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Spicy Southwestern Spinach Dip

5 from 6 votes

Spicy Southwestern Spinach Dip - a spicy warm spinach dip packed with flavor. Serve with bread, chips or crackers. Easily made ahead of time.

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Spicy Southwestern Spinach Dip | Savingdessert.com

 

Spicy Southwestern Spinach Dip – a spicy warm spinach dip packed with flavor. Serve with bread, chips or crackers. Easily mixed up ahead of time then baked when ready to serve.

This post makes me smile … because this spinach dip makes me happy.   This dip also makes other people happy, when I share it with them.  Spicy, cheesy deliciousness is always a great choice for kicking back watching football, or the last few baseball games of the season, or watching somebody (I live with) do yard work.  You don’t need a special occasion to enjoy this crazy good dip, any day is fine.

 

Spicy Southwestern Spinach Dip | Savingdessert.com

In addition to cream cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and a few other ingredients, it has a whole box of spinach mixed in!  Seriously good for you spinach – so this dip must be good for you, in some small way.  Use whole grain chips to scoop it up and there’ll be no regrets!

 

Spicy Southwestern Spinach Dip | Savingdessert.com

I divided the dip into three small baking pans.  Once I shot a few photos,  I took one pan to my son’s house down the street.  Even before I got home, two blocks away, I was getting text messages praising this as the best dip ever – super delicious, fantastic, etc.   Silly kids, maybe they forgot I’ve made this spinach dip many times before.   I’ve been making it for at least 20 years but perhaps I haven’t made it often enough!

 

Spicy Southwestern Spinach Dip | Savingdessert.com

This was one of the first recipes I posted on the blog almost 5 years ago.  The photos were so awful I thought it was time to do an update.  You’re now up to date!

 

Spicy Southwestern Spinach Dip

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Dip
Author: Tricia
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5 from 6 votes
This spicy warm spinach dip is packed with flavor. Serve with bread, chips or crackers. Easily mixed up ahead of time then baked when ready to serve.

Ingredients

  • 1 9 or 10 ounce Box of frozen chopped spinach thawed and drained
  • 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel Tomatoes (with green peppers), slightly drained (do not discard the liquid)
  • 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese grated, divided
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes divided (optional - more or less to taste)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
  • Thaw the chopped spinach and place in a colander to drain. Gently press the spinach with the back of a spoon to remove the excess water.
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, cilantro, onion, Rotel tomatoes, spinach, half the grated Monterey Jack cheese, and 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes. Mix on medium speed until combined. Add some of the reserved liquid from the tomatoes to thin if needed.
  • Pour into a greased casserole dish or 9-inch pie plate. Top with remaining Jack cheese and red pepper flakes if using.
  • Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and dip is bubbly.

Recipe Notes

Easily made ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition

Calories: 920kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 58g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 44g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Cholesterol: 204mg | Sodium: 1504mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4318IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 1748mg | Iron: 3mg

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Spicy Southwestern Spinach Dip - a spicy warm spinach dip packed with flavor. Serve with bread, chips or crackers. Easily mixed up ahead of time then baked when ready to serve. www.savingdessert.com

We adore cheesy dips in our house so this gorgeous Homemade Nacho Cheese Sauce is going on our table too!  Cheese and chips are always a great choice for an easy to share treat.

Here are a few more of our favorite appetizers you might like:

Have a terrific week and thanks so much for stopping by!

Tricia

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5 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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36 Comments

  2. Susan

    I’m so happy you posted this again since I didn’t know you and your blog then! Spinach dip is one of my favorite splurges and the flavors in this one are wonderful. So pretty in your All Clad bakers! I’ll be trying this at the first opportunity!

    Reply

  3. Colette

    I am getting ready to tailgate. I am going to make this in a cast iron skillet and cook it on the grill!! I bet the smokiness will make it even more delicious!!

    Reply

  8. Kennedy Cole| KCole's Creative Corner

    Just seeing all of that delicious cheese melting off the sides of that (gorgeous) pan, is making me want to dig right in! This, my friend, is comfort food at its finest! I love a good dip, and this one looks like a great one to try! Just let me wait until I can gather 10 other people together. That way, I don’t eat it all myself ;D

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Leftover dip is a good thing and this is actually very good spooned on top of scrambled eggs for breakfast – or smeared on toast or eaten right out of the pan. Yummy stuff. Hope you make it soon and I hope you love it. Thanks for stopping by Kennedy!

      Reply

  15. Monica

    There really is something magical about spinach dip, Tricia! Everyone loves it and if this is a recipe you’ve been making for 20 years, I seriously need to take a very close look. My fellas would love this while watching a game over the weekend. Plus, I love how you split it up into 3 pans and shared. That is very wise, and it certainly makes for some very happy recipients!

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      You are so right Monica – spinach dip is usually loved by one and all. I hope you will give it a try – this is really an outstanding recipe. I love to share – as I know you do too. If we lived closer I would share with you 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend. Rain is coming our way for a few days but I’m ready.

      Reply