Happiness Is:
Meeting an old friend after a long time and feeling like nothing has changed.
Hot and melty artichoke dip may not be the kind of friend I can hang out with, but when this recipe resurfaced after a couple years on the shelf, the friendship has been renewed and strengthened.
In a different season of life, my path intertwined often with a wonderful friend named Carol. She inspired me to be a better hostess (gatherings at her home were incredible!), provided sanity (and grown-up conversation!) at my daughter’s birthday parties, and reminded me just how great it is to laugh.
One dish that was served often at Carol’s home was this creamy hot artichoke dip. I have tried other recipes, but always return to the simple, yet luxurious, richness of her original recipe.
Here are a few tips:
Roasted garlic is a much more mellow flavour. Fresh garlic gives a real “zip”, which not everyone likes. Since I almost always have roasted garlic on hand, that’s my first choice.
Greek yoghurt and sour cream behave basically the same in this recipe, so it’s an easy swap. Whatever you do, DON’T use Miracle Whip instead of real mayonnaise. The taste ends up being really bitter and unpleasant.
This is super easy to assemble in advance, then bake at the last minute.
Use a shallow baking dish for the dip so every scoop gets some of the deliciously baked parmesan.
PrintHot Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup real mayo
- 1/4 cup greek yoghurt or sour cream
- 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 4 cloves roasted garlic (or 1–2 fresh, minced)
- 1 c grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Mix together the cream cheese, mayo, yoghurt (or sour cream) until well blended
- Stir in the garlic and artichoke hearts, along with 3/4 cup parmesan
- Spread in a greased shallow baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and very lightly golden around the edges
- Serve with tortilla chips and salsa, or bread
