At our house, a few holiday traditions are nonnegotiable, and Traeger Spinach Artichoke Dip is one of them. Fortunately, this rich, creamy appetizer is effortless to make year-round, and it’s every bit as good outside of the holidays. Grilling the dip adds a subtle char and wood-fired depth you don’t get from baking alone, but the recipe is flexible and simple enough to prepare in other ways when needed.
Traeger Spinach Artichoke Dip
This grilled spinach artichoke dip combines marinated artichoke hearts with a whole bag of baby spinach sautéed in garlic and butter. The spinach and artichokes are folded into a creamy base of cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo, then blended with several cheeses—mozzarella, Swiss, and Parmesan—to create a rich, savory dip with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Serve it warm with tortilla chips, sliced baguette, or sturdy crackers. Leftovers are excellent cold, spread on sandwiches, or stirred into scrambled eggs for a flavorful breakfast boost.
Should you grill or bake this dip?
Grilling is my preferred method because it adds a touch of browning and subtle wood-smoke flavor when using a pellet grill like a Traeger. If you don’t have a wood-pellet grill, baking in a conventional oven produces a delicious dip as well—though it will lack the grilled nuance. For parties, you can also keep the dip warm in a slow cooker, which makes it easy for guests to graze all evening.
More Easy Traeger Recipes
Tips for handling your spinach
If you use fresh spinach, rinse it thoroughly—sometimes twice—especially if it arrives loose in a bag. After washing and drying, remove tough stems from larger leaves; baby spinach typically doesn’t need stem removal because the stems are tender. Spinach stems are edible, but on larger leaves they can be fibrous and stringy, so trimming improves texture.
Frozen spinach is a fine substitute, but be sure to thaw it fully, drain well, and squeeze out excess moisture; frozen spinach contains a lot of water that will dilute the dip if not removed.
Can you use marinated artichokes for this recipe?
Yes—marinated artichoke hearts are a great choice and add a deeper, more complex flavor than plain canned artichokes. Marinated hearts are the tender inner portions of the globe artichoke prepared with oil, herbs, or vinegar, giving them a pleasant, mellow richness that works perfectly in a creamy dip. Feel free to mix marinated and plain canned artichokes if you want variety in texture and taste.
Reader Review
This was delicious—such amazing flavor!
– Lisa from Pinterest
More great appetizers to love
- Smoked Jalapeño Poppers
- Traeger Artichoke Dip
- Smoked Cream Cheese
- Traeger Hot Crab Dip
- Bacon Sausage Bites
- Smoked Garlic Pig Shots
- Smoked Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Traeger Beef Queso
- Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
- Smoked Salmon Dip
- Traeger Spicy Candied Bacon
- Easy Smoked Garlic Goat Cheese
Dinner ideas to try after this appetizer
After serving a hot, cheesy appetizer, round out the meal with one of these entrees: a wood-fired grilled beef roast, classic French dip sandwiches, or grilled salmon. Finish with a simple dessert collection to satisfy sweet cravings.
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Traeger Wood-Fired Spinach Artichoke Dip
This cheesy Traeger-style spinach artichoke dip blends sautéed spinach and artichoke hearts with a base of cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo, then folds in mozzarella and Parmesan for a bubbly, golden top. It’s ideal for entertaining or a cozy family gathering.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 6-ounce bag baby spinach
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 8-ounce block cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups chopped, drained artichoke hearts (marinated or canned)
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté about 10 seconds, then add the bag of baby spinach. Stir continuously for 1–2 minutes, until the spinach is wilted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, softened cream cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and fully combined.
- Roughly chop the artichoke hearts, then fold them into the cream cheese mixture along with the sautéed spinach.
- Stir in most of the cheeses, reserving ½ cup mozzarella and ½ cup Parmesan for the top. Transfer the mixture to a grill-safe baking dish lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle the reserved mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top. Preheat a wood-pellet grill to 325°F (if using), or preheat a conventional oven to 325°F.
- Place the dish on the grill or in the oven and bake with the lid closed (or oven door closed) for 20–25 minutes, until the cheeses are melted and the dip is hot and bubbly with a golden top.
- Serve hot with sliced baguette, tortilla chips, or your favorite crackers.
Nutrition Information
Yield: 12
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 338
Total Fat: 31g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Cholesterol: 54mg
Sodium: 720mg
Carbohydrates: 6g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 2g
Protein: 9g