Creamy Tuscan Dip (Marry Me Dip)

This irresistible indulgent Creamy Tuscan Sun-dried Tomato (Marry Me) cheese dip is made with, cream cheese, sour cream, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and flavorful herbs and spices. The popular Marry Me Chicken dish is transformed into a creamy cheese dip without the chicken (though you could def add in some chicken). It has the most decadent creamy texture full of those tuscan flavors or marry me flavors. This creamy sun-dried tomato dip is the perfect appetizer and great for dipping crackers, crostini, pita chips, tortilla chips, and even veggies and perfect for game day or any occasion! Everyone loves a good cheesy appetizer option, and this dip is no exception. Whip up a batch and watch the rave reviews roll in!

Creamy Sun-dried Tomato Dip Recipe Ingredients

• OLIVE OIL: Just 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil is all you need to saute the shallot, garlic and spinach. Butter is a great substitute.
• CREAM CHEESE: I always recommend full fat for best flavor and consistency in the dip and make sure it’s room temperature so it’s easy to blend.
• SOUR CREAM: Same goes for the sour cream - full fat and room temperature
• SHALLOT & GARLIC: They add plenty of flavor to this dip. Feel free to swap out the shallot for a small yellow onion or small red onion and use as much garlic or as little garlic as you prefer.
• SPINACH: I always use fresh spinach because it releases a lot less water or liquid and no need to remover to thaw it.
• SUN-DRIED TOMATOES: I use sun-dried tomatoes in oil from a jar, drained and pat dry.
• MOZZARELLA CHEESE: This helps gives this cheese dip its nice lie creamy pull.
• PARMESAN CHEESE: Adds the best kind of savory flavor and cheesiness to this dip.
• HERBS & SPICES: I use my fav combination of herbs and spices that I use in my marry me chicken dish - garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne or chili flakes, Italian seasoning/ Italian herbs (or you could use oregano and or thyme) and of course a pinch of salt and pepper. Go easy on the salt as the tomatoes and the cheese add enough as is.
  
  

Sun-dried Tomato Dip Variations

This is my version of marry me dip recipe, but you can add or substitute ingredients to make it your own. Here are some ideas for different variations of this dip recipe:

• Double Spinach: Use twice the amount of spinach for an extra dose of vegetables.
• Spicy Marry Me Dip: Make it extra spicy by adding a few splashes of hot sauce, for a flavor that’s half-way between buffalo dip and sun-dried tomato dip!
• Make it Lighter: Substitute the sour cream with non-fat yogurt /Greek Yogurt to make a slightly lighter dip.
• Skip the Sun-dried tomatoes: If you’re not a fan of them, sub them for sliced roasted red peppers, or chopped artichokes.
• Add Chicken: Make the dip into a real “marry me chicken dip” and more hearty by stirring in diced or shredded cooked chicken breast.
  
  

How To Make This Creamy Tuscan Dip (full instruction below)

1. Saute Spinach & Aromatics: A few minutes in the skillet until the shallot is softened and the spinach is wilted.
2. Blend Sour Cream & Cream Cheese: I use a hand mixer to do this but you could use a food processor too. If your cream cheese is soft enough though simply use a hard whisk or a fork to fully blend the two.
3. Combine Rest of Ingredients: To the cream cheese mixture add and combine remaining ingredients until fully combined.
4. Transfer to Skillet & Bake: Transfer the cheesy mixture to a skillet or lightly greased baking dish and bake until warmed through, cheese is melted and edges are lightly golden and bubbly.
5. Serve Warm: With baguette slices/crostini, fresh vegetables or sliced red peppers, pita chips, crackers… you name it! It is even great as a spread for sandwiches. Leftovers store well in the fridge.
   
   

Tips For Creamy Tuscan Dip

• I prefer to use freshly cooked spinach for this dip. You can use frozen spinach in a pinch, but I find that frozen spinach has a stringier texture.
• I use a blend of Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses to flavor the dip. If you don’t have mozzarella cheese, other great options are Monterey Jack or fontina cheese.
• Make sure to drain off excess oil into the jar from your sun-dried tomatoes before you chop them.
  
  

Creamy Tuscan Dip Make Ahead and Storage:

• MAKE AHEAD: You can assemble this dip up to 8 hours before you plan to bake it. Simply store it loosely covered in the fridge until you’re ready to heat it up. You may need to add a few more minutes to the baking time to compensate for starting with a cold dip.
• STORAGE: Leftovers last about four days in your refrigerator in and airtight container. Reheat leftovers in the microwave until hot, or cover and heat in a 350ºF oven until heated through (the total time needed will depend on the amount of dip being reheated).
  
  

More Dips You Will Love:

• Easy Rotel Dip
• Spanakopita Dip
• French Onion Dip
• Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Creamy Hot Artichoke Dip
• Marinated Olives With Whipped Feta
• Marinated Goat Cheese Spread
• Greek Style Loaded Hummus
• Creamy Bacon Date Goat Cheese Dip