Baked Spinach Corn Dip
Nov 20, 2023
If you are looking for a crowd pleasing dip for your next party, then look no further than this Baked Spinach Corn Dip! Serve with crackers, veggies and it will be perfect for entertaining.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Looking for a crowd pleasing vegetarian appetizer to serve at Thanksgiving? Try this cheesy baked Spinach Corn Dip! I use frozen cut spinach to make this dip which makes the process so easy. Topped with cheese, this dip is baked and then served hot with crackers, baguettes, mini garlic breads and more.
Dips are always a hit at festive parties, whether it’s my whipped paneer dip or the chaat dip, they are always the first to get wiped clean. This cheesy Spinach Corn Dip is another crowd favorite! This dip is inspired from one of my favorite sandwiches, Spinach Corn Sandwich. My mom used to make this sandwich for us when we were kids. She just used milk in the filling and it used to be one of my favorite sandwiches. I think she loved sneaking in greens through this sandwich because we never complained when we got to eat spinach like this!
I have used the same sandwich base for this dip. So, for the filling, we sauté some corn and spinach and then make it like a sauce by adding milk and seasonings and then add lots of cheese and bake it. It’s very creamy and rich and if you love the flavor of spinach and corn together then you will love this dip!
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
- It is easy to make and great for entertaining.
- Uses frozen spinach and frozen corn which cuts short the prep time.
- It is super cheesy and creamy making it an instant hit!
- Can be served with lot of things like crackers, toasted baguette, veggies and more!
Ingredients
Spinach: I love using frozen chopped spinach for this recipe. It reduces the prep time so much and the dip comes together in a pinch. You just have to squeeze all the water from the spinach before you add it to the dip, so don’t skip on that step. You can use fresh spinach, but you would need to steam or sauté it first until the leaves wilt. Then let it cool down, squeeze water and then chop it fine.
Corn: again I love using frozen corn for this recipe. Boil the corn for 10 minutes and then drain using a colander.
Seasonings: to flavor the dip, I have used Italian seasoning and some crushed red chili flakes. You can also use some fresh herbs like parsley.
Cheese: for this spinach corn dip, I have used pepper jack and cheddar cheese. But it really depends on your preference. Parmesan would be good here and so would be mozzarella. My only recommendation would be to get a block of cheese and then grate it yourself. The pre-grated cheese doesn’t don’t melt as nicely and has a chalky kind of taste which I don’t like.
How to Make Spinach Corn Dip
Before you start, thaw 10 oz frozen spinach (I used frozen chopped spinach) according to instructions on the package and then squeeze it to remove all the excess water from it. You can also sauté the spinach for 2 minute in a pan to dry it out but squeezing tightly using a muslin cloth or your hands should usually be enough. If using fresh spinach, steam or sauté the spinach first until the leaves wilt. Then let it cool down, squeeze water from it and then chop it fine. Also, preheat your oven to 375 F degrees.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 teaspoon of oil to a pan on medium heat. Once the butter melts, add 2 cups corn kernels to it. I used frozen corn which I boiled for 10 minutes before adding to the pan.
- Sauté the corn for 2 minutes and then add the 10 oz thawed & squeezed frozen spinach to the pan along with 4 cloves of finely grated/chopped garlic.
- Stir until the spinach, garlic and corn are well combined. Then add 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour and stir and cook for around 1&1/2 minutes.
- Now, add 1 &1/3 cup milk (I used whole milk) and stir using a wire whisk. Then add 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon crushed chili flakes (or more to taste), 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of salt (to taste).
- Cook the mixture for around 3 minutes, stirring often on medium heat until it thickens and becomes like paste. Remove the pan from heat.
- Transfer the spinach and corn mixture to an 8-inch square pan. To that add, 8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature), 1/2 cup of grated pepper jack cheese and 1/2 cup of grated medium cheddar cheese. You can use other cheeses like parmesan, mozzarella here as well.
- Using a spatula mix until everything is well combined.
- Top with the remaining 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese and bake at 375 F degrees for 20 minutes or until the cheese melts. You can also broil for 1 to 2 minutes if you want some brown spots on top of the melted cheese. Serve immediately with crackers, sliced and toasted baguette and more.
Serving Suggestions
I like serving this dip with pita chips, crackers and some bite sized garlic bread/toast. You can slice a baguette and toast it and serve that along with this dip as well. Also some veggies like carrots, celery, broccoli would go well with this dip.
Can You Make The Dip In Advance?
You can assemble the dip in advance. So, if you have a party tomorrow, you can assemble the dip today in your baking dish, top with cheese, cover and place it in the refrigerator. Then on the day you want to serve it, take it out of the refrigerator and place it in the oven and bake. I will probably add a couple of minutes to the baking time. You can definitely assemble the dish 12 hours in advance but once baked, serve it immediately for best taste.
Expert Tips
- It’s important to squeeze all the water from the spinach before you add it to the pan. The frozen spinach has a lot of moisture once it is thawed. Press using your hands, or press between paper towels. But you should remove the moisture before adding the spinach to the pan.
- Fresh spinach can be used, you would need to cook it first by steaming or sauteing until the leaves wilt. Make sure to remove excess water from the spinach once it’s cooked by pressing with your hands and then chop it fine and use in the recipe.
- This spinach corn dip is obviously very rich and creamy. If you want to cut down on the calories, you can use low fat cheese and low fat cream cheese.
Baked Spinach Corn Dip
Ingredients
- 10 oz frozen spinach chopped or you can use fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons butter I used unsalted
- 1 teaspoon oil I used avocado oil
- 2 cups sweet corn I used frozen corn
- 4 large garlic cloves grated
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 & ⅓ cup milk I used whole milk
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes or add more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 8 oz cream cheese 226 grams, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese grated
- 1 & ½ cups cheddar cheese grated, divided, I used medium cheddar
Instructions
- I have used frozen chopped spinach for this recipe. So before you start working on the recipe, thaw the spinach according to instructions on the package and then squeeze out all the water from the spinach by pressing it between your palms or pressing it in between a muslin cloth. If using fresh spinach, steam or sauté the spinach first until the leaves wilt, then let it cool down, squeeze water and chop fine.
- Heat butter and a little bit of oil in a pan on medium heat. Add corn (I used frozen corn which I boiled for 10 minutes before adding in the recipe) and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the thawed spinach along with the garlic and mix until combined.
- Now, add a couple of tablespoons of all purpose flour and stir and cook for around 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the milk and stir using a wire whisk. Add the Italian seasoning, crushed red chili flakes, salt and pepper and mix everything until well combined.
- Cook this mixture on medium heat until it thickens and becomes like a paste, around 3 minutes. Transfer this to your 8-inch square baking dish. Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees.
- To that add, cream cheese, grated pepper jack cheese and 1/2 cup of grated medium cheddar cheese. You can use other cheese like parmesan, mozzarella here as well. Using a spatula mix until everything is well combined.
- Top with the remaining 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese and bake at 375 F degrees for 20 minutes or until the cheese melts. You can also broil for 1 to 2 minutes if you want some brown spots on top of the melted cheese. Serve immediately with crackers, pita chips and more!
Notes
- It’s important to squeeze all the water from the spinach before you add it to the pan. The frozen spinach has a lot of moisture once it is thawed. Press using your hands, or press between paper towels. But you should remove the moisture before adding the spinach to the pan.
- Fresh spinach can be used, you would need to cook it first by steaming or sauteing until the leaves wilt. Make sure to remove excess water from the spinach once it’s cooked by pressing with your hands and then chop it fine and use in the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
