The holiday season has arrived, and with it comes parties, potlucks, and reasons to get together with friends and family. If you’ve been tasked with making or taking an app to share at any of said celebrations, my Skinny Cheesy Spinach, Artichoke, and Mushroom Dip, a lighter yet totally decadent take on spinach and artichoke dip, will be a hit!
Most cheesy dips are absolute calorie bombs. I’ve polished off my fair share but when there’s a way to cut calories without sacrificing flavor, I’m all over it. In this pumped up skinny spinach and artichoke dip, 1/3 less-fat cream cheese is combined with plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise, which a lot of creamy dips call for, then accented with freshly grated parmesan cheese, garlic butter-sauted mushrooms, chopped spinach, and hearty artichokes. The mixture is scooped into a baking dish, sprinkled with a blanket of shredded mozzarella cheese, then baked until golden brown and bubbly. Skinny Cheesy Spinach, Artichoke, and Mushroom Dip is a delicious marriage of spinach and artichoke dip, and buttery party mushrooms, and is delicious served warm, or even room temperature so it’s perfect for setting out to let people graze on.
Start by combining 8oz 1/3 less-fat softened cream cheese, 4oz plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 2 Tablespoons milk, and 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt in a large mixing bowl.
Next melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet then add 8oz sliced mushrooms and 1 small shallot. Season with salt and pepper then saute until the mushrooms are golden brown and tender, 7-9 minutes. Add 3 cloves minced garlic then saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Meanwhile, squeeze the water out from 9oz frozen –> thawed chopped spinach in a clean kitchen towel.
Crumble the spinach into the skillet with the mushrooms then add 1 can roughly chopped quartered artichoke hearts, season with salt and pepper, and then toss until the spinach and artichokes are warmed through, about a minute.
Stir the mushroom mixture into the cream cheese mixture, taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary, then scoop into a nonstick sprayed 8×8 (or equivalent size) baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese then bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the top is melted and golden brown. Serve with crostini, crackers, crudite, or tortilla chips!
I’m telling you — creamy and decadent, but a littler lower in fat and calories. Plus, veggies! Enjoy!
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