Slow cooker spinach artichoke dip makes me want to sing! It’s gone — all of it. I made a batch of homemade spinach artichoke dip last week, and before 24 hours were up, most of the dip was already gone. Never mind the fact that this dip feeds 8-10 people and we don’t even have half that amount living in our house. Spinach artichoke dip is one of those things I always see at Costco in the refrigerated section but never bother purchasing. Mostly because the price is kind of steep for the amount of dip that you get. Most of the ingredients we use in today’s hot spinach dip recipe are already in my refrigerator so popping it all in the slow cooker doesn’t require all that much work.
If you’ve been reading the blog for some time, you may have noticed that I have another spinach artichoke dip recipe on the blog. It’s one that’s designed for the stove top, where you soften the onions and garlic in butter and bring it together in no time. I wanted to take that same recipe and make it even easier to prepare for the holidays and that’s how today’s slow cooker spinach artichoke dip came amount. Don’t get me wrong, I still love and will continue to make the stove-top version when I want to unplug and stir something over a hot stove. But for game nights and when I’m expecting company for dinner and have a ton of other things taking up space on the stove, I’m going to pull out my slow cooker and put it to work. The best part about making slow cooker spinach artichoke dip is that you can serve it straight from the crockpot! Just turn the dial to the warm setting and stir it now and then. That’s it!
What usually goes into basic slow cooker spinach artichoke dip?
frozen spinach artichoke hearts cream cheese chopped onions parmesan cheese sour cream/ mayo
What makes this better than other slow cooker spinach artichoke dip recipes?
Aside from the ingredients we usually see in hot spinach artichoke dip recipes, I like to use a few key components to make this a more delicious dip. Here’s what else I suggest:
garlic red wine vinegar chopped pickled jalapeños feta cheese mozzarella red pepper flakes (optional)
Does it taste a lot like onions?
I know this may not be everyone, but some people just don’t care for the deep flavor of onion. If you fall into that category more often than not, I suggest sautéing your onions in a skillet with a tablespoon of butter before adding it to the slow cooker. I know, it’s an extra step, but this only applies to those people that usually despise onions. Everyone else can just add it all in a slow cooker and let it all hang out!
What if I don’t like spicy food, how can I make this milder?
First off, this dip is pretty mild! I used tamed pickled jalapeños which on a scale from 1-5 made this dip a 1 in the spice department for us, but everyone is different! If you’d like to make sure your spinach artichoke dip is suitable for everyone, I suggest omitting the red pepper flakes and swapping the chopped pickled jalapeños for a 4 ounce can of diced chilies. Diced chilies usually don’t add much heat but will still give this recipe that same flavor!
Can I make this lighter, if so, how?
Swap the regular mozzarella, for low fat. Same with the cream cheese. You can replace the sour cream and mayonnaise with Greek yogurt, or low-fat sour cream!
How long does it take to cook the spinach artichoke dip in the slow cooker?
Every slow cooker is different, but typically it’ll take anywhere for 2 ½ – 3 ½ hours. Keep in mind; the smaller you chop your onions, the quicker they’ll cook too so try to chop them very finely! If you’re unsure if the dip is done, don’t be shy, grab a chip and give it a taste, if the onion taste a little crunchy, just let it go for a little longer!
Do I need to watch the dip while it cooks?
It’s pretty hassle-free. However, I do suggest giving the ingredients a good stir every 30-45 minutes to make sure everything cooks up nice and evenly.
I’m expecting a large crowd, how can I make a larger batch? larger.
This batch of homemade dip fits perfectly in my 3-quart. If you would like to prepare a double batch, I suggest using a 6-quart slow cooker or larger and doubling all the ingredients listed.
Can I make this dip in advance and reheat it?
You can! It doesn’t take very long to make this. So I suggest making it fresh if possible. If you’d like to make this in advance, you can; be sure to bring the dip to room temperature, then place it in the slow cooker on ‘low’ or ‘warm’ until the dip heats all the way through.
Last tips for amazing slow cooker spinach artichoke dip:
Spray the inside of your slow cooker insert with cooking spray before adding the ingredients in to make sure nothing sticks! Serve this homemade dip with pita chips, toasted sliced bread, or tortilla chips!
Equipment you’ll need:
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if you feel the dip is thick once it’s cooked, feel free to add a couple additional tablespoons of half and half or milk to thin it to your liking. We found it perfect as is.
