Even if you are no fan of spinach, you will want to indulge in this incredibly delicious Baja Spinach Dip recipe. It’s cheesy, it’s spicy, it’s phenomenal!
Baja Spinach Dip
I know what you’re thinking. You love dips! Well that’s perfect, so do I!
Even if you’re not a fan of spinach, you will love this baja dip recipe. This dip is hot, gooey, cheesy and most importantly, it’s yummy! Isn’t that what make a great dip? I think so!
What Is Baja Spinach Dip?
What the heck does Baja mean anyways? Well, it’s usually referenced when talking about Mexican cuisine, specifically from the Baja California state. I used a Mexican cheese blend, a whole diced jalapeno, and some tangy lime juice to amp up the flavor in this dip.
I made this dip nice and easy by using an oven-safe cast iron skillet to sauté and mix everything together, then I popped the whole skillet in the oven. You can also transfer it to an 8″ baking dish, or use some cute mini ramekins to make individual servings!
How to Make Baja Spinach Dip
I used fresh spinach to make this dip, however you are free to use some frozen chopped spinach. If you do, you can completely leave out step one. I let the fresh spinach boil for a few minutes in about 1/2″ of water, just until it wilted. Give it a good thorough drain, a quick chop, and it’s ready to use!
Now you can give your onions and jalapeños a quick sauté, then mix in the rest of the ingredients. I left half a cup of that amazing Mexican cheese blend on the side to sprinkle over the top. There’s nothing more satisfying then a toasty, stretchy, cheesy topping!
Substitutions You Can Make
Another beautiful thing about this dip is that it’s so versatile. Want to crank up the heat? Add some more hot sauce! Feeling extra brave? Add another jalapeno or even swap them out for a spicier pepper like a habanero. You can even leave the peppers out entirely if you don’t want any spice!
Top it with some crumbly queso fresco after it comes out of the oven, a drizzle of sour cream, or anything you can think of! You can really make this dip your own.
How to Serve Baja Spinach Dip
I kept it simple and served this dip with some nice crunchy tortilla chips. It will also work with regular sliced up tortillas, naan, or even with some toasted garlic bread. Can you even imagine? My mouth is watering! You can even keep it a bit healthier with a variety of veggies. Carrots, celery, bell peppers, cucumbers- YUM!
I think this dip is perfect for game day, or sitting on the patio with your friends and enjoying this delicious Baja spinach dip with a great margarita in your hand. What could be better?
How to Store and Reheat Baja Spinach Dip
If you make this dip ahead of time, leave the baking until right before serving. Cover it well and store it in the fridge. Bake for 45 minutes out of the fridge, or until nice and bubbling hot.
If you manage to have some leftovers, transfer them to a sealable container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave, but I would suggest putting it back in the oven so that you don’t lose that nice, brown, crisp exterior.
Love This Dip? Try These Recipes!
- Chile Con Queso
- Bacon Corn Dip
- Skillet Pull Apart Bread with Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Skillet Pizza Dip
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Baja Spinach Dip
Ingredients
- 6 oz spinach fresh
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 1 tbsp hot sauce such as Sriracha
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 3 cups Mexican Blend cheese shredded
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring 1/2 inch of water to a boil. Add spinach; cover and boil for 3-5 minutes or until wilted. Drain well and squeeze out the water from the spinach if necessary.
- In a large oven safe skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add the chopped jalapeno and stir.
- Stir in tomatoes, hot sauce, lime juice and cream cheese until blended. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Add the cooked spinach, 2 cups of the cheese and stir.
- Top the dip with the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until bubbling and slightly browned.
- Serve warm with chips.
Video
Recipe Notes
- I used sriracha for this recipe, but you can use any hot sauce that you prefer.
- You can leave out the jalapeno if you don't want it to be spicy.
- You can add more jalapeno, or substitute it with any type of pepper you like best.
- If you don't have an oven safe skillet, you can transfer this tip to an 8" baking dish or individual sized ramekins. Reduce the cook time to 15 minutes if you use ramekins.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Oh my gosh, this is so darn good!!! And, I haven’t even baked it yet. This is going to be one of my dips for the Super Bowl. So glad I took a chance on this. Well, I must say I’ve made so many of your recipes and not one has failed me yet!! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes. You are an amazing cook!!!
Thank you so much, Angela! We’re so happy you’ve been loving the recipes. I hope that dip was a big hit yesterday 🙂
What size is your cast iron skillet? Mine is pretty large and I’m not sure if I should 1 1/2 the recipe or double it.
This was in a 10″ skillet!
Is it important to use Sriracha sauce or I can take Tabasco for example?
As per the recipe notes, you can use any hot sauce that you like!
This recipe is one I am going to try! I’m wondering if instead of boiling the spinach, could you stir-fry it with the onion?,
Yes you can give that a try! You might want to add just a bit of water so the spinach doesn’t burn and get bitter,
What is a Mexican cheese blend
Mexican cheese blend is a combination of cheeses, usually sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Colby. You should be able to easily find this in your grocery store.
This looks amazing. I, too, hope to make this for our Superbowl party. One question: drain the tomatoes or no? I’m leaning toward drain but don’t like to take a chance on something to be served to guests (hubs and I are slobs, we’d eat it no matter what if it was just us).
PS: I love your blog, Jo. Your “World’s Best Chili” gets more recipe requests than just about anything else I for a crowd. Thanks for everything 🙂
Hi! I didn’t drain the tomatoes, you want all the juice there for the extra flavor. I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes. 🙂 Keep on cooking!
Looks delicious and perfect for superbowl next weekend. How much frozen spinach would you use as a substitute for the fresh?
I’d use about 3 oz of frozen spinach, though you don’t really have to be exact. Use as much as you like, really.
Oh my word this looks incredible. You actually can’t beat cheesy, creamy spinach dip. And I love that this one has a bit of heat to it as well. Definitely pinning this one!
It’s so good, you should really try it. 🙂