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GET IT NOWWhip Up My Cold Spinach Dip Recipe In Just 10 Minutes
When I need a quick appetizer and barely have a minute to spare, this cold spinach dip recipe saves the day! It’s one of my quickest, easiest apps ever. It tastes creamy, refreshing, and flavorful, but I love that it’s also a little on the lighter side. Here’s what makes it special:
- Creamy and tangy – The texture is just the right balance of spinach and creamy base, plus a hint of crunch from water chestnuts.
- Quick and easy – I love hot spinach dip, but this one is faster! You need just 6 ingredients (plus salt and pepper), and there’s no cooking involved. I can whip up this cold spinach dip recipe in about 10 minutes — and so should you. 😉
- Lighter than most spinach dip recipes – Just 90 calories in a generous 1/4 cup serving, plus some protein! And unlike the store-bought stuff, mine is gluten-free and has no processed ingredients.
- Crowd pleasing – Everyone will love this dip! Even my picky 7-year-old was sneaking it by the spoonful.
- Versatile for any occasion – I eat this cold spinach dip year round. Make it as a party appetizer for the holidays, bring it to a picnic (in a cooler) in the summer, or just enjoy as a snack with crunchy veggies or crackers. Just this week I put it on a charcuterie board for a community potluck!
If you’re always short on time like me, this one’s for you. Next time you’re hosting a party, need an easy potluck dish to bring, or just want a healthy snack, make this cold spinach dip with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my easy cold spinach dip recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Frozen Spinach – I used frozen chopped spinach to save time. You can also chop and cook fresh spinach, but you’ll need more to start with — 2.5 pounds before cooking. I just saute the spinach if using fresh.
- Creamy Ingredients – Spinach dip usually has a mix of mayo and sour cream, but I used avocado oil mayo and Greek yogurt to lighten up this one and add protein. Feel free to use sour cream instead of yogurt if you like, or do what I did last time and am liking the most right now — 1 cup of Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup of sour cream.
- Water Chestnuts – For fresh crunch and flavor! Just drain, pat dry, and chop finely. If you’re not a fan, a few tablespoons of sliced green onions make a nice alternative.
- Seasoning – Garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper.
VARIATION: Turn this recipe into cold spinach artichoke dip!
Simply mix in 1 cup of chopped artichoke hearts along with the spinach. It adds a nice tang! You can also try my hot spinach artichoke dip with cream cheese instead.
How To Make Cold Spinach Dip
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Drain the spinach. Press the thawed spinach in a fine mesh strainer (I use a spoon) to remove excess moisture, until you have 1 tightly packed cup. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Mix it up. Combine the spinach, water chestnuts, mayo, Greek yogurt, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir well, breaking up the tightly packed spinach.
- Chill or serve. You can serve this cold spinach dip immediately, but I think it tastes better after refrigerating for at least 1-2 hours.
My Recipe Tips
- Draining the spinach is super important to prevent the dip from being watery. I like to press on the spinach in this fine mesh strainer, but you can also use a cheesecloth or simply your hands to squeeze out the excess liquid. You’ll know you’ve removed enough moisture when the spinach is just 1 cup!
- Forgot to thaw your spinach? I usually thaw it in the fridge overnight, so all my ingredients are ready to go, but if you forget, you can run the sealed bag under warm water to thaw.
- Chop the water chestnuts finely. The texture of the spinach dip is better that way and you get a little in each bite. I aim for pieces a bit smaller than I’d do for diced onions.
- Don’t want leftover water chestnuts? The amount in this cold spinach dip recipe is about 2/3 of an 8-ounce can, which I found just right for the flavors. But you can easily use the whole can for convenience.
- If you’re unsure about the salt and pepper amount, start with less. You can easily add more after the dip is mixed.
- For better flavor, refrigerate for a couple of hours. This is optional, but your cold spinach dip will taste better, and it’ll have a firmer (but still creamy) texture.
- Need to adjust the size? This recipe makes 3 1/2 cups (14 servings), but you can easily halve it for a smaller batch or double it to feed a crowd!
Cold Spinach Dip Recipe
My cold spinach dip recipe is creamy, flavorful, and takes just 10 minutes + 6 ingredients! It's perfect for parties or a quick snack.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Place the frozen spinach in a fine mesh strainer and press down on it to remove as much water as possible. (I use a large spoon to press the liquid out.) You should end up with about 1 tightly packed cup after draining well. Pat dry.
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In a large bowl, combine the drained spinach, drained and chopped water chestnuts, Greek yogurt, mayo, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well, until uniform.
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You can serve your cold spinach dip right away, or refrigerate for 1-2 hours to let the flavors develop more.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Recipe yield: 3 1/2 cups total
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the perfect creamy texture in your dip (and avoid a watery one), a few shortcuts, and flavor tips.
- Dipping ideas: Need ideas for dippers? I’ve got dipping suggestions below.
- Make ahead: This dip tastes even better the next day, so it’s perfect for meal prep!
- Storage: Keep cold spinach dip in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the creamy texture will be ruined.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Cold Spinach Dip Recipe
Dipping Ideas
I love this creamy spinach dip recipe with all kinds of dippers! Here are some ideas:
- Chips – Homemade tortilla chips are my fave, but you can opt for pita chips or even veggie chips, like my air fried zucchini chips or baked kale chips.
- Bread – I like to whip up a loaf of almond flour bread and serve the cubes on the side. You can even bake it into a round loaf to turn it into a bread bowl!
- Vegetables – In my picture above! Fresh carrot sticks, celery sticks, broccoli, cucumber slices, and bell peppers make perfect healthy dippers for cold spinach dip.
- Crackers – Try my almond flour crackers, flax seed crackers, or cheese crackers for clean-ingredient options.
14 Comments
Lynne
0We have made this dip forever. We use sour cream, instead of yogurt and have used all of your suggestions as dippers. We also make Pita Chips and dip them. The dip disappears quickly when served to family or friends. Enjoy them on Memorial Day! PS All of your recipes always look and sound so good.
Wholesome Yum D
0That makes me so happy to hear, Lynne! I love how you’ve made the dip your own over time. Pita chips sound like the perfect pairing.
Ileezook98
0This recipe is totally a great winter light meal or snack,,I like to make baloney or ham rolls with that in the inside
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you like it! That sounds delicious as rolls. You might like these ham roll ups, too.
Anne Orlando
0I made this today and it’s really good! I used finely diced red bell pepper instead of water chestnuts and fresh spinach because that is what I had on hand. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for such a great dip!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Anne! Those substitutions sound great, too.
Karen
0cannot obtain water chestnuts here. any idea of substitutions for that classic crunch?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, The flavor will be different, but you can add chopped jicama, artichoke hearts, radishes, or bell peppers.
Naomi
0This dip is really yummy. I did add more garlic from a jar. We like the taste of garlic. This is my new favorite dip. Yum!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked it, Naomi! I find jarred garlic is a little less potent, so yes, you might need a bit more if using jarred. And more garlic is never a bad idea anyway. 😉
Jennifer Wallace
0In your instructions, you don’t mention the Greek yogurt so do we not put that in or is that optional?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for catching that, Jennifer! I fixed it. The Greek yogurt is not optional, unless you prefer to replace it with sour cream.
Mary
0How do I use Fresh Spinach as a substitute for the frozen? Or is that not an option? Love your recipes!! I’m looking forward to tring this one!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Mary, I have this in the post above – you’d need 2.5 pounds of fresh instead of the frozen, and you’d need to cook it first, then squeeze to drain like you would frozen. Hope this helps. I’m so happy you love my recipes, thank you!