Published: · Modified: by Bridget · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments
I adapted this Spinach Dip recipe from Amy Wisniewski/Chow's FRESH version of the well-loved dip many of us are familiar with.
I can assure you the small amount of extra effort is well worth it!
The delicious end result is a dip with a delicate texture bursting with flavor.
This spinach dip goes well with sliced baguettes, or any variety of crackers. Because this dip is so flavorful, I recommend crackers with subtle seasonings so that the dip remains the main attraction. Carr's water crackers are perfect!
For a beautiful presentation (easy to clean up after too!), hollow out a round loaf of sourdough bread and fill with the dip.
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Recipe Summary: This FRESH version of the well-loved dip from the back of the vegetable soup mix box is well worth the small amount of extra effort! The end result is a dip with a delicate texture bursting with flavor. This dip is great with sliced baguettes, or any variety of crackers. Because this dip is so flavorful, I recommend crackers with subtle seasons so as not to detract from the dip. Enjoy!
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
½ cup Finely shredded carrot
3-4 Medium Garlic cloves (finely chopped)
2 Tablespoons Onion (minced)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt ((or more, to taste))
½ teaspoon Black pepper (coursely ground (or more, to taste))
20oz Baby spinach (washed (of course!))
1 cup Sour cream
1 cup Mayo
2 Teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
1 Teaspoon Fresh lemon juice
Note
This delicious spinach dip recipe is adapted from one I found on Chow.com. I've been making spinach dip for years, but using fresh baby spinach in place of frozen, chopped spinach makes all the difference! If you've got a few extra moments, I highly recommend using fresh.
Enjoy! -- The Recipe Wench
Directions
Step 1
Heat oil over medium heat in a skillet (one with straight sides is going to accommodate the ingredients better)
Step 2
Add carrot, onion, garlic salt and pepper.
Step 3
Saute until vegetables have softened. The onions and garlic will be deliciously fragrant!
Step 4
Scoot this mixture into a large bowl and set aside.
Step 5
To the skillet, add one-half the spinach, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Step 6
Once the spinach starts to wilt, add the remaining spinach, season with a bit more salt and pepper.
Step 7
As soon as the spinach is wilted, pour the spinach into a colander to drain and cool off.
Step 8
When spinach is cool enough to handle, gentle squeeze out as much moisture as you can. I do this in small handfuls.
Step 9
Finely chop the spinach and add it to the carrot/onion/garlic mixture. Stir to break up clumps of spinach.
Step 10
Stir in sour cream, mayo, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.
Step 11
Cover and store in fridge while flavors "marry."
Step 12
Taste test and adjust seasonings prior to serving.
The recipe calls for frozen chopped spinach that has been cooked, cooled, and squeezed dry. I have never bothered with cooking the spinach for this dip and I love how it tastes. I just thaw the spinach and turn it out onto a newly washed clean towel, right next to the sink.
Young spinach leaves, or baby spinach as it's often called, can be served raw in smoothies or salads, matching well with sharp or citrus-based dressings and ingredients. As well as the fresh leaves, you can also buy spinach frozen, usually finely chopped and frozen into small blocks.
One package (10 ounces) of frozen spinach leaves yields about 1-1/2 cups after cooking. Therefore, you can substitute 1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach leaves for 1-1/2 pounds of fresh spinach.
Even better, one cup of frozen spinach has more than four times the amount of nutrients, including iron, vitamin C and calcium, compared to a cup of fresh spinach.
It depends on the water content. A cup of fresh spinach is about an ounce. A can of spinach 13.5oz should net you about 13 to 14 cups. So 10 oz should be about 10 cups.
I've been making spinach dip for years, but using fresh baby spinach in place of frozen, chopped spinach makes all the difference! If you've got a few extra moments, I highly recommend using fresh.
Add to a soup or stew frozen — there's no need to thaw — though the leaves may add some extra liquid. For everything else, thaw the spinach overnight in the fridge or thaw in a bowl by running cold water over the bag until thawed. Squeeze out excess moisture.
Baby spinach tends to turn slimy and mushy when cooked. Regular spinach keeps a more palatable texture. If you're looking for a more flavorful option, choose regular spinach. And, remember, spinach is for more than salads!
There are two types of spinach sold at the market. Baby leaves, which are more delicate and perfect raw in salads, and thicker more mature leaves, which are still great for salads but also great for cooking. For more mature, curly leaves, remove any thick, tough stems. Baby spinach stems do not need to be removed.
To cook fresh spinach in boiling water, place 1 pound of washed spinach, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water. If you're wondering how long to boil spinach, it should only take a few minutes. Once the steam starts to foam, begin your timer. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender.
Fresh spinach can be substituted for frozen once you understand how to calculate the substitution! Commercially frozen spinach is usually chopped then boiled or blanched and flash frozen, resulting in the kind of texture that goes well in soups, spinach dips, casseroles and egg dishes.
One pound of spinach (with the stems still attached) is about two large bundles or bouquets, each only slightly too large to wrap one hand around. Think about holding the contents of two boxes of spaghetti in your hands; that's about the size of one bundle.
One pound of fresh spinach will produce about 10 cups of torn raw leaves. If you only need about 1 cup of raw spinach, then you would only need to purchase 1.5 to 2 ounces. Be aware of how much spinach shrinks during cooking!
Blanching spinach before freezing helps preserve the colour and taste for longer as it delays the enzymatic process that leads to decay, however, it's not so good at retaining the nutrients. Blanching spinach before freezing also means that it will last a lot longer in the freezer, for up to a year.
Vegetables that are frozen shortly after being harvested will have more nutrients than spinach leaves that are fresh, and the great thing about them is that they have an enhanced flavour and texture profile too. Whether you opt for frozen or fresh spinach in your spinach smoothie, it doesn't really matter.
Pre-processing, frozen and canned spinach are very similar and possess the same nutrients or near equivalent to fresh. It's how they are processed that affects these levels. Canned spinach requires much more processing than frozen, affecting its color, taste, and nutritional value.
Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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