Spicy Spinach Dip

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This year I’ll be enjoying my first Super Bowl. Oh, I’ve watched plenty of games over the years, and I’ve enjoyed rooting for an arbitrarily chosen team, but this year my team is playing. I’m a Niners fan, but the last time they were in the Super Bowl, I was much younger and quite oblivious to anything sports-related. I didn’t start watching, and understanding, football until B and I started dating. Now I’m a definite fan. Go Niners!

For many people, Super Bowl Sunday is a social event that is largely about hanging out with friends and family, not to mention the commercials and the snacks. Who cares about football if the snacks aren’t good? And though I’m definitely going to watch the game this year, and root for my team, I’ve been thinking about what we’re going to eat on the big day.

Game on!

Game on!

Our typical Super Bowl Sunday is spent at my in-law’s house with a variety of finger foods followed by a delicious Indian dinner sometime around half-time. There are always chicken wings, usually some vegetables with dip, cheese and crackers, and sometimes samosas or bara (a fried lentil patty). We will drink some chai, or beer, and enjoy all the game day munching as we watch two teams battle it out for the Vince Lombardi trophy.

While I enjoy all these snacks, I also like to throw something new into the mix. That’s why when I was thinking about what to make for this weekend’s Super Bowl party, I thought about a spicy spinach dip. I like traditional spinach dips, but they often use dried soup mixes that have undesirable ingredients (MSG, “natural flavors,” sugar, and vegetable fat among them). This is an easy, quick, and super tasty dip that your guests will love (seriously, this took half an hour from start to finish).

Just make sure you let them know that it’s not guacamole!

Spicy Spinach Dip

  • 1 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee
  • 1/2 tsp. jeera mix
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, each chopped into 3-4 pieces
  • 4-6 red Thai chillies (or to taste), split lengthwise
  • 1 lb. baby spinach, about 4 cups packed
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. haldi
  • 1 cup organic, plain, whole milk yogurt
  • optional for some crunch: water chestnuts or walnuts

To Cook:

  1. Heat the oil/ghee in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the jeera and let it cook for about a minute until the seeds pop.
  2. Add the onion and cook until the onions are softened but not browned. Add the garlic and the chillies and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add the spinach and stir well. Add a little salt and the haldi, then cook until the spinach is fully cooked and has changed color from bright to dark green. Taste the mixture for salt and adjust as needed.
  4. Let the spinach mixture cool. You can eat it like this (it is delicious!) but since we’re making dip you’ll need to resist the temptation.
  5. In a food processor, combine the spinach mixture and the yogurt. Turn on and let blend together until it is your desired consistency. I like the spinach fully chopped up and mixed in with the yogurt so that it is smooth and creamy.
  6. If you are adding water chestnuts or walnuts, add them to the food processor and pulse a few times.
  7. Serve immediately or refrigerate until you are ready to use. Serve with an assortment of crudités. Cucumber, carrots, and tomatoes are great pairings.
  8. Enjoy!

**Note: if you would like to make a milder version, you can either reduce the number of chillies you use or use the same number of chillies but remove them before blending in the yogurt. You can also just add more yogurt!

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Definitely NOT guacamole!

This post is linked to Tasty Traditions, Real Food Wednesday and Fight Back Friday.

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