One ageless dip that’s always a favorite at most parties is spinach artichoke dip. Using them as an appetizer at any and every event never gets old, as spinach artichoke dips are a favorite of party guests of any age.
Although spinach artichoke dips are delicious, making them can be very time-consuming. So most times, I love to prepare them ahead of time, as it is a lot easier to make in advance.
Most times you can also find that you’ve made way too much dip than you originally planned to make. Then there’s a need to preserve the dip for later use so that it can still stay fresh for your next party.
Freezing the spinach artichoke dip is always my go-to method for preserving my dips. And when I don’t properly, it can stay frozen and fresh for a long time, up to 2 to 3 months.
Spinach artichoke dip can be frozen, and when frozen, it can stay fresh for a long time. Whether you prepared the artichoke dip for a party, you’ve cooked it already, or plan to bake it later in the future, freezing it can help maintain its freshness and extend its shelf life.
If properly frozen, your spinach artichoke dip, whether unbaked or baked, can stay fresh, rich, and very tasty for as long as 2 to 4 months.
Stay tuned for more information on how to freeze your spinach artichoke dip and preserve it so that it stays fresh and safe.
Proper Way to Freeze Spinach Artichoke
After making your spinach artichoke dip, before freezing it, you’ll have to find a freezer-safe container that is airtight and won’t crack because of your freezer’s temperature. This is to make sure your dip is safe from both air and moisture.
After that, ensure your dip is in an airtight container, you can proceed to put it in the freezer to be frozen. In the case you can get a container that is airtight, you can always use a resealable bag that is properly closed to keep away air and moisture.
Most times, people wrap their spinach artichoke dips in aluminum pans in place of containers and resealable bags. Whichever you use is dependent on the quantity of spinach artichoke dip you make, and the size of packaging you have around.
In any case, always make sure that the container is airtight and vacuum-sealed to prevent air or moisture from corrupting your dip. These two things can affect the freshness and integrity of the dip.
Normally, if this is done properly, your spinach artichoke dip can last as long as 2 months or even 3 months.
Why is Freezing Spinach Artichoke Dip Hard?
There are several reasons freezing spinach artichoke dip might be difficult. Most times this can be a result of the contents of the dip. Other times it can be from your preparation method.
You may be wondering, how do the contents of the dip affect the dip. Well, generally, sour cream or mayonnaise is the contents of a spinach artichoke dip.
These two substances are very hard to freeze, hence making freezing the dip very difficult.
So, if you plan on freezing your spinach artichoke dip as a means of storing it, then you will need to use alternatives to these two substances.
Don’t worry, the alternatives will not affect the integrity of the dip or affect the taste. In fact, it will give you dip a unique taste different from most spinach artichoke dips.
The alternatives to sour cream and mayonnaise that can be used in making spinach artichoke dips are:
- Parmesan cheese
- Milk
- Cream cheese, or
- Heavy cream.
In some cases, after switching these substances, you might notice that freezing your dip is still difficult. In this case, you have to ensure that you allow your spinach artichoke dip to completely cool down before putting it in the freezer.
Thawing Frozen Spinach Artichoke Dip
Congratulations! You now know how to freeze your spinach artichoke dip. But how do you defrost it when it is time to use it?
Don’t worry! That, too, is not a problem. Thawing frozen spinach artichoke dip is as easy as freezing the spinach artichoke dip.
When it is time to serve your dip, you just have to heat and reheat it till it completely thaws out. This is quite easy.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to go through the stress of reheating the dip, you can place the spinach artichoke dip in a crockpot and heat it until the dip is thawed out completely.
For me, I most times leave my spinach artichoke dip in my crockpot till it’s completely thawed out and gooey once again. As a secret between cooks, leaving my spinach artichoke dip in my pot helps to retain the dip’s warmth for my guests. You should try that too.
How to Make Spinach Artichoke Dip
Many people have different methods of making spinach artichoke dips. Just in case you don’t know how to, I’ll be glad to show you how I make mine.
One little secret, spinach artichoke dip is one way to get your kids to eat their vegetables. Call it a trick or not, but the gooeyness and the deliciousness are enough to make them love their spinach.
So, what do you need to make a delicious and gooey spinach artichoke dip?
If you’re freezing your spinach artichoke dip, you have to remember not to use mayonnaise or sour cream.
The ingredients for this freezable spinach artichoke dip are:
- Greek yogurt
- Cream Cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Frozen spinach
- Artichoke hearts
- Parmesan cheese
- Garlic
Once you have all these ingredients, your dip will be ready in no time.
Now, let’s look at the instructions for making spinach artichoke dip.
Making spinach artichoke dip
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- While your oven is heating, spray the baking dish you’ll be using with some vegetable oil. This will make sure your dip does not stick to the baking dish.
- Pour your Greek yogurt into a bowl together with your softened cream cheese and mix. Softened cream cheese is better because it is easier to mix than hard ones.
- Add the remaining cheeses to the bowl and continue mixing
- Add the artichoke hearts to the mix. The canned artichoke hearts are the easiest to use. But before using them, you have to drain the artichoke hearts.
- Before now, you must have already thawed your frozen spinach. There are many ways to defrost frozen spinach, but leaving them in the fridge overnight is one of the best methods.
- After defrosting your spinach, drain it as much as possible in a strainer while pressing down on it. You can also squeeze the water out of it; if you feel draining it would be too time-consuming.
- After draining the spinach, chop it into smaller bits and add them to the mix.
- Then add your garlic, mix a little more and pour into the baking dish you have already greased.
- Make sure you spread the mixture out evenly in the dish before taking it into the oven.
- Heat in the oven for up to 30 minutes, bring out the spinach artichoke dip and allow to cool.
Your spinach artichoke dip is ready to be served. You can serve the dip with pretzels, vegetables, crackers, bread, and even tortilla chips. It is always going to be delicious no matter what you eat it with.
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