Spinach Dip

A low FODMAP warm spinach dip of chopped spinach, lactose-free cream cheese and sour cream, parmesan, aged cheddar, garlic-infused olive oil, and chives.

Prep 15 min

Cook 25 min

Serves 8

Gluten-freeVegetarian

Ingredients

• 10 oz (280 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (or 6 cups fresh baby spinach, wilted and squeezed). Baby spinach is low FODMAP at 75 g per serving, and this dip stays well under that once divided.
• 8 oz (225 g) lactose-free cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (120 g) lactose-free sour cream
• 1/2 cup (45 g) grated parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons for the top (use a vegetarian hard cheese for a vegetarian dip; Parmigiano Reggiano is made with animal rennet)
• 1/2 cup (50 g) shredded aged cheddar
• 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
• 1/4 cup (about 15 g) fresh chives, finely chopped, plus extra for garnish
• 2 scallions, green tops only, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

Instructions

Prep the spinach

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly oil a small baking dish, about 1 quart (1 liter).
2. If using frozen spinach, thaw it fully, then press it in a fine sieve or twist it in a clean kitchen towel to wring out as much water as you can. Wet spinach makes a watery dip.
3. If using fresh baby spinach, wilt it in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until collapsed, let it cool, then squeeze it dry the same way.

Mix the dip

1. In a medium bowl, stir the softened cream cheese and sour cream together until smooth.
2. Stir in the garlic-infused oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
3. Fold in the spinach, the 1/2 cup parmesan, the cheddar, and most of the chives. Keep the 2 tablespoons of parmesan and a pinch of chives for the top.

Bake and serve

1. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared dish and scatter the reserved parmesan over the surface.
2. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the dip is hot through and golden at the edges.
3. Rest for 5 minutes, then top with the reserved chives and the scallion greens. Serve warm with plain rice crackers or raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, cucumber, and red bell pepper.

Tips & Substitutions

• Squeeze the spinach hard. The single biggest fix for a runny dip is removing excess water, so wring the cooked spinach until no more liquid comes out.
• Serve it cold instead. For a no-bake version, skip the oven and chill the mixed dip for at least 1 hour. It firms up as the cream cheese sets.
• Garlic oil, not garlic. Fructans do not dissolve into oil, so garlic-infused oil carries the flavor without the bulb. Use a store-bought certified oil or make your own.
• Pick low FODMAP dippers. Plain rice crackers and raw carrot, cucumber, and bell pepper work; gluten-free is not the same as low FODMAP, so check cracker labels for inulin, onion, garlic, and bean flours.
• Cheese swaps. Trade the cheddar for extra parmesan or another aged, hard cheese. Both are naturally low in lactose, so they carry flavor without adding much FODMAP load.
• Skip the artichoke. Classic spinach-artichoke dip uses artichoke hearts, and typical portions are high in fructans, so this version leaves them out.

Why This Works

• Garlic flavor without fructans. The fructans in garlic are water-soluble, not oil-soluble, so infusing oil captures the aroma while leaving the FODMAPs behind in the discarded solids.
• Lactose-free dairy carries the base. Swapping standard cream cheese and sour cream for lactose-free versions removes the main lactose source while keeping the creamy texture intact.
• Hard cheeses are naturally low in lactose. Parmesan and aged cheddar lose most of their lactose during aging, so the amounts used here are low in lactose.
• Chives stand in for onion. Chives give an allium note without the fructans found in onion bulbs, and scallion green tops do the same job.

Storage

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat single portions in the microwave or a low oven until warm, adding a splash of lactose-free milk if it looks thick. Freezing is not recommended, since the dairy tends to separate on thawing. Serving sizes for spinach and cheese are conservative here. If you plan to eat a large portion, look them up in the FODMAP Foods app to see how the rating changes with portion size.