Spinach Artichoke Dip Crostini Recipe

Spinach and artichoke dip never fails to disappoint. Though artichokes themselves tend to get overlooked, the creamy, cheesy dip seems to continuously be a fan-favorite on any appetizer table, with soft artichoke hearts combining with rich cheeses for a crave-worthy snack that nobody can turn down. It's not hard to make, either, coming together quickly for easy serving. The only problem, then, is that every so often an occasion comes around where a dip just doesn't make sense. Our spinach artichoke dip crostini recipe, developed with Michelle McGlinn, solves such a problem, transforming the popular dip into warm, bite-sized crostinis, perfect for snacking on during more elegant affairs.

A simple, elegant twist on a party food classic, this spinach and artichoke dip crostini helps elevate any appetizer table. Layered with marinated artichokes and three different types of cheese, the creamy mixture sits atop toasted pieces of crispy fresh baguette. Warm, gooey, and ready to eat, this cheesy crostini is the perfect addition to any appetizer spread — and only takes minutes to put together, meaning you can enjoy the party, too.

To begin, you'll need a fresh baguette, or any long, narrow, crusty bread that can be sliced into flat crostini. To toast the bread and cook the spinach, you'll need a generous amount of olive oil. To assemble the creamy topping, you'll then need baby spinach, quartered and marinated artichoke hearts, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cream cheese, mozzarella, and fontina. To serve, you'll just need a pinch of red pepper flakes for a touch of color and heat.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet.

Use 2 tablespoons of oil to brush evenly across the tops of the slices.

Transfer baguette slices to the oven and toast for 5 minutes, until just golden.

In the meantime, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add spinach and stir until just wilted.

Add the artichokes, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to break the artichokes into smaller pieces.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the cream cheese, mozzarella, and fontina. Stir constantly until melted and smooth.

Remove the mixture from the heat and divide evenly across the crostini pieces.

Top with red pepper flakes to serve.

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The blend of fontina, mozzarella, and cream cheese is designed to be perfectly melty, rich, and a little savory, balancing the flavors of each cheese with the marinated artichokes and spinach. While cream cheese and mozzarella are relatively easy to find, you may find yourself searching for fontina (or deciding against the hefty price tag). Thankfully, there are alternatives to fontina and cheeses that work well alongside it.

Instead of fontina, you can use Gruyère, gouda, havarti, or taleggio. All melty white cheeses, they'll each fold similarly into the mixture as fontina would. Gruyère, which is the most similar to fontina, has a rich and salty flavor perfect for elevating cheesy dishes. Gouda and havarti are a little more earthy and mild, but also perfectly melty. Taleggio, a tangy but mild cheese, will offer the most unique results as a substitution. You can also add Parmesan or feta for a more salty, nutty flavor profile, which works well with the mild cream cheese and mozzarella.

The crostini can be made all at once in the oven instead of by stovetop, but the spinach still has to be wilted before you begin. Wilt the spinach on the stovetop as written, then combine the cooked spinach with the artichoke, seasonings, and cheeses in a bowl. Stir to combine, then scoop the mixture onto the crostini pieces, being careful not to pile the mixture too high. Add to the oven and bake until melty, about 10 to 15 minutes.

You can also still serve these crostini as a dip by adding the ingredients to a small casserole dish, stirring, and baking until melted. Stir again once hot to combine into a creamy dip, then serve with the toasted crostini bread pieces for dipping. Again, the spinach needs to be cooked before being combined with other ingredients, meaning that you will still need to use the stovetop for a few minutes regardless of the cook method. For this reason, we recommend making the mixture on the stovetop for easier (and faster) crostini.

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