If you've ever had Spinach Artichoke Dip from Joey's restaurant, you'll understand my need to make a copycat. Although it hasn't been on their menu for several years, I just couldn't stop thinking about it. But this is not just a copycat, I've created a lighter, Weight Watchers friendly, and healthier version of their classic appetizer, this Healthy Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe (Weight Watchers)!
This WW Spinach Artichoke dip is popular all year 'round, but is ideal for a guilt-free game day, movie night, game night, or bringing along to a potluck. It's the perfect party appetizer, and no one will even suspect it's healthy, lighter, or Weight Watchers Friendly. I just know it's going to become one of your favorite appetizers! This recipe inspired my Spinach Artichoke Casserole (I also included a ww version in the post).
Jump to:
- 🥘 Ingredient Notes
- 📖Variations & Substitutions
- 🔪 How to Make Weight Watchers Spinach and Artichoke Dip
- Expert Recipe Tips
- 🥗What to serve with Spinach Artichoke Dip with Greek Yogurt
- 🍽Equipment
- 🌡️Storing
- 👪 Serving size
- 🔢WW Points
- Top Tip (for leftover dip)
- ❔ Recipe FAQs
- Didn't find the answer you're looking for?
- 🍲More WW Dip recipes!
- 📋 Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip (Weight Watchers) Recipe
My kids are my key guinea pigs (aka recipe testers). And since I always get my kids' opinions (they have very discerning palates), I try to have some fun with it. For this recipe, I ran a blind taste test with my daughter.
I actually blindfolded her and had her taste the original Joey's copycat recipe I created, then the lightened-up version. She picked the lightened-up version as her favorite! I was a little surprised, but very pleased. This girl knows her dips!
And if you're looking for additional WW friendly healthy dips, check out my Cowboy Caviar Dip! It's 1 WW point for ¼ cup. And see more WW friendly dips at the bottom of this post.
🥘 Ingredient Notes
This healthy spinach artichoke dip has no mayo and no cream cheese (therefore less fat) and uses non-fat sour cream and Greek yogurt instead. For this recipe, you'll need:
- Butter. I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt in my recipes. The salt content in salted butter varies by brand.
- Greek yogurt, Parmesan cheese, Milk, and Sour cream. I use low-fat or non-fat.
- Monterey Jack cheese. I use the reduced-fat version.
- Lemon juice. Fresh is the best, but if you have to use concentrated in a pinch, you only need ½ the amount.
- Spinach. I use frozen spinach. Just be sure to squeeze out all the liquid.
- Artichoke hearts. I use the marinated artichoke hearts *the jarred is more flavorful, as it's usually marinated.
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Spinach- you can use fresh spinach instead of frozen, but you'll need to double the amount and cook it, drain it, and cool it (it's definitely more work!)
- Agave - you can use liquid honey as a substitute, but you'll need to double the amount (and account for the WW points)
- Butter - you can substitute salted butter, but skip the salt in the recipe
- Cheese - you could substitute mozzarella cheese for the Monterey Jack cheese in a pinch, but I don't recommend it
- Spicier - add red pepper flakes
- Milk - you could use skim milk or 2% milk instead
🔪 How to Make Weight Watchers Spinach and Artichoke Dip
What's different about this hot spinach artichoke dip is that you don't have to bake it. It's a very easy appetizer and quick to make on the stovetop, so it can be made ahead and reheated in either the microwave or on the stovetop.
- In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, with onion, garlic, and salt, Cook and stir until the onions become translucent and softened, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add flour and whisk until the flour is fully incorporated.
- Over low heat, whisk in the milk, one-third at a time, making sure the mixture (roux) is smooth before adding the remainder.
- Once all of the milk has been added, keep whisking to ensure a smooth, creamy texture
- Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Remove the pot from the heat/element, add the remaining ingredients, and mix gently but thoroughly for the best results.
- Return to the element and heat over low until warmed through.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Squeeze the spinach extremely well. Frozen spinach holds a lot of water, and excess moisture will make the dip watery; use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to wring it out completely.
- Keep the heat low when adding dairy. Greek yogurt and sour cream can separate if overheated, so always remove the pot from the heat before stirring them in.
- Whisk the roux thoroughly. Make sure the flour is fully incorporated into the butter before adding milk to avoid lumps and ensure a smooth, creamy base.
- Add the milk gradually. Whisking the milk in one-third at a time helps prevent clumping and creates a silkier texture.
- Use marinated artichoke hearts for more flavor. Jarred artichokes add extra seasoning and depth compared to plain canned versions.
- Chop the artichokes evenly. Uniform pieces ensure every bite has balanced flavor and prevents large chunks from overpowering the dip.
- Grate your own cheese if possible. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can affect melting and texture.
- Season at the end. Parmesan and Monterey Jack both add salt, so taste the dip before adding extra seasoning.
- Don't rush the final heating step. Gently warming the dip over low heat keeps it creamy and prevents scorching.
- Thin only if needed. If the dip thickens as it sits, stir in a splash of milk while reheating to loosen it up without changing the flavor.
🥗What to serve with Spinach Artichoke Dip with Greek Yogurt
- mini pita pockets or pita chips
- fresh veggies - cucumbers, carrot sticks, celery, bell peppers
- water crackers
- tortilla chips
🍽Equipment
For this recipe, you'll need a medium sized saucepan and a whisk (affiliate links). A chip and dip serving platter is the ideal way to serve this.
🌡️Storing
Fridge: Store this creamy dip in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do NOT freeze it!
This dip does not freeze well.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave for about 45 seconds-2 minutes (depending on your microwave) or reheat on stovetop on low, while stirring frequently, until warmed through.
👪 Serving size
This healthy artichoke dip is 8 servings, and they are decent-sized servings (about ⅓ of a cup). I've seen some other recipes out there that are WW friendly, but claim to feed 15 people (for the same amount of dip).
Get real people?! Who out there actually considers a couple of tablespoons a serving? Oh, and compared to the original traditional spinach artichoke dip, it's so much lower! According to My Fitness Pal, the original Joey's Restaurant (Canada) Spinach and Artichoke dip is 1000 calories for 1 bowl with chips!
🔢WW Points
This copycat spinach artichoke dip is 4 WW points for ⅓ cup. You can bring the points down further by using skim milk and non-fat parmesan cheese.
Top Tip (for leftover dip)
If you have leftover dip, then be sure to try this "Spinach artichoke twice baked potatoes" I happened to have both leftover baked potatoes and leftover healthy spinach and artichoke dip, so this was perfect (and delicious)!
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut baked potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the potato flesh into a large mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher or fork. Add the leftover dip. Divide the mixture evenly and spoon it back into the potato shells. Sprinkle with a little Monterey Jack cheese (or you could use another type of cheese if you prefer.)
- Cook the potatoes in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm.
And if you like these, you'll love my Caesar Twice Baked Potatoes with leftover Caesar salad dressing!
Creating a copycat recipe is much more challenging than simply creating a recipe from scratch, so you know it's worth it when I'm willing to put in that level of effort! I'm sure you'll find this Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip worth it, too. And if you like this Copycat recipe, you may like my other copycat recipes.
❔ Recipe FAQs
If using canned artichokes, rinsing removes excess brine; jarred marinated artichokes don't need rinsing and add more flavor.
Yes, this dip can be made up to 1 day in advance and stored in the fridge; simply reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
This dip is meant to be served warm, but it's still delicious at room temperature for parties or potlucks.
If it's too thick, stir in a splash of milk; if too thin, simmer gently for a few extra minutes to help it thicken.
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📋 Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip (Weight Watchers) Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 tablespoon butter
- ½ onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup 1% milk
- 1 cup non- fat Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup light grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoon non-fat sour cream
- ¼ cup light grated Monterey cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 10 drops Tabasco sauce
- 300 g -pkg of frozen spinach thawed and squeezed to remove excess water
- 1 cup artichokes, canned or jarred drained and coarsely chopped (rinse them if you are using canned)
- 1 tsp agave syrup *can substitute 2 teaspoon honey
Garnish (optional)
- additional parmesan cheese, sprinkled
- lemon zest
Instructions
- In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, with onion, garlic and salt, Cook and stir until the onions become translucent and softened, approximately 3-4 minutes.1.5 tablespoon butter, ½ onion, diced, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add flour and whisk until the flour is fully incorporated.2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Over low heat, whisk in the milk, one third at a time, making sure the mixture (roux) is smooth before adding the remainder. Once all of the milk has been added, keep whisking to ensure a smooth creamy texture.½ cup 1% milk
- Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Remove pot from the heat, add remaining ingredients, mix gently but thoroughly.1 cup non- fat Greek yogurt, ¾ cup light grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoon non-fat sour cream, ¼ cup light grated Monterey cheese, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 10 drops Tabasco sauce, 1 cup artichokes, canned or jarred, 1 teaspoon agave syrup
- Return to element and heat over low until warmed through.
Garnish (optional)
- I love to grate a little lemon zest on it for color and for a bit of zing!lemon zest, additional parmesan cheese, sprinkled
- Serve with warm tortilla chips, cracker and/or veggies. Enjoy!
Notes
- Squeeze the spinach extremely well. Frozen spinach holds a lot of water, and excess moisture will make the dip watery; use a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to wring it out completely.
- Keep the heat low when adding dairy. Greek yogurt and sour cream can separate if overheated, so always remove the pot from the heat before stirring them in.
- Whisk the roux thoroughly. Make sure the flour is fully incorporated into the butter before adding milk to avoid lumps and ensure a smooth, creamy base.
- Add the milk gradually. Whisking the milk in one-third at a time helps prevent clumping and creates a silkier texture.
- Use marinated artichoke hearts for more flavor. Jarred artichokes add extra seasoning and depth compared to plain canned versions.
- Chop the artichokes evenly. Uniform pieces ensure every bite has balanced flavor and prevents large chunks from overpowering the dip.
- Grate your own cheese if possible. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can affect melting and texture.
- Season at the end. Parmesan and Monterey Jack both add salt, so taste the dip before adding extra seasoning.
- Don't rush the final heating step. Gently warming the dip over low heat keeps it creamy and prevents scorching.
- Thin only if needed. If the dip thickens as it sits, stir in a splash of milk while reheating to loosen it up without changing the flavor.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut baked potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the potato flesh into a large mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher or fork. Add the leftover dip. Divide the mixture evenly and spoon it back into the potato shells. Sprinkle with a little Monterey Jack cheese (or you could use another type of cheese if you prefer.)
- Cook the potatoes in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm.
Terri Gilson says
This Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip is a fantastic addition to our family get-togethers. I love that it's a lighter version of Joey's classic, but still packed with flavor. My daughter even chose it over the original in a blind taste test - that's when I knew I had a winner!