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.
10ozfrozen spinachchopped or you can use fresh spinach
2tablespoonsbutterI used unsalted
1teaspoonoilI used avocado oil
2cupssweet cornI used frozen corn
4largegarlic clovesgrated
2tablespoonsall purpose flour
1 & ⅓cupmilkI used whole milk
2teaspoonsItalian seasoning
1teaspoonred chili flakesor add more to taste
½teaspoonblack pepperor to taste
½ to ¾teaspoonsaltadjust to taste
8ozcream cheese226 grams, at room temperature
1/2cuppepper jack cheesegrated
1 & ½cupscheddar cheesegrated, 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.