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Surprise party guests or family members with this fun and festive take on spinach dip. This Mexican spinach dip will be a new favorite!

Overhead of spinach dip in small orange cast iron skillet, surrounded by tortilla chips and red plaid cloth.

Spinach dip is one of my all-time favorite things. I feel like everyone loves spinach dip. A true indicator of a restaurant’s quality (especially a chain or sports bar type place) is a taste test of their spinach artichoke dip. Let’s be honest, it’s not a complicated situation: cheese, spinach, artichoke hearts…get it nice and hot and bubbly and serve with some salty chips. But if it’s on the menu at a restaurant and they can’t produce a good quality dip, I might not be returning for round 2.

I must be on a spinach dip kick because I recently stuffed spinach artichoke dip (or a mixture similar to it) into hasselback chicken breasts (side note: have you tried those yet? SO GOOD.). I love this Skinny Spinach Dip made with Greek yogurt and these easy Kale and Spinach Dip Bites with only five ingredients are really good, too.

And now I’m back with Mexican spinach dip, and let me tell ya…there’s a few reasons to make this stuff for a crowd. For one, it will be a complete and total hit. For two, if you don’t make it for a crowd, you’ll eat it all yourself. Not like I’m speaking from experience or anything.

(Truthfully, we’re lucky this got to my “studio” for photography. I couldn’t stop “taste-testing.” Or at least that’s what I told myself I was doing, as opposed to stuffing my face like a pig.)

Mexican spinach dip in an orange cast iron skillet, surrounded by tortilla chips and red plaid cloth.

I use a combination of pepper jack cheese, cumin, and chili powder to give this dip its Mexican flavor. I add bell peppers, red onions, and tomatoes to drive the flavors home. I don’t love super spicy food and I love this, so I think the level of spice would be perfect for a large crowd. It’s really subtle with just a little warm heat.

If you’re worried, or if you try this and feel as though it’s too spicy, you can do one of two things. You can reduce the amount of chili powder, or you can use Monterey Jack cheese in place of the pepper Jack. I would urge you to try it as is first, though, because if you mess with it too much you’ll be left with plain ol’ spinach dip instead of Mexican spinach dip.

You’ll need to prepare this dip on the stove to sauté the onions and peppers but afterwards, you could keep it warm in a crockpot to serve at a party. I like to serve this dip in a small cast iron skillet. The skillet retains the heat and helps keep the dip warm, especially if you preheat the empty skillet in the oven before you put the dip in it. Plus I think the little skillet looks great!

Enjoy!

Closeup of spinach dip in pan with chip inserted.

Looking for more great party-friendly dips? Try these:

 

Mexican spinach dip in orange cast iron skillet surrounded by tortilla chips.

Mexican Spinach Dip Recipe

Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Surprise party guests or family members with this fun and festive take on spinach dip. This Mexican spinach dip will be a new favorite!

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 cup diced bell pepper (any color, about one pepper)
  • 3/4 cup diced red onion (about 1/4 large red onion)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 10 ounces fresh baby spinach
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 cups grated pepper jack cheese (8 oz)
  • 8 ounces full fat cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup milk (any type from skim to whole will work)
  • green onions for garnish, optional
  • tortilla chips for dipping

Instructions

  1. In a very large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute pepper and onion for 3-4 minutes or until softened and onions are translucent.
  2. Add cumin and chili powder and cook for 1-2 minutes to toast spices.
  3. Add spinach and tomatoes and cover for 2-3 minutes or until spinach is wilted, stirring as necessary.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low and add pepper jack cheese, cream cheese, and milk. Continue to stir until all the cheese is melted and combined into a smooth dip. Serve immediately with tortilla chips. May also be kept warm in a slow cooker (on “warm” setting) for entertaining/parties. I put mine into a preheated cast iron skillet.
  5. Store leftovers in an airtight container in fridge 2-3 days. Reheat slowly in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 of 10
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 202Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 262mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 9g

RachelCooks.com sometimes provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as they are not calculated by a registered dietitian. Please consult a medical professional for any specific nutrition, diet, or allergy advice.

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© Rachel Gurk
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Dips & Spreads
Disclosure: I have been compensated by Milk Means More for my time to develop this recipe and write this post. All opinions are as always, my own. Find out more about why Milk Means More on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.