Easy baked gluten free spinach artichoke dip with breadcrumbs is the perfect crowd-pleasing gluten free potluck appetizer, perfect for every holiday party. It is gluten free, dairy free, and has a vegan option!
This post is sponsored by Schar. All opinions are my own.
Is spinach artichoke dip gluten free?
Is spinach artichoke dip gluten free? The answer is it really depends. Many spinach artichoke dips are naturally gluten free, but some may be made with a roux (flour toasted in butter) to thicken them, or may have breadcrumbs on top.
So while may spinach artichoke dips are gluten-free, not all are so you always have to ask the person who prepared it, or check the label.
I love the golden buttery breadcrumbs on top, so I made my own gluten free spinach artichoke dip with gluten free breadcrumbs.
What goes with spinach dip?
You really can eat anything you want with spinach artichoke dip! My favorites are crackers, and toasted baguette.
You can also dip veggies in your veggie dip, if that is your thing. Sometimes I'll also dip tortilla chips in my spinach dip.
Today I ate Schar's Entertainment Crackers and Schar's Table Crackers with my gluten free spinach artichoke dip.
Next time, I'm totally going to toast up one of Schar's gluten-free baguettes, too!
Schar's crackers have a great taste and texture. I honestly eat them plain. And I pack them in my kids' school lunches. They are great for every occasion, and are perfect for Entertaining.
Last year I made a Cranberry Cream Cheese and Honey Dip that I brought to a holiday party with Schar's Crackers. Everyone loved them!
What do you need to make gluten free spinach artichoke dip with breadcrumbs?
Most of the ingredients you need to make spinach artichoke dip are probably in your fridge and pantry right now!
I feel like most freezers have a package of frozen spinach. If you also have a can of artichokes and some cream cheese on hand, you most-likely are ready to start mixing it up.
Before making your spinach artichoke dip, grab:
- 1 bag of frozen spinach
- 1 can of artichokes (I used quartered, so I didn't have to chop them.)
- minced garlic (I have some already minced in my fridge. You can also mince up some fresh garlic, or you can use garlic powder instead.)
- cream cheese (I used dairy free cream cheese)
- mayo (you can use an egg-free or vegan mayo. Mayo is dairy free. Eggs don't come from a cow.)
- lemon juice. I just used a bit from the bottle in my fridge. The acidity gives your dip a good balance, so it isn't too rich.
- Some cheese. Mozzarella and Parmesan are my favorite. You can use less, or more, to make it just how you liked it. (I used dairy free mozzarella.)
- Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs. I used Schar's Breadcrumbs, which have a really fine and even texture, and rich toasty color.
- Butter for your breadcrumbs (I used vegan plant-based butter, to make my dairy free spinach artichoke dip)
How do you make spinach artichoke dip gluten free?
The only thing that isn't naturally gluten free in my spinach dip recipe is the breadcrumbs. Most other ingredients should be gluten-free, but always double check the ingredients.
I made my spinach artichoke dip using dairy free cream cheese, butter, and cheese, but you can use regular cream cheese, butter, and cheese if you don't have to avoid dairy. I've made this recipe with dairy before.
Can you make vegan spinach artichoke dip?
You can absolutely make vegan spinach artichoke dip! The spinach dip I made for these pictures is dairy free, but I did use regular mayo since our family isn't strictly plant-based.
We are lucky to live in a world where there are tons of vegan and plant based mayonnaise products. You can use your favorite instead of the mayo in the recipe to make vegan spinach artichoke dip.
I used vegan cream cheese, plant-based butter, and vegan mozzarella to make this dip, so it was dairy free. Just also use a vegan mayo, and your spinach artichoke dip will be vegan, too!
How do you make spinach artichoke dip dairy free?
Making a dairy free spinach artichoke dip is much harder than making a gluten free spinach artichoke dip. I mean, half the list of ingredients is dairy-full.
I really wanted to make my spinach dip dairy free so my daughter could eat it with us. I used dairy free cream cheese spread, and vegan mozzarella cheese in the dip, and plant-based vegan butter for the breadcrumbs.
There are some great shredded dairy-free parmesan cheeses on the market, I just didn't have one on hand so I only used mozzarella.
The amount of cheese in this recipe is variable. You can use anywhere between half cup and 1 cup of cheese.
I used half cup of the vegan mozzarella, but my favorite combo is half a cup of mozzarella-style cheeze and half a cup of parmesan-style cheeze. It gives it a creamy texture, and a great flavor.
How do you make baked spinach artichoke dip with breadcrumbs?
This spinach artichoke dip is a quick and easy recipe. I wanted to mix my spinach artichoke dip all up in one bowl, adding all ingredients and then mixing them together!
But before you dump it all in, there a few things you need to do.
Before adding your spinach, you do want to be sure to thaw it, and squeeze out all the liquid. I put my frozen spinach in a large mixing bowl, and thawed it in the microwave. Then, I scraped it all into a colander lined with paper towels. I then gathered up the spinach, rolled up inside the paper towel, and squeezed as much liquid out as I could! The spinach will be much smaller by volume after thawing and draining.
You'll also need to drain your artichoke hearts. I used a can of quartered artichoke hearts, and thoroughly drained them. There is no need to chop them finer, they break down as you mix your gluten free dairy free spinach artichoke dip.
Once your spinach and artichokes are drained, you really can just dump all the dip ingredients (so everything except the butter and gluten free breadcrumbs) into the bowl. And then mix it up!
It will also be easier to mix your spinach artichoke dip if your cream cheese is softened. Mine was a little firm still and didn't mix in as smoothly as I wanted. I just popped the whole bowl in my microwave and nuked it for 30-60 seconds and then my cream cheese stirred in smoothly.
Be sure to taste your spinach artichoke dip, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sometimes I'll add a tiny pinch of nutmeg, too. It goes so well with spinach! I didn't give exact measurements for the seasoning, because so much depends on how salty your cheese is, and what mayo you use. Some are more seasoned, and your dip won't need as much salt.
Spoon your dip into an oven-safe serving dish, and then pull out your gluten free breadcrumbs.
Can I make spinach artichoke dip on the stovetop?
You can make this recipe on the stove-top if you don't have a microwave.
Start by sauteing your garlic in a little olive oil You can saute the spinach with a little olive oil to thaw it, and evaporate all the liquid. (You could also use fresh spinach, sauteed in oil if you prefer.)
You could also thaw your spinach at room temperature, and then drain it and add it to your skillet with the garlic.
Add the artichokes, cream cheese and lemon juice. Mix until smooth, and then turn off the heat.
Stir in the mayo after you turn off the heat. (If you add it too early while the pan is too hot, it can split and get greasy).
I like to add the mozzarella and parmesan very last. I'm not trying to melt it into the dish, like when I'm making gluten free mac and cheese. I like for the cheese to have the chance to melt in little pockets after I mix it.
Finally, and this is important, taste your spinach artichoke dip and season it to taste with salt and pepper.
Butter your gluten free breadcrumbs
The buttered breadcrumbs on top of this baked spinach artichoke dip makes it truly special.
I melted the butter in a separate small bowl, and mixed it with the gluten free breadcrumbs.
You also could sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top, and then drizzle them with butter.
I mixed them together because I wanted to make sure all of the breadcrumbs were buttery, and didn't want any pools of butter on the top of my spinach artichoke dip.
If you aren't putting everything in tiny bowls for a pretty picture, you'll have minimal dishes!
I didn't want to pull out a bowl, skillet, cutting board, and the full nine-yards. There is minimal measuring, too. I mostly eyeballed everything, and adjusted the seasoning to taste.
Can you heat up cold spinach and artichoke dip?
Whether or not you heat up your spinach artichoke dip is a personal choice. Most spinach artichoke dips are great cold, or warm.
You can serve this spinach artichoke dip cold, or add the bread crumbs and heat it up.
If you want a lighter cold spinach artichoke dip, I have a recipe for spinach artichoke dip with greek yogurt that I love. It has red bell pepper, and water chestnuts in it too, which give it great flavor and a little crisp bite.
How to bake spinach artichoke dip?
To bake your spinach artichoke dip, spread it in an oven-safe serving dish, top it with the buttered bread crumbs (if you so choose) and then bake it at 350°f for 20-25 minutes, or until it is bubbly and warm.
If you make your spinach artichoke dip ahead of time, and want to heat it up just before serving, pull it out of the fridge at least an hour before you put it in the oven. Or put it in a cold oven, and then turn the oven on. If you put a cold dish directly into the hot oven it may shatter!
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Spinach Artichoke Dip with Breadcrumbs
Easy Gluten free spinach artichoke dip with breadcrumbs, hot and bubbly and easily made dairy free and vegan.
Ingredients
- 1, 16oz package frozen spinach
- 1, 14.5 oz can quartered artichokes
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1, 8 oz package dairy free cream cheese
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup dairy free mozzarella
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter
- ½ cup gluten free breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Thaw and squeeze all the liquid out of the spinach. I placed my spinach in a large microwave safe bowl and heated in 30 second increments until it was thawed, and then drained it in a colander lined with paper towels. The, I gathered up the spinach int the paper towel and squeezed with my hands until I got out as much moisture as I could. Place it back in the bowl.
- Drain the artichokes thoroughly and add to the spinach
- Add the lemon juice, minced garlic, cream cheese (I used dairy free cream cheese), and mayo and mix until evenly combined. If necessary, heat in 30 second increments in the microwave to soften the cream cheese.
- Add the mozzarella, and/or parmesan. You can use ½-1 cup of cheese in total, and dairy free cheese works great. My favorite it to use half mozzarella, half parmesan.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. and spread evenly in an oven-safe serving dish.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter (I used vegan butter) in 30 second increments in the microwave. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to evenly coat. Sprinkle the buttered bread crumbs on top ot the dip.
- If you are making the dip ahead of time, cover in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Be sure to let come to room temperature before baking so your dish doesn't shatter in the oven.
- Before serving, bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly, and the bread crumbs are golden.
Notes
Choose your favorite combo of mozzarella and parmesan, or use your favorite italian cheeses. Asiago would also work great! You can use anywhere from half a cup to one cup of cheese to make your dip just how you like it.
This recipe works great with regular cream cheese, parmesan and mozzarella, or you can use dairy free cream cheese, and dairy free parmesan and mozzarella. To make dairy free, use a vegan butter for the gluten free breadcrumbs, too.
To make vegan, use dairy free cream cheese, parmesan, mozzarella, and butter in addition to a vegan mayo.
Serve with gluten-free crackers, gluten free baguette, or your favorite cut veggies.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 362Total Fat 31gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 50mgSodium 424mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 6gSugar 3gProtein 8g
All nutrition info is a guestimate and will vary depending on the ingredients you use.