Healthy Spinach Dip (No Mayo)
Made with nutrient-packed spinach, protein-rich Greek yogurt, and flavorful herbs and spices, this Healthy Spinach Dip is both delicious and good for you!
Creamy, Delicious & Healthy Spinach Dip
Spinach Dip is a favorite appetizer at our house. It’s creamy and savory and has a delicious way of improving pretty much anything we’ve dunked in it. Full Disclaimer: Our dippers were mostly of the bread and produce variety. I can almost say with certainty- although this hasn’t been tested- Oreo cookies would not be improved by the addition of spinach dip. However if you are brave enough to attempt this combination and find it wildly delicious, please let us know.
Back to this dip. As delicious as it was, healthy it was not. So I did what I do and made a few changes. Less cream cheese, removed the mayonnaise completely, and replaced it with Greek Yogurt. Then I seasoned it liberally, stirred in some nutrient-packed spinach and crunchy water chestnuts and this Healthy Spinach Dip was born. The Greek yogurt adds a tangy flavor that I absolutely love, and it’s every bit as delicious as the calorie-dense original. If you’re looking for holiday appetizer, potluck offering, or weekday veggie-improver, you’ve come to the right place. Our Healthy Spinach Dip is creamy, tangy, flavorful, and delicious. And did I mention easy?
Ingredients You’ll Need for this Healthy Spinach Dip:
- Cream Cheese– We use regular, full fat cream cheese in this recipe.
- Greek Yogurt– We like to use whole milk Greek yogurt.
- Spinach– I like to buy fresh spinach and throw it in the freezer for smoothies. It’s perfect for this dip!
- Water Chestnuts– These have a very mild flavor, but add a delicious crunch.
- Onion & Garlic Powder– Using powdered ingredients here add a delicious, more intense flavor.
- Dried Parsley– You can also use fresh.
- Sea Salt– You can also add ground pepper to taste.
How to Make Creamy Spinach Dip:
- Prep the ingredients. Defrost the spinach and squeeze out excess moisture with a clean kitchen towel. Give the spinach a rough chop. Finely dice the water chestnuts.
- Beat the creamy ingredients. Add softened cream cheese to a medium sized mixing bowl. Beat with a handheld electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the greek yogurt and the seasonings; beat until well combined.
- Add the spinach. Add the spinach and water chestnuts and stir until combined.
- Chill. Chill the spinach dip for at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
- Serve. Serve spinach dip with crackers, bread cubes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sugar snap peas, or anything else you can think of!
Tips & Suggestions
How long does Healthy Spinach Dip last in the fridge? Leftover Spinach Dip will last for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
What should I serve with spinach dip? Pretty much everything we have dipped in this creamy, savory dip has been exceptionally delicious. Here are some of our favorites:
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Sugar Snap Peas
- Sliced Bell Peppers
- Sliced Radishes
- Bagel Chips
- Assorted Crackers
- Fresh Bread Chunks
- Pretzels
Substitutions & Variations: This is a pretty forgiving recipe, so feel free to play with the different ingredients or replace them to fit your taste. Sour cream, mayonnaise, or dairy substitutes can all be used, just try to keep the amount roughly the same. You can also play with the flavor profile by adding ingredients like crumbled bacon, diced jalapeños, or chopped artichokes.
Wrap it up! Try using leftover spinach dip for sandwiches! Spread spinach dip on a tortilla and top with rotisserie chicken or sliced turkey. Add assorted vegetables as desired, then roll it up and serve.
More Delicious Dip Recipes:
Healthy Spinach Dip
Ingredients
- 8 ounces frozen spinach defrosted and drained
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 8 ounce can water chestnuts drained and diced
Instructions
- Place the frozen spinach in a strainer. Run warm water over it until the spinach is defrosted. Squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach with paper towel or a clean kitchen towel until it is mostly dry. I like to chop the spinach at this point into small pieces, because no one likes to take a bit bite of a spinach clump!
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Add Greek yogurt, salt, onion and garlic powder, and dried parsley. Mix until combined.
- Add chopped spinach, and diced water chestnuts and stir until everything is well combined. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until you are ready to serve.
- Serve with crackers, bread cubes, and your favorite fresh veggies. Enjoy!
Nutrition
www.superhealthykids.com
Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
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I didn’t have greek yogurt so I substituted 2 cups of blended cottage cheese. I also added dried onions on top of the onion powder and a splash of sun dried tomato oil. Will make this again!