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This spinach queso dip is a rich, creamy copycat of the beloved version once served at the Silver Spoon Café. Loaded with melted cheese, tender spinach, and just the right amount of heat, it’s an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer you can finally recreate at home.
Looking for more dip recipes? Try my Crab and Artichoke Dip recipe, my Baked Goat Cheese Dip with Marinara, or my Greek 7 Layer Dip with Hummus.
Jump to:
- 🩷 What you'll love about this recipe
- 🥘 Recipe Ingredients
- 📝 Ingredient Notes
- 📋 How to Make Spinach Queso Dip Step-By-Step
- 💡 Recipe Tips
- 🫙 Storage & Reheating
- 🧂Additions & Substitutions
- ❓Your questions answered
- 🍽️ More copycat recipes that you'll love
- 📋 Recipe
- 💡 Recipe Tips
- 🫙 Storage & Reheating
- 🧂Additions & Substitutions
- 💬 Comments
This recipe is a copycat version of a dip I loved at an old restaurant in my hometown that no longer exists called Silver Spoon Cafe. My friends and I would love to stop at this restaurant in the mall and get this creamy, cheesy queso spinach dip. I think this recipe is almost spot on.
🩷 What you'll love about this recipe
▪️It's creamy, cheesy and indulgent. It will be the hit of your next party or gathering.
▪️You can make this ahead of time and reheat when ready to serve.
▪️It does have spinach in it, so you're getting a serving of vegetables for the day!
🥘 Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this amazing spinach dip (also known as spinach con queso!) with fresh spinach or frozen spinach, your choice!
📝 Ingredient Notes
- spinach - you can use fresh spinach or frozen spinach. If you go with fresh spinach cook it and remove the water before adding it in. You'll need between one to two pounds of fresh spinach cooked to substitute for frozen.
- Velveeta cheese - I know many people don't like this cheese, but I really feel it's needed if you want the recipe to taste like the one from the Silver Spoon restaurant. If you must use something else, get a block of American cheese from the deli since it will melt similarly.
- tortilla chips for dipping - any tortilla chips will work, but the ones that I like the best with this, and remind me of those from the restaurant, are the ones from Chili's (the restaurant). I just go there and get an order of chips and salsa and use their chips. When they're fresh and warm, they're so good!
📋 How to Make Spinach Queso Dip Step-By-Step
Here are some visual instructions. Full instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the Recipe Card below.
Make sure the spinach is completely thawed. Squeeze as much water out of the spinach as possible to ensure the dip is not watery. I like to put it in a clean towel and wring it tightly. It will get it pretty dry.
Add butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent.
Add flour to the onion mixture and whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes, so the raw flour taste is removed and there are no lumps. Add chicken stock and whisk again until there are no lumps. Add Velveeta cheese and stir until melted. Add the heavy cream and stir until combined.
Add a dash of hot sauce and the spinach. Stir until completely combined and heated through. Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Add to your favorite serving bowl and serve with fresh, warm tortilla chips. Top with sour cream right before serving.
💡 Recipe Tips
To keep the dip warm at a party or gathering, keep the dip in a slow cooker or warmer on the warm setting. It's best served warm.
You can add other cheeses if you would like, such as cream cheese or cheddar cheese, but if you want the authentic restaurant dip, you must use Velveeta cheese.
Serve the dip in a hollowed out, round bread bowl. Take the bread you removed and cut into cubes and toast them in the oven. Serve along with the dip for dipping!
Make this ahead of time!
You can make this dip up to 1-2 days in advance. Cook all the way through and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave. Add a little chicken broth or milk if the dip is too thick.
🫙 Storage & Reheating
Storage: Store this in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a pot over low to medium heat until warm and melted. Heat in a microwave for 3-4 minutes until warm, stirring a couple times throughout.
Freezing: Freeze in an airtight container or ziploc bag. Thaw completely before reheating.
🧂Additions & Substitutions
Additions:
- Additional cheese for different flavors: cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, smoked gouda.
- Add more hot sauce, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeno peppers for heat and a more spicy cheese dip.
- Add a can of drained Rotel tomatoes, pico de gallo or diced green chiles to make this a more Mexican type spinach queso dip.
- Add a can of chopped, drained artichokes for spinach artichoke dip.
Substitutions:
- You can substitute cooked kale for the spinach.
- If you don't like Velveeta cheese, try a block of white American cheese or yellow American cheese. You can get it in a block from the deli.
❓Your questions answered
You can use chopped fresh veggies, pretzel crisps, toasted baguette slices or bread cubes.
🍽️ More copycat recipes that you'll love
💛Silver Spoon Cafe Garlic Herb Cream Cheese Butter Spread
💛Bahama Breeze Jerk Chicken Pasta
I hope you love this Spinach Queso Dip recipe! If you make it, be sure to
leave a rating so I know how you liked it! Happy eating!
📋 Recipe
Spinach Queso Dip (Silver Spoon Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
- 16 ounces frozen spinach thawed
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup yellow onion minced
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce I prefer Valentina, use 1-2 tablespoons
- 2 tablespoons sour cream for topping
- Tortilla chips for dipping
Instructions
- Squeeze as much water out of the 16 ounces frozen spinach as you can. I like to use a clean kitchen towel. Put the spinach in the towel, and then wring it as tightly as you can.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter to a medium sized pot over medium heat and cook until melted. Add ½ cup yellow onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add 2 tablespoons all purpose flour and whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste and ensure there are no lumps.
- Add 1 cup chicken stock and whisk until there are no lumps. Add 8 ounces Velveeta cheese and whisk until all the cheese is melted. Add ⅓ cup heavy cream and stir until combined. Add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Add spinach. If queso is too thick, add chicken stock until it is a little thinner.
- Pour into a serving bowl and top with 2 tablespoons sour cream. Serve with fresh, warm tortilla chips.
Notes
💡 Recipe Tips
To keep the dip warm at a party or gathering, keep the dip in a slow cooker or warmer on the warm setting. It's best served warm. You can add other cheeses if you would like, such as cream cheese or cheddar cheese, but if you want the authentic restaurant dip, you must use Velveeta cheese. Serve the dip in a hollowed out, round bread bowl. Take the bread you removed and cut into cubes and toast them in the oven. Serve along with the dip for dipping! You can make this dip up to 1-2 days in advance. Cook all the way through and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave. Add a little chicken broth or milk if the dip is too thick. What are popular dippers for spinach queso besides tortilla chips? You can use chopped fresh veggies, pretzel crisps, toasted baguette slices or bread cubes.🫙 Storage & Reheating
Storage: Store this in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheating: Reheat in a pot over low to medium heat until warm and melted. Heat in a microwave for 3-4 minutes until warm, stirring a couple times throughout. Freezing: Freeze in an airtight container or ziploc bag. Thaw completely before reheating.🧂Additions & Substitutions
Additions:- Additional cheese for different flavors: cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, smoked gouda.
- Add more hot sauce, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeno peppers for heat and a more spicy cheese dip.
- Add a can of drained Rotel tomatoes, pico de gallo or diced green chiles to make this a more Mexican type spinach queso dip.
- Add a can of chopped, drained artichokes for spinach artichoke dip.
- You can substitute cooked kale for the spinach.
- If you don't like Velveeta cheese, try a block of white American cheese or yellow American cheese. You can get it in a block from the deli.
Teri
This is one of my favorite dips to bring to parties!