Turn leftovers into cheesy goodness with this adaptable spinach artichoke dip recipe

Let’s talk dips. Dips are a comfort food that we often forget about. When I began working from home, I found myself wanting to make something nice using the weird odds and ends in my fridge that needed to be consumed.

Dips are a creative way to use those vegetables that are approaching their expiration date, that small nub of cheese or that meat you just have to eat. The general anatomy of a dip is as follows: one part creamy fat, one part cheese, and whatever delicious meats or veggies you want. Bake and enjoy.

This simple yet classic spinach artichoke dip is a one-pot dish that can be thrown together in no time. Dips are also more versatile than you may think. I was able to eat off this for three days, first as a dip and then as a stuffing for pork chops and chicken breast.

After letting the dip cool off, or just using the raw mixture, you can easily use it to stuff meat or vegetables like mushrooms. Dive into your fridge and use that leftover cheese or almost wilted veggies and make a delicious dip that can be used in a variety of ways.

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SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

Makes: 10-12 servings

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 10 ounces spinach (if frozen, dry as much as possible) 
• 9 ounces artichoke hearts, chopped (if from a jar, drain the liquid) 
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, chopped up 
• 1 cup sour cream (or mayonnaise) 
• 5 cloves garlic, minced 
• ½ medium onion, chopped 
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce of your choice (I use Tabasco) 
• 2 cups mozzarella 
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan (don’t be afraid to mix and match; goudas, cheddars and other cheeses all work) 

STEPS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease oven-safe dish, like a cast iron, with neutral oil or butter. 
3. Combine spinach, artichoke hearts, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic, onion and hot sauce in a large bowl. Add 1 ½ cups mozzarella and ¼ cup Parmesan. Set aside the remainder of the mozzarella and Parmesan. 
4. Mix.
5. Pour the mixture into a prepared dish.
6. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove and stir. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
7. Remove from oven. Then turn the oven to the low broil setting. Stir one more time. Make sure the cream cheese is melted and combined. 
8. Top with the remainder of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
9. Serve with chips, pita or toasted bread. 

Don’t forget: If you have leftovers, you can use them to stuff meats or vegetables.