Alright, so I wanted something really simple to whip up the other day. You know how it is, sometimes you just need a quick, no-fuss appetizer. Came across this idea for a 3-ingredient artichoke dip and thought, why not give it a shot? Seemed almost too easy, but I’m all for easy.
Getting Started
First thing I did was get the oven going. I set mine to about 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Figured that would get things nice and melty. While that was heating up, I gathered my stuff. And when I say three ingredients, I mean it. Not counting a pinch of salt or pepper if you feel like it, but the base is just three things.
Here’s what I pulled out:
- One can of artichoke hearts. I used the kind in water, about 14 ounces.
- One block of cream cheese, 8 ounces. Had it sitting on the counter for a bit to soften up. Makes mixing way easier.
- Some Parmesan cheese. I just used the pre-grated kind, probably about half a cup.
Putting It Together
Okay, so with the oven hotting up, I got to work on the actual dip. I grabbed a medium-sized bowl. First, I drained those artichoke hearts really well. Squeezed out as much liquid as I could. You don’t want a soggy dip, that’s for sure. Then, I chopped them up. Didn’t go too crazy, just a rough chop. I like a bit of texture, you know?
Tossed the chopped artichokes into the bowl. Then, I plopped in the softened cream cheese. Added the Parmesan on top of that. That was pretty much it for the prep. I took a fork and just started mashing and stirring everything together. Took a minute or two to get it all combined properly. You want it to be a nice, chunky, creamy mixture.
Once it looked good and mixed, I grabbed a small baking dish. Mine’s a little round ceramic one, perfect for dips. I spooned the mixture into the dish and spread it out a bit with the back of the spoon. Nothing fancy, just get it in there.
Baking and The Result
Then, into the preheated oven it went. I didn’t really set a timer, just kept an eye on it. I’d say it was in there for about 20 minutes, maybe 25. I was looking for it to get all hot and bubbly around the edges, and maybe a little bit golden on top. When it looked like that, I pulled it out. Careful, that dish gets hot.
I let it sit for a good 5 to 10 minutes before anyone dug in. It needs that time to cool down just a tad, otherwise, you’re just asking for a burnt tongue. Smelled pretty fantastic while it was cooling.
We had it with some tortilla chips I had in the pantry, but crackers or even some veggie sticks would be great too. And honestly? It was pretty darn good. For something so ridiculously easy, it was a real winner. Creamy, savory, with those nice chunks of artichoke. It disappeared fast, which is always a good sign. So yeah, that’s my experience with the 3-ingredient artichoke dip. Definitely keeping this one in the back pocket for when I need something quick.
