Hot Spinach Dip

This is an easy dip to throw together if you have friends coming over (especially if you're like me and always have a huge bag of spinach in your fridge). What I love about it...no mayonnaise! I'm certainly not mayo's biggest fan. And it always seems like dips are packed full of mayo. Not this one. It's got so much flavor, from the sweetness of the sautéed onions to the tanginess of the cream cheese, and at the end of each bite there's a hint of heat from the paprika. I set this dip out for folks to snack on while I was making white chicken chili and I couldn't stop eating it! Dice some onions...bite of spinach dip...cook some chicken...bite of spinach dip...add green chilies to the pot...bite of spinach dip. I just couldn't help myself. Test your willpower and try it for yourself!

Hot Spinach Dip

• olive oil
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb. fresh spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 3 dashes hot sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

Drizzle a little olive oil in a pot, then heat to medium heat. Add spinach and cook until completely wilted. Drain the liquid from the spinach using a colander, press to ensure all excess liquid is drained.

Drizzle more olive oil in the pot. Sauté onions and garlic until onion is translucent and beginning to brown. Add milk and heat through. Stir in the cream cheese. 

Stir in wilted spinach, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Season dip with salt and pepper and stir in paprika. Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella. 

Bake dip for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot with crackers or pita chips.

Recipe adapted from Delish