Tasty Recipes for the Home Cook

Appetizer

Spinach and Bacon Dip

This creamy Spinach and Bacon Dip is full of chopped spinach and scrumptious bacon. With reduced-fat and low-calorie ingredients, it’s a good balance of indulgence and being light. It’s a crowd-pleasing appetizer that always disappears quickly.

Spinach and Bacon Dip

This post has been updated with new images and added content since its original publication in May 2013.

Good news! I have a date with Michael Bublé in September! Okay, so my husband and I have a date with Michael Bublé. He (my husband) is not jealous, and I’m willing to share my Bublé experience with him. Truthfully, both of us are fans, albeit one is not nearly as much as the other.    

Four more months until the concert date. I can’t wait!!

I had to join Michael’s fan club in order to purchase presale tickets, but I don’t care. It was so worth it! I got seats so close that my Bublé could theoretically spit on us! Okay, maybe not really. But I can probably book it up to the stage in less than 10 seconds, though. Hee hee!

Thanks for letting me get that out! 

Update: Since the original publication of this post, I have seen Michael Buble four times, and it never gets old!♡

Spinach and Bacon Dip

Spinach and Bacon Dip

Now it’s time to move on to something that might interest you a little more—this Spinach and Bacon Dip. Spinach dip is a classic, and with bacon, how can it not be good?

Unlike the classic, this updated version uses lighter ingredients. Regular cream cheese and full-fat sour cream are replaced with lighter options. These substitutions lighten up the dip without sacrificing taste. It’s also very easy to make! Here is how it’s done.

Recipe highlights:

  • Cook bacon until crispy.
  • Combine Neufchâtel cheese, yogurt or light sour cream, and vegetable mix.
  • Add jicama, scallion, and spinach. Blend.
  • Add bacon. Blend well.
  • Chill for at least one hour.

What is jicama, and can I substitute?

Jicama is a root vegetable known for its crisp, crunchy texture and mild flavor. It resembles a large beet but has a golden-brown skin. Its texture is similar to that of raw water chestnuts or raw potatoes.

I really enjoy the satisfying crunch that jicama adds to this dip. Canned water chestnuts make a great substitute if you have trouble finding jicama. I have to admit that I used water chestnuts in the batch I prepared for this post because I couldn’t find jicama at my store this week.

Spinach and Bacon Dip

Spinach and Bacon Dip

Can this be made vegetarian?

Of course! Omit the bacon entirely or replace it with vegetarian bacon.

Recommended supplies:

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Spinach and Bacon Dip

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 13 minutesRest time:1 hour Total time:1 hour 23 minutesServings:6 Servings

Description

This creamy Spinach and Bacon Dip is full of chopped spinach and scrumptious bacon. With reduced-fat and low-calorie ingredients, it’s a good balance of indulgence and being light. It’s a crowd-pleasing appetizer that always disappears quickly.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. To oven-bake bacon: Place strips on a rack on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° F for 18-20 minutes, turning over halfway. The bacon is done when it is browned and crisps to the desired degree. Place cooked bacon onto paper towels to cool, drain the fat, and chop the bacon.
  2. To skillet brown bacon: Place bacon in a single layer in a cold skillet. Turn the heat to medium. Cook for 8-12 minutes or until browned and desired crispiness is obtained. Turn the bacon over as needed during cooking. Place cooked bacon onto paper towels to cool, drain the fat, and chop the bacon.
  3. Loosen the spinach packaging. Place it on a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes to defrost. Drain the excess liquid. Place the spinach in a kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels and squeeze dry. Flake the spinach loosely using your hands. Set aside.
  4. Place Neufchâtel cheese in a large bowl and microwave for about 20 seconds to soften. Add yogurt or sour cream and vegetable mix. Blend until creamy. 
  5. Add jicama, scallion, and spinach.  Combine.
  6. Add bacon. Thoroughly combine.
  7. Refrigerate for at least one hour for flavors to meld.
  8. Serve with marbled bread or crackers.
  9. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Notes

  • This can be made one to two days ahead. It keeps well, refrigerated, for up to four days.
  • I prefer low-sodium bacon over regular, fully salted bacon. The latter makes the dip too salty. Use whichever you prefer.
Keywords:Spinach Dip, Spinach, Bacon, Appetizer, Crowd-pleasing appetizer

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2 Comments

  1. This is such a classic! Love that you made it healthier!

    1. Thank you Inger! I wanted to be able to enjoy it more frequently than once a year, so healthier is the way to go!

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