Healthy Spinach Dip

Craving a creamy spinach dip packed with good-for-you ingredients? Then my healthy spinach dip is for you! Prepared with thick, creamy Greek yogurt, olive oil, spinach, lemon, garlic, pine nuts and herbs, this healthy spinach dip recipe is an easy snack to cool off with!

Cool spinach dip with a healthy slant

I've always loved a creamy dip to plunge my chips, crackers or veggies into.

Whether it's my savory, homemade sour cream and onion dip perfect for potato chips, my refreshing loaded hummus, or something a bit more decadent like my hot, cheesy artichoke dip, if you put a tasty little dip on the table as part of the spread, you've got my attention!

The beauty of a well-flavored dip is that it really doesn't have to be super heavy and rich to be delicious. It doesn't have to be hot and cheesy either, just full of flavor to make all the tasty accompaniments that are being served along with it, tastier.

And this healthy spinach dip recipe is exactly that, with a cool, creamy texture which makes it a perfect option to indulge in when something on the lighter side is what you're craving.

Made with a handful of good-for-you ingredients, this healthy spinach dip simply gets whirled up and chilled. It's the perfect appetizer or snack that you can feel great about enjoying, not to mention a fantastic pick during the warmer months when you're looking to cool off!

My healthy spinach dip recipe

Because this particular spinach dip recipe is not the typical hot, cheesy version, but rather one that is on the cool and healthy side, the ingredients that I use simply get added to the food processor and whirled up until smooth.

I love to use thick, creamy Greek yogurt as the main base, and to that I add olive oil, some pine nuts, garlic, lemon, and some fresh herbs such as mint, parsley, chives and dill.

Really, the only “cooking” required is a quick blanching of the spinach leaves (about 30 seconds) in boiled, salted water before they're shocked in an ice-water bath, blotted dry, and then added to the processor with the other ingredients.

I also appreciate that since this is a cold spinach dip recipe, there's no baking required—a definite plus during the hot summer months!

Here's a sneak peek of how I make my spinach dip recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I blanch my baby spinach leaves in salted, boiling water for about 30 seconds. Then, I remove them and add them to an ice-water bath for about 1 minute, drain them, squeeze them out thoroughly of water, and pat them dry.
2. Next, I add my toasted pine nuts to my food processor and process those to break them down a bit.
3. Then I add the spinach, herbs, garlic, lemon juice and zest, plus salt and pepper, and process until smooth. Next, I add in the yogurt and the olive oil, and process until creamy.
4. Finally, I spoon the spinach dip into a serving bowl and allow it to chill for about an hour. And before serving, I add another small dollop of yogurt on top, garnish with micro greens and/or fresh herbs, and serve with crackers, lavash crisp, or cut veggies.

Recipe

Healthy Spinach Dip

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This healthy spinach dip is cool and refreshing, made with Greek yogurt, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs for vibrant flavor!

Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mediterranean

Yield: Serves 10

Nutrition Info: 73 calories (per ¼ cup portion)

Prep Time: 20 minutes (does not include chill time)
Cook time: 1 minute (for blanching spinach leaves)
Total time: 21 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound baby spinach leaves (yields about 1 ½ cups once blanched)
• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 (¾ ounce) package dill, roughly chopped
• 1 (¾ ounce) package chives, roughly chopped
• ½ cup mint leaves
• ¼ cup parsley leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup full-fat, plain Greek yogurt, plus extra for serving
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt (about 1 teaspoon, more or less depending on your taste)
• Black pepper
• Herbs or micro greens, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, turn off the heat, and add in the spinach leaves (work in batches if necessary), pushing them down and allowing them to blanch/wilt for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain well.
3. Plunge the blanched spinach into ice water to cool it, then drain, squeeze very thoroughly of water, and pat dry with a paper towel.
4. To prepare the dip, add the pine nuts to the bowl of a food processor, and process until fine.
5. Next, add in the spinach, all of the herbs, the garlic, and the lemon juice and zest, and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor as needed.
6. Then, add in the Greek yogurt, the olive oil, and the salt and pepper, and blend until well combined and completely smooth.
7. Spoon the spinach dip into a holding bowl, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least one hour, or more if making ahead.
8. When ready to serve, give the spinach dip a mix with a spoon, then spoon it out into a serving bowl or large plate/platter, and top with a generous dollop of the Greek yogurt. Sprinkle over some herbs or micro greens for decoration and flavor, and serve with your favorite crackers, veggies, or other accompaniments.

Tips & Tidbits for my healthy spinach dip recipe:

• Baby spinach: Fresh baby spinach leaves are a great pick for this recipe. I simply blanch it, cool it and pat it dry before using. You can also use frozen and thawed spinach, just make sure to squeeze it very well of any excess water before using.
• Give your spinach a squeeze: Once you blanch your spinach, cool it down in an ice bath and drain it, be sure to squeeze it very well of water. Otherwise, you may end up with a slightly watery dip, which is not good eats.
• Thick and creamy plain Greek yogurt: I like full-fat Greek yogurt for this, because a little bit of fat provides extra flavor, but you can use a low-fat version if you prefer. Just be sure to choose plain yogurt.
• Choice of herbs: I like a bit of complex flavor in this dip, so I opt for some fresh chives, some parsley, some dill, and a hint of mint. So tasty! But you can use your favorite ones, or any combination of these.
• Substitutes for pine nuts: The flavor that toasted pine nuts provide here is really lovely, but you can also sub roasted almonds, or even roasted cashews or walnuts.
• What to serve with healthy spinach dip: Serve this dip as you would any cold, creamy dip, with an array of chips or crackers, or cut veggies.

Hungry for more delectable dips? Check out this Mediterranean Feta Dip, this Sour Cream and Onion Dip, this Mexican Corn Dip, this Labneh, this Easy Guacamole, this Loaded Hummus, or this Garlic and Herb Cheese Spread!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2019, and has been updated with even more love!