Name your top three favorite hot party dips. Chances are a creamy artichoke dip is among the ranks. Creamy, cheesy, and comforting, it’s become a beloved classic in American cuisine, often served at parties, sporting events, and casual get-togethers. I’ve made a better-for-you Artichoke and Green Chile Dip with Cottage Cheese that still offers that same indulgent vibe, but with a much more mindful nutritional profile.
However, it’s often made with high-calorie, high-fat ingredients such as cream cheese, sour cream and/or mayonnaise. But, I’ve found that swapping in blended cottage cheese makes an ideal healthy substitution for many of these ingredients. You still get a cheesy, smooth result, but an artichoke dip with less fat and calories – plus with more protein!
In fact, blending cottage cheese for recipe is one of my favorite healthy hacks to reduce fat and bump up protein. Also, it’s a simple solution that helps me avoid the curdy cottage cheese texture that I personally find a little off-putting.
To me, blended cottage cheese is very similar to ricotta cheese and is a smart swap in so many sweet or savory recipes for every meal of the day – I’ve made dozens! If you like this Cottage Cheese Artichoke Green Chile Dip, I’ll let you in on these two easy pasta recipes that use cottage cheese:
Wondering about the nutrition on this Green Chile Artichoke Dip? It’s still ooey-gooey and low-carb but has only 84 cal, 5g carbs, 3.4 fat for a generous-sized, approximate 1/3-cup serving! Plus, you get 7.5g protein with that!
Serve this cottage-cheese based dip with veggies, pita chips, pile in wrap or potato! We used our leftovers on pasta tonight, delish!!!
Note: You can sub canned green chiles, but I am kind of a Hatch green chile snob and either blister my own on the grill or buy them prepped and straight from the source via my favorite Hatch chile farms in New Mexico.
Better-for-You Artichoke Green Chile Dip with Cottage Cheese
Prep Time
10mins
Cook Time
20mins
Total Time
30mins
Course:
appetizers, Snack
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
artichokes, cottage cheese, dip, hatch green chile
Servings: 91/3 cup servings
Calories: 83kcal
Ingredients
1/3cupchopped fire-roasted Hatch green chilesor can sub a 4-ounce can, drained well
112-oz jar artichoke hearts, drained and chopped(reserve 2 tsp. liquid)
1cup 2% cottage cheese
1/2cup 0% plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 tsplime juice
1tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/2tspground black pepper
3/4cupfresh-grated Parmesan cheesedivided
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Chop up chiles, removing seeds Beforehand. Drain and Chop artichokes (save 2 tsp jar liquid).
Set aside. In small blender, add Cottage cheese, yogurt, lime juice, lime juice, garlic, reserved artichoke "juice", salt and pepper and blend until smooth.
Pour yogurt mixture into 3-cup capacity baking dish.
Add ½ cup Parmesan, artichokes and chiles into mixture, stir well. Top with remaining ¼ up Parmesan.
Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes, until bubbling and lightly browning on top.
Seven Layer Italian Pesto Quinoa Dip is a quick, easy and elegant appetizer for holiday entertaining or just everyday munching. Made with flavorful, nourishing items convenient to keep on hand in the pantry and fridge, this simple-to-assemble party dip can be ready to serve in under 10 minutes – and stores beautifully overnight if you want to make ahead.
Inspired by easy party dips my mom used to make in the 80s as well as elegant molded and stacked tartare dishes, this layered dish features strata upon strata of marinated and bold flavors and various textures that play well together when scooped up with a chip, dolloped on a cracker or just eaten by the spoon! I like to use up any leftovers sprinkled on a green salad!
Many of the ingredients (such as the hummus, marinated artichokes, and sun-dried tomatoes) can be conveniently purchased pre-prepared in the deli or gourmet aisle of your favorite market. To make things speedy, you can also pick up a pouch of pre-cooked quinoa on the grain aisle – or defrost a bag of frozen cooked quinoa that has been meal prepped (that is my economical way – see quinoa freezer and meal prep post here).
The flavor cornerstone of this Italian layered dip is pesto – but not just any ole pesto! I used Sea Artichoke Pesto from Foraged & Found. I must admit, when I was sent some jars to try out, I did have to Google “What is Sea Asparagus.” What I found out is that Sea Asparagus (Salicornia) is a sea succulent that has a salty, ocean taste when eaten raw and brined, mellower flavor when cooked — used as an ingredient it really maximizes the umami taste in so many dishes from pasta and pizza to seafood and grilled meats.
What I love about the Foraged & Found company is that they have found a way to share healthful Alaskan foods from the wild that have been sustainably harvested and transformed into some of my favorite kitchen staples – like this Sea Asparagus Pesto. The sea asparagus pesto tastes very similar to a traditional pesto (but better) made with additional ingredients such as almonds, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic and lemon. So clever and eco-conscious!
Turning this pesto layered dip is a snap! Most of the pesto is soaked into the quinoa, and a generous dollop is saved for the top.
You’ll need a 16-ounce container to use as a mold – it can be cylinder-shaped (like a yogurt or sour cream container) or even a bowl – just make sure that the bottom (which will be the “top” when inverted) is narrower than the opening. I simply used the square plastic container that was provided at the olive bar when I loaded up on marinated tomatoes and artichokes for the recipe!
When layering this creative Italian dip, remember that each level loaded in goes in reverse of how it will look when presented. When inverting on a plate and releasing from a mold, the first ingredients put in at the bottom of the container become the items on top.
Order for Layers (press down lightly, as needed, after each layer):
Note: Start with 1 Tbsp. of reserved oil from the marinated artichokes or tomatoes (this helps release from the mold)
Pecans, chopped
Blue Cheese, crumbled
Garlic Hummus
Sun-dried Tomatoes, chopped
Marinated Artichokes, chopped
Fresh Spinach, shredded
Quinoa Mixed with Pesto
Chill a bit if needed to firm up and then, invert by placing a plate on top and flipping over quickly.
The cool thing about this Italian quinoa recipe is that if you have a “fail” when trying to release the mold, and it falls all over the place, you can just throw it all into a bowl and stir up! It tastes just the same, and still looks pretty because it’s so colorful – in fact, I’ve made it this way on purpose before! Also, you can just skip the inverting and stand-alone presentation – just layer it up how you want in a dish. The only downside here is that all the pretty ingredients can’t be seen at once.
Learn more about Foraged & Found and get more sea asparagus recipes:
Keyword:
appetizer, dip, party food, pesto, quinoa
Calories: 187kcal
Ingredients
¼cupchopped pecans
2oz.blue cheesecrumbled
4oz.garlic hummus
1cupfresh spinachchopped
4oz.sun-dried tomatoespacked in oil (mostly drained*) chopped
4oz.artichokes packed in oilmostly drained, chopped
4oz.Sea Asparagus Pesto from Found & Foragedreserve 2 Tbsp. for garnish
1cupcooked quinoa
* Reserve 1 tbsp oil from marinated tomatoes or artichokes to use as a “lube” for the mold.
Instructions
Use a 16-ounce square or round “mold” that is slightly tapered, meaning the bottom is narrower than the top – this will allow layered dip to slide out easily when inverted. A sour cream or yogurt container works nicely.
In medium bowl, mix together cooked quinoa with most of the 4 ounces of pesto (save about 2 tablespoons for garnish).
Add the approximate 1 Tbsp. of reserved oil from the marinated artichokes or tomatoes to bottom of mold container and swirl around. This helps release layers later).
Add layers in this order: Chopped Pecans, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Hummus, Chopped Sun-dried Tomatoes, Chopped Marinated Artichokes, Shredded Spinach, Pesto Quinoa Mixture.
If needed, stick in fridge for 10 minutes to firm up (sometimes the hummus gets too soft at room temperature).
Remove from fridge and carefully run knife around edges of container to help release layers when inverted (but taking care not to “smear” it all together).
Place plate on top of mold opening and quickly invert, gently pulling off mold container. ***
Dollop with remaining pesto.
*** If you have a failure when trying to release the mold, the nice thing about this recipe is that it can be served in a bowl stirred together as a jumble! It tastes just the same, and still looks pretty because it’s so colorful!
Everyone needs a Christmas KISS . . . and by KISS, I mean “Keep It Simple Stupid” idea for holiday entertaining. When I have guests drop in unexpectedly or forgot to make something fabulous for a “bring a dish” event, I rely on guacamole. Everyone loves it and it is idiot proof. My Pomegranate Herb Guacamole Wreath is no harder than making a regular avocado mash-up (soooo simple a toddler could do it) and yet so fun and festive your guests will assume you’ve gone all Martha on them.
Grab yourself a bag of chips or veggie sticks and read on how to make this 10-minute (max) dip recipe. Continue reading →
Blue Cheese, Cherry and Pistachio Spread is a creamy, dreamy addition to your holiday menu – or even simple snack for every day.
As we close out these last few months of the year in high gear, it’s always nice to have a 5-minute holiday appetizer in your back pocket – and this spread (or dip) is a festive, flavorful and fast winner! Even with a bit of dried fruit, this low-carb recipe can work as a treat for those on the keto diet. Read on to get this keto-friendly and low carb appetizer recipe. Continue reading →
What to do when a highly nutritious and yummy party dip, looks a little blah, bland and uninviting? “Plant” it with colorful veggies to resemble a spring garden and your guests will be anything but “quite contrary”. My Ranch Quinoa Black Bean Dip is a quick and easy appetizer for your next celebration or “whenever snack,” that is growing out of bounds with all sorts of plant-powered goodness – protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals!
Read on to get the skinny on this Ranch Quinoa Black Bean Dip.Continue reading →