Pepper Jack Spinach Dip with Bacon
This ultra-creamy Pepper Jack Spinach Dip with Bacon is the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer. Loaded with tender spinach, sautéed onion, savory seasonings, smoky crumbled bacon, and plenty of shredded pepper jack cheese, this easy, dippable recipe delivers bold flavor in every bite. Ideal for parties, game day, or holiday gatherings, it’s a warm, cheesy spinach dip that never disappoints.
Easy Pepper Jack Spinach Dip Recipe
Appetizers are a must for almost any gathering, whether it’s a casual dinner with friends or a holiday celebration. They help set the tone for the meal and keep guests satisfied while everyone arrives. Spinach dip is a timeless classic and a guaranteed crowd-pleasing appetizer, making it perfect for entertaining.
When preparing this Pepper Jack Spinach Dip with Bacon, it’s essential to remove as much moisture as possible from the thawed spinach. Excess water can cause the dip to become thin or break down. Simply squeeze the spinach in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels to remove the liquid before mixing. Serve this Southern-style spinach dip as an easy holiday appetizer or game day snack, its creamy texture, smoky bacon, and bold pepper jack flavor make it a hit every time.
Checkout this quick list of key ingredients you’ll need to make Pepper Jack Spinach Dip: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)
- Spinach – One pound frozen baby spinach gives this dip its signature flavor.
- Cheese – Freshly shredded pepper jack cheese for a melty cheesy flavor.
- Bacon – Crispy bacon gives this dip a smoky taste.
- Cream Cheese – One 8 ounce garden vegetable cream cheese expands the flavor profile.
- Mayonnaise – 1 cup mayo for a creamy texture.
- Liquid – One cup heavy cream or half and half thins the spinach mixture.
- Onion – Green onions for a hint of onion flavor.
- Spices – Garlic salt, onion powder and black pepper.
How to Make the Best Pepper Jack Spinach Dip with Bacon
- Fry Bacon – Fry the bacon slices until crisp, then remove to paper towels to drain. Chop.
- Thaw the Spinach – The most important step when making spinach dip is to thaw the chopped spinach and squeeze it to remove as much excess liquid as possible.
- Creamed Ingredients – In a mixing bowl whip together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, heavy cream, garlic salt, onion powder and black pepper. Whip until creamy and combined around 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the Spinach – By hand mix in the spinach, green onions, bacon and 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
- Transfer to Skillet or Baking Dish – Pour the spinach mixture into the skillet or prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Oven – Bake per the cooking time in the recipe oven until bubbly and the top is golden brown.
- Serve – Dip with pita crisps, tortilla chips or crackers.
Kitchen Equipment to Make Pepper Jack Spinach Dip
- 10-inch cast iron skillet or similar oven safe skillet or baking dish.
- Medium bowl.
- Measuring cups and spoons.
- Cheese grater.
- Hand mixer.
- Large spoon or rubber spatula for stirring everything together.
Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions
- Remove All Excess Liquid from the Spinach – When making this hot spinach dip it’s important to remove as much moisture as possible from the thawed spinach. If not, it could cause the filling to breakdown.
- Squeeze in a Kitchen Towel – You can use a clean lint-free kitchen towel to remove the excess water from the spinach if needed, or paper towels. When using paper towels, double them over and repeat the process with dry paper towels until the liquid has been removed. The beauty of paper towels is, they can be tossed when you’re done for easy clean-up.
- Fresh Spinach – You can use 2 pounds of baby spinach leaves for this recipe. Sauté on the stovetop just until wilted and liquid is removed, then proceed with the recipe as written.
- Bacon – You can omit the bacon if you’re serving both vegetarians and carnivores. You could also replace it with chorizo sausage or diced ham.
- Cheese – This recipe is flexible and the cheese can easily be adapted using the same amount. Use mozzarella cheese, gruyere, cheese, sharp cheddar cheese or colby jack cheese. You can sprinkle the top with feta cheese just before serving.
- Veggies – You could add diced chiles, pickled jalapenos, sauteed onion, mushrooms or marinated artichoke hearts to this spinach dip. If you’d like to make a classic checkout my recipe for Italian Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe here.
- How to Serve – You can serve this easy spinach dip recipe with a variety of dippers. I recommend serving it with pita chips, crackers, Frito scoops, baguette slices, raw vegetables or tortilla chips and it’s usually one of the first appetizers to go.
- When to Serve Spinach Dip – Serve this dip as a holiday snack, small bite appetizer, for entertaining friends at a back yard barbecue or for part of your game day munchies it’s always a hit.’
Storage and Leftovers
- Make-Ahead Tip – You can fully assemble this homemade spinach dip one day in advance and pop it into the refrigerator to chill. Doing so, you’ll have it ready to bake when just before serving hot from the oven.
- Leftovers – Store Pepper Jack Spinach Dip with Bacon covered with plastic wrap, aluminum foil or transfer to an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating – Reheat in single servings in the microwave. You can also reheat in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes or just until heated through.
- Freezer – You can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat just before serving.
More Easy Dip Recipes to Make
- Easy Dill Pickle Dip.
- Million Dollar Dip is filled with bacon, toasted almonds and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Baked Three Cheesesteak Dip is a riff on classic cheesesteaks with plenty of gooey cheese to go around.
- Baked Mexican Fiesta Dip is ready for dipping with vegetables or tortilla chips.
- Cheesy Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip is a classic that everyone loves.
- Light and fresh Cucumber Dill Dip.
- Easy Veggie Dip is a mainstay recipe that will serve you year-round.
- Oreo Dip from Homemade Hooplah.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Pepper Jack Spinach Dip with Bacon
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 189kcal
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz package chopped frozen baby spinach thawed
- 1 8 oz container garden vegetable cream cheese softened
- 1 cup real mayonnaise
- 1 cup heavy cream or half & half
- 2 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 green onion chopped
- 5 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil the bottom and sides of an 10-inch cast iron skillet or similar oven safe skillet or baking dish. Set aside.
- Thaw the spinach and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible.
- In a medium size bowl, use a mixer to whip together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, heavy cream, garlic salt, onion powder and black pepper. Whip until creamy and combined around 1-2 minutes.
- By hand mix in the spinach, green onion, bacon and 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Pour into the skillet.
- Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
- Serve with pita crisps, tortilla chips, baguette slices, raw vegetables or crackers for dipping.
Notes
- Fresh Spinach – You can use 2 pounds of baby spinach leaves for this recipe. Sauté on the stovetop just until wilted and liquid is removed, then proceed with the recipe as written.
- Bacon – You can omit the bacon if you’re serving both vegetarians and carnivores. You could also replace it with chorizo sausage or diced ham.
- Cheese – This recipe is flexible and the cheese can easily be adapted using the same amount. Use mozzarella cheese, gruyere, cheese, sharp cheddar cheese or colby jack cheese.
- Veggies – You could add diced chiles, pickled jalapenos, sauteed onion, mushrooms or marinated artichoke hearts to this spinach dip. If you’d like to make a classic checkout my recipe for Italian Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe here.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 617mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 238IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 1mg
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For those that find it salty, I have had more times had it turn out too much when using alternative brands of bacon. Yes Oscar Meyer is the most expensive one in my store without going to the gourmet section, but the other ones can (but not always) add much more salty flavor to items than cheese. YMMV. but if it is salty flavored, that also seems to be all you can taste. I find OM to be the most consistent for my family. I have had some success with after cooking tasting the bacon, and if it is salty soaking it in water for a while to dilute the outside of the salt. This works well with something you are incorporating into, like a dip, not to eat straight.
Will the spinach be tender, I asked because I ordered some at a restaurant and the spinach was tough
Frozen spinach is usually tender, yes.
Your instructions are a bit unclear. #3 mixes the seasoning and creamy ingredients, and #4 mixes the “dry” ingredients, so I would guess # 5 would be to fold them together before pouring into skillet. The way they are written sounds like you want them layered.
Clearly the recipe states what to do: From the recipe: In a medium size bowl, use a mixer to whip together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, heavy cream, garlic salt, onion powder and black pepper. Whip until creamy and combined around 1-2 minutes.
By hand mix in the spinach, green onion, bacon and 1 ½ cup shredded cheese. Pour into the skillet.
I loved this! I used garlic powder instead of garlic salt and I added crab meat. Amazing! My family asks me to make this all the time now
Love the addition of crab, thanks so much!
I thought this dip was a little bitter when I made it and couldn’t taste the bacon very much ( I used a whole lb of bacon. I wonder if it can be sweetened up a little ?
I can’t imagine why you would find the flavor to be bitter unless the spinach was off. I wouldn’t add sugar to this dip, if that’s what you mean. One pound of bacon and you should surely taste it. Maybe use sweet onions next time.
Could you use fresh spinach instead of the frozen?
In the same amount, sure. You’ll need far more than 10 ounces of fresh to be the equivalent of 10 ounces frozen.
Can I make the pepper jack spinach dip ahead and bake it like a couple hours later?
Yes, no problem at all. You can even assemble the night before, cover and chill. Then uncover and bake just before serving. When chilled, you may need to add to the baking time or allow 15 minutes at room temperature prior to baking.
I freeze my spinach from my garden. I weighed out enough frozen spinach. Once it was thawed I only got 4 ounces of thawed and dried spinach. What equivalents does it make in ounces or cus thank you.
Sounds delicious . Going to make it for a holiday get together tomorrow.
The amount of spinach needed will be the same. 16 ounces.
Hello, would I be able to make this recipe with my crockpot? I am going to the Packer game at a bar,,,, and we all bring a dish to pass. The Pepper Jack Spinach dip with bacon sounds amazing!
Hi Sue, oh sure you can, no problem. On high for 1 1/2-2 hours then just keep warm. (Put doubled paper towels under the lid to keep condensation from dripping back down onto the dip while cooking.)
What do you mean by whip? Use a mixer or by hand?
Either one your preference.
Melissa, you usually leave Nutritional values 🙁
How bad are the calories and sodium?
Hi Mary, there are actually several online calculators you can use for my recipes or any others you find online. My Fitness Pal is one.
I do not have one of those pans. Do you have any other suggestions for a pan I could use
You can make this dip in any similar size oven safe skillet or baking dish, no problem.
Just made this and it’s too salty!! Followed the recipe. Is there anything you can do to cut the salty taste?
I’ve never had a concern about salt but, salt is like any spice it’s purely subjective. Keep in mind, the mayonnaise you’re using as well as the cheese sodium content as it all varies by brand. If you’re ultra sensitive to it just cut back on the salt you add to it in the beginning.
To cut back on salt, add garlic powder instead of garlic salt. There is plenty of salt in the other ingredients and probably in the chips you will use.
check your bacon. it can ruin a dish with over saltiness.
What brand is the skillet?
It’s a Threshold brand I purchased at Target.
Hey..We don’t use mayo.. Would Greek yogurt work in place of it?
I think you could, sure.
Hello,
Just wondering if I could use regular cream cheese instead of the flavored cream cheese.Thanks
You could, however the chive and onion cream cheese is seasoned and it’s spreadable meaning it has a softer texture. If you use regular cream cheese, you won’t really have the same results ans you would need to adjust the seasonings.
Your ingredients list garden vegetable cream cheese but one of your replies above mentions chive & onion cream cheese. Can you please clarify which you used?
You can use either one go with your preference.
I use a small container of Jalapeño cream cheese instead of the garden vegetable.It really kicks it up a notch.
That sounds amazing!!
Sounds so good. Thank you.
You’re welcome Liz!
Its super delish! Made it for a Seahawks gathering today and guests raved about it! Will make it again!
Yay, thanks for letting me know!