At this time of year, everyone just wants it to be Spring. It would be nice if Spring weather came along for the ride though. That being said, there are still lots of delicious vegetables that you can get locally in the late winter and early spring. One of the most common ones is spinach. In watching the video to learn how to make the Spinach Ranch Dip, you’ll also get to visit BlueMoon Farm in Urbana, IL where the spinach for the Kit was grown, and hear all about spinach from Ann Swanson, the chef preparing this local dish!

This recipe was originally developed as part of our Kids Kits 2021 program, with financial support from Community Foundation of East Central Illinois and Office of the Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs.

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Spinach Ranch Dip

Making homemade ranch is a delicious way to encourage everyone to eat local veggies. But with this Spinach Ranch Dip recipe, some of the veggies are added to the ranch, making it even tastier and healthier! Plus, check out the video to learn all about growing and harvesting spinach.

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Spinach

Author: Alisa DeMarco

Equipment

• Small Mixing Bowl
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Medium (non-stick) Skillet
• medium bowl
• Food Processor (optional)

Ingredients

Spice Mix

• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Dip

• 2 green onions/scallions trimmed and finely chopped (minced)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese softened
• 1/2 lb fresh spinach washed thoroughly
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped (minced) or pressed

Instructions

• Mix ingredients for spice mix together in small bowl.
• De-stem (remove the tough stem) from each leaf of spinach and save for later or discard. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. (this step is not necessary if you are using baby spinach)
• Heat olive oil in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add spinach and chopped garlic along with ¼ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper, stirring and turning until fully cooked (the spinach will be wilted and soft).
• Remove spinach from heat, transfer to a bowl, and let cool completely.
• When cool enough to handle, squeeze spinach dry and chop finely to a rough paste.  Alternatively, you can use a food processor, pulsing to chop the spinach.
• Add spinach to bowl with sour cream, cream cheese, minced green onions, and spice mix. Fold/mix together to combine. Serve immediately or chill for up to 24 hours before serving.
• Serve with corn chips, pretzel or pita chips, bread cubes, baby carrots, or use as a bagel spread.

Video