one of the tastiest dips ever. Also make sure to serve this with toasted crunchy baguette slices.
When I went to the Cherry Bombe Jubilee in October I had the chance to sample some of La Brea’s delicious breads and thought their French baguette would be perfect for this dip. If you are not familiar with La Brea Bakery you should check them out. It is a bakery that has been based in LA since 1989 and creates the most delicious varieties of breads. (Their bread even won a sourdough bread competition in San Francisco …. totally dispelling the myth that only good sourdough bread comes from San Francisco!)
One of my favorite pieces of information I learned when I was introduced to La Brea Bakery at the Jubilee is that they have been using the same starter in all of their breads since 1989. This goes to show how committed they are to the artisan process and integrity of their breads. If you aren’t in LA, they actually sell par baked bread and frozen bread throughout the country so keep an eye out for their foods next time you are at the store.
Ok, back to the spinach and artichoke dip at hand. I like to toast my baguette slices with a little olive oil and sea salt to get them extra crunchy, perfect for standing up to all the yummy creamy goodness in the spinach and artichoke dip.
This recipe also doesn’t just work for Thanksgiving, it is also perfect for any holiday festivity any time of year. If you want to make it ahead of time, simply combine all the ingredients up to a day before, place in the vessel you want to bake in and store in the fridge until ready to heat and serve. The crunchy baguette slices are also great made ahead, simply toast, let cool, then store in an airtight plastic bag.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
¼ cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1 can artichoke hearts, plus more for garnish
1 lb frozen spinach defrosted and excess liquid squeezed removed
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 cup sharp white cheddar
1 ½ cups gruyere cheese
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. Panko breadcrumbs
1 loaf of La Brea French baguette
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
In the bowl of a food processor pulse together the artichoke hearts, spinach, and mayonnaise until the artichoke hearts are broken up. Add the, cooked onion and garlic mixture as well as the cheddar,1 cup of the gruyere, lemon juice and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Transfer the dip to an oven proof container then top with remaining ½ cup of gruyere cheese. In a small bowl combine the Panko breadcrumbs and the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the artichoke dip and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
While the dip is baking, make the crostini to serve alongside. Slice the baguette into ½” slices. Brush with the remaining olive oil and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in the same oven as the dip for about 10 minutes or until golden brown and crunchy.
Serve the spinach and artichoke dip warm along with a handful of the crostini.
***This post is in partnership with La Brea Bakery. All opinions are my own and thanks for supporting brands that support me!