Artichoke Dip is a dipping sauce made with artichokes and other ingredients like cheese and mayonnaise, and seasonings of salt, pepper, onion, and garlic. It is served as a condiment with foods like breads or crackers. It adds a special flavor and zest to the food it is served with. This creamy dip can be made in varying levels of spiciness to suit individual tastes. Sometimes, additional ingredients like spinach or seafood may be added to make special variants of the dip.
Ingredients Used and Preparation Overview of Artichoke Dip
There are numerous recipes for the dip, each with a different combination of ingredients and varying methods of preparation. One such basic recipe is described here.
Ingredients used for making the dip include diced artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and green chilies.
The artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, grated Parmesan cheese and diced green chilies are mixed together and then baked till the mixture has slightly browned.
Serving Artichoke Dip
The dip is served with breads, crackers, tortilla chips or any other snack. In some cases it is garnished with chopped tomato and chopped green onions before serving. It may be served hot, chilled or at room temperature. It is served in a bowl which is often surrounded with breads or crackers on a plate. Artichoke dips are a perfect condiment to serve with snacks during parties.
Artichoke Dip Recipe Variations
The dip is made in many different ways to suit individual tastes. Here are some examples-
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Artichoke Spinach Dish: It is made with spinach, artichoke hearts, Parmesan cheese, red peppers (crushed), garlic powder, salt and pepper. The artichoke and spinach are finely chopped and boiled in water for a few minutes, after which they are drained and mixed with the rest of the ingredients (Parmesan cheese is first softened by heat and then mixed in). The dip may be placed in a slow-cooker for keeping warm.
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Chicken and Artichoke Dip: The dip is made with Swiss cheese, flaked chicken breast, artichoke hearts, low-fat sour cream, mayonnaise, red bell pepper, Parmesan cheese, hot pepper sauce and garlic powder. Cheese is used in grated form and artichokes are chopped into small pieces. To prepare the dip, all the ingredients are mixed together and baked till bubbly and till the edges begin to brown. This type of artichoke dip contains 140 calories in a single serving.
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Artichoke & Cheese Dip: The dip is made with chopped artichokes, mayonnaise, Cheddar cheese, and sliced green chilies. It is made by baking the ingredients together till bubbly.
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Artichoke Seafood Dip: The dip is made with chopped artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley, bread crumbs and crab meat. The artichokes, cheese, mayonnaise and crab meat are mixed together and baked till bubbly. The dip so obtained is topped with chopped parsley and bread crumbs.
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Hot & Spicy Artichoke Dip: It is made by mixing together diced artichoke, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese (grated), green chilies (chopped) and minced garlic and baking the mixture till it has browned lightly. The dip is sprinkled with chopped onion and tomato.
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Jalapeno Artichoke Dip: The dip contains Jalapeno peppers besides the other ingredients, namely cheese, mayonnaise and artichokes. The hot peppers add a spicy taste to the dip.
Nutritional Information
Artichoke dip contains the goodness of artichokes and cheese besides other seasoning ingredients. Artichokes are an excellent source of antioxidants like rutin, quercertin, anthocyanins, luteolin, cynarin, and silymarin. These antioxidants help in protecting the body against diseases. Artichokes are also known to have a beneficial effect on liver function, digestion and bile flow. Cheese is a good source of calcium and is good for bone and dental health. Additional ingredients, like spinach, can contribute further to its nutritive value, as spinach is an excellent source of the disease-fighting antioxidant beta-carotene and many other essential vitamins and minerals. Various seasonings added to the dip are known to stimulate appetite and improve digestion. The dip has a moderate level of calories which may be included as a part of any healthy meal plan. A low-fat version can also be prepared by the use of low-fat mayonnaise.
The exact calorie count of the dip may vary from one recipe to another, but a basic form of the dip contains about 67 calories, 2.06g fat, 11.02g carbohydrates, 18.17g protein and 675.25mg sodium. A version of spinach artichoke dip is known to contain 110 calories, 11g fat, 1g carbohydrates and 1g protein in a single serving.