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This single serving hot spinach dip is a creamy, baked appetizer made with fresh spinach, garlic, cream cheese, and mozzarella. It bakes in 20 minutes and is perfectly portioned when you want a warm spinach dip without making a large batch.
Featured Comment
“This is beyond amazing and incredibly easy to make.”
– Lori
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Portioned: This single serving hot spinach dip is sized just right for one or two people, making it ideal when you want a small batch appetizer without leftovers.
- Quick and Easy: Made with simple ingredients and ready in about 20 minutes, this creamy baked spinach dip comes together fast.
- Naturally Gluten-Free: This hot spinach dip is gluten-free as written, making it a great option for guests with dietary restrictions.
- Versatile: Serve it as a snack, an easy appetizer, or a flavorful side with crackers, bread, or fresh vegetables.
- Easy to Scale: Double the ingredients and use a larger baking dish to make hot spinach dip for two.
There’s something especially satisfying about pulling a small dish of hot spinach dip from the oven, the cheese melted and the edges just beginning to bubble.
This recipe starts with fresh spinach and garlic, cooked gently to build flavor before being folded into a creamy mixture and baked until warm and smooth.
It’s rich, balanced, and full of classic spinach dip flavor, making it just as enjoyable to scoop up with a cracker as it is with a slice of bread or fresh vegetables.
Looking to round out your appetizer spread? This hot spinach dip pairs well with other small batch favorites like small batch cheese fondue, small batch cowboy caviar, or a small smoked salmon platter. Add a basket of homemade tortilla chips, a small sliced baguette, or fresh vegetables and you have an easy appetizer plate that feels complete.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch spinach dip recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Spinach: Wilt the spinach on the stovetop before mixing so the dip isn’t watery. You can use fresh or thawed frozen spinach as needed. Extra spinach? Use it in chicken tortellini soup for one, a spinach turkey wrap, or a green smoothie.
- Garlic: Adds savory flavor when sautéed with the spinach. If you don’t have fresh garlic, use jarred minced garlic or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Cream Cheese: This is the rich, creamy base of the dip. You can swap in neufchâtel or a lighter cream cheese. Leftover cream cheese is perfect for a small batch of cheesecake bars, crack chicken for one, small batch jalapeño poppers, or small batch Oreo balls.
- Sour Cream: Adds extra creaminess. Greek yogurt or a small amount of mayonnaise can be used, though the taste will change slightly. Use any leftovers in Mexican street corn salad, small batch deviled eggs, chicken divan for one, or our small batch corn muffins recipe.
- Cheese: Freshly shredded mozzarella melts best. A bit of grated Parmesan boosts flavor. Pre-shredded cheese works in a pinch but doesn’t melt as smoothly. Extra mozzarella or Parmesan? Use them in lasagna soup for one or small batch smashed Brussels sprouts.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Variations
Try these easy recipe variations to customize your baked spinach dip using simple additions you may already have on hand.
- Spinach Artichoke Dip: Stir in chopped artichoke hearts for a classic spinach artichoke dip with added texture and flavor.
- Extra Cheesy Spinach Dip: Mix in additional mozzarella or Parmesan, or add a small amount of cheddar or Gruyère for a richer, cheesier dip.
- Spicy Spinach Dip: Add red pepper flakes or finely diced jalapeños to bring gentle heat to the dip.
- Spinach and Bacon Dip: Fold in cooked, crumbled bacon for a smoky, savory option that pairs well with crackers or bread.
How To Make Hot Spinach Dip
Follow these simple step-by-step instructions to make a creamy single serving hot spinach dip. Ingredient amounts and full details are listed in the recipe card below.
- Cook the garlic: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Wilt the spinach: Add half of the spinach to the skillet and toss with tongs until wilted. Add the remaining spinach and cook, tossing, until all the spinach is fully wilted.
- Chop the spinach: Transfer the cooked spinach to a cutting board and roughly chop into smaller pieces.
- Prepare the baking dish: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 10-ounce ramekin with cooking spray or butter.
- Mix the dip: In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, some of the mozzarella, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Add the spinach: Stir the chopped spinach into the cream cheese mixture until evenly mixed.
- Assemble: Spoon the spinach dip into the prepared ramekin and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top.
- Bake: Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dip is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- Serve: Serve warm with chips, crackers, bread, or fresh vegetables.
Expert Tips
- Use freshly grated cheese: Grate your own cheese for a smoother, creamier spinach dip. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as evenly.
- Remove excess moisture from the spinach: After cooking, squeeze or press out as much liquid as possible to keep the dip thick and creamy.
- Use the correct baking dish: A 10-ounce ramekin is the ideal size. Using a larger dish will cause the dip to spread too thin and bake unevenly.
- Soften the cream cheese first: Let it sit at room temperature for easier mixing and a smoother dip.
- Season after mixing: Taste the dip before baking and adjust the salt if needed, especially since cheeses vary in saltiness.
- Watch for visual doneness: The dip is ready when it’s bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is fully melted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Use frozen spinach that has been fully thawed and squeezed dry to remove excess moisture. This helps prevent the dip from becoming watery.
Yes. Assemble the dip, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake just before serving until hot and bubbly.
Absolutely! Simply double the ingredients and use a 5×5-inch baking dish. Set the timer for 15 minutes and if the cheese has not melted, bake for an additional 5-8 minutes.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes or in the microwave until warmed through.
More Single Serving Dip Recipes
If you enjoyed this hot spinach dip, try one of these easy single serving dip recipes that are perfectly portioned and full of flavor.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this single serve hot spinach dip recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Get a Quick Recipe Overview
Hot Spinach Dip For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic -minced
- 2 ounces fresh spinach (approximately 2 cups, packed)
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese -divided
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
- Add half of the spinach to the skillet and toss with tongs until wilted. Add the remaining spinach and cook, tossing, until all the spinach is fully wilted.
- Transfer the cooked spinach to a cutting board and roughly chop into smaller pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 10-ounce ramekin with butter or cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, some of the mozzarella, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Stir the chopped spinach into the cream cheese mixture until evenly mixed.
- Spoon the spinach dip into the prepared ramekin and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the dip is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- Serve warm with chips, crackers, bread, or fresh vegetables.
Notes
- Use freshly grated cheese: Grate your own cheese for a smoother, creamier spinach dip. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as evenly.
- Remove excess moisture from the spinach: After cooking, squeeze or press out as much liquid as possible to keep the dip thick and creamy.
- Use the correct baking dish: A 10-ounce ramekin is the ideal size. Using a larger dish will cause the dip to spread too thin and bake unevenly.
- Soften the cream cheese first: Let it sit at room temperature for easier mixing and a smoother dip.
- Season after mixing: Taste the dip before baking and adjust the salt if needed, especially since cheeses vary in saltiness.
- Watch for visual doneness: The dip is ready when it’s bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top is fully melted.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This is beyond amazing and incredibly easy to make (with minimal mess!) THIS is how you eat your vegetables!! I keep telling myself this is ‘healthy’ (seeing as it’s homemade and I I know I didn’t add any preservatives). It has the perfect amount of garlic and is hot, cheesy and pairs perfectly with blue corn tortilla chips (and probably an ice cold beer).
Thank you so much for your wonderful comment! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the dip and found it easy to make. I love eating it with blue corn tortilla chips – and an ice-cold beer sounds like the perfect match!