Ree Drummond's 3-Ingredient Dip Tastes Restaurant-Worthy

Now that the weather has turned chilly and the sun seems to set closer to lunch than dinner, I’ve been reluctant to leave the house (or get out of my cozy clothes) any more than absolutely necessary. But that doesn’t mean socializing has to stop; it just moves indoors. Movie nights, card games, and easy dinners that stretch into long conversations have become the norm. This time of year calls for cozy hangs only.

One dish I’ve been making for my guests on repeat is Ree Drummond Easy Artichoke Dip. Warm, cheesy, gooey, and even a little good for you (it has spinach!), this recipe is The Pioneer Woman at her best: a recipe pared down to its simplest, most satisfying form.

Ree's dip keeps the classic ingredients (jarred artichokes and spinach), but swaps the usual cream cheese and mayo for jarred queso. Using one shelf-stable ingredient—but keeping all the richness and flavor of the original recipe—is the kind of clever pantry move she's known to make. Is it a perfect copycat? Not quite. But is it utterly delicious and ready in five minutes flat? Absolutely.

How to Make Ree Drummond’s 3-Ingredient Artichoke Dip

The first thing I did was crack open the jar of artichokes and pour some of the marinating liquid into a small saucepan to heat. Ree uses the oil from the jar to cook everything, which I actually love. It means fewer ingredients to buy and adds an herby, briny flavor. Once the oil was warm, I added several large handfuls of baby spinach, tossing it in batches until it wilted down. 

Then I added the artichokes and let everything heat together. After a minute of stirring, I realized some pieces were still bigger than ideal, the kind that make the dip lumpy instead of scoopable. So I fished them back out and gave them a very quick rough chop. 

I let the spinach and artichokes warm through for a minute or so, then poured in the queso. While Ree calls for queso blanco, I couldn’t find it anywhere, so I used a regular yellow queso instead, and it melted in just fine. I stirred everything together over low heat until the mixture was fully combined and warmed through, then transferred it to a serving bowl and dug in with chips.

Tips for Making Ree's Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Since you’re using the marinating oil as your cooking fat, it’s worth checking how your artichokes are packed. Mine were in safflower oil rather than olive oil, which was fine, just a slightly different flavor. If your artichokes are packed in water instead of oil, be sure to drain them thoroughly, then add a splash of olive oil to the pan before cooking. Also, even though the recipe says chopped artichokes, the jarred ones can still need a little help; giving them a quick rough chop makes the dip smoother and easier to scoop.

While Ree uses a small saucepan, I found a skillet easier. It gives the spinach more space to wilt evenly and lets the artichokes get a bit of warmth and slight toast.

I couldn’t find queso blanco anywhere, so I just used a regular jarred queso dip. It worked totally fine and melted in smoothly. The only real difference is the color: the dip ends up more of a golden yellow instead of the pale, creamy look in Ree’s version.

If you really want to get closer to queso blanco’s slightly tangy, mild heat, you could stir in a spoonful of canned green chiles or a little pickled jalapeño brine. Either way, you're just minutes away from a deliciously simple dip.