The name of this dish is not because of the Philadelphia cream cheese used in the recipe. I made this for the first time for the Superbowl LII party we hosted when the EAGLES defeated Tom Brady’s crew for the title in superb fashion, and the Philadelphia area was the most amicable place to live for about a year. We all lived up to the “brotherly love” part in pure post-Superbowl win bliss. Good times.

Anyway, the menu consisted of 2 kinds of wings, pizza rolls, some sort of taco or beef dip type thing and…this dip. I just had a craving for it when I was putting together the list of appetizers and I needed a quick recipe. I jazzed up one that I googled and it turned out so good. I’ve been making it ever since and even have a mac and cheese version to share at some point which is equally incredible.

This is not a health food. It does have fresh spinach and artichoke hearts but that’s where the “good” ingredients end. This is a creamy, hot, savory and somewhat complex bite and before you know it, it’s all gone. The original version I used just required mixing all the ingredients together and baking. It included frozen spinach, raw onion and canned artichokes. But the flavor is so much more developed and intense when using sautéed onion and garlic and making this in a cast iron or oven/stove top safe dish aids with making this possible without too many dishes. I also upgraded the original recipe with marinated artichoke hearts to incorporate some herb infused oils and fresh spinach for a more fresh taste. The lemon zest adds another layer of flavor that just help balance all the salty, velvety goodness together.

These pair well with crackers, tortilla chips, heated pita bread or anything else that is a bit salty and plain enough to complement this dip. This recipe fills my 10 inch cast iron skillet, the perfect size for an appetizer dish. I hope you make this and think about the best football team’s iconic 2018 Superbowl win like I do. Philly special!

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups (or 6 large handfuls) fresh spinach

1 12oz bottle of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

2/3 cup sour cream

1 cup cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp lemon zest

2 cups fresh parmesan cheese (or blend with mozzarella)

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix together sour cream, softened cream cheese and mayonnaise and set aside.
3. Sauté onion on medium high heat until translucent, then turn to medium low and add garlic.
4. Add spinach in batches. Once the batch is completely wilted then add the next batch.
5. Stir in artichokes.
6. Stir in sour cream mixture and 1 and 1/2 cup of the cheese.
7. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and panko bread crumbs if using.
8. Place in the oven for 18-20 minutes until bubbling around the edges.
9. For added browning on top, adjust the oven to broil on high for an additional 1-2 minutes but watch it closely so it doesn’t burn.
10. Serve when hot!