Celery Root Dip: A Healthier Take to Spinach & Artichoke

This celery root dip is what I always wanted spinach artichoke dip to be.

I never order spinach artichoke dips at restaurants because I find it way too greasy. I don’t like when it starts separating and you feel like your drinking oil. But I know I love this dish in theory. I mean, I love artichokes. I love spinach. And I love dips. The only thing I don’t love is the grease.

Luckily, you can have this classic dish without feeling bloated. The trick is to find other ways to get that irresistible creamy texture. Cue this celery root dip.

This celery root dip adds heft and texture to this crowd favorite without overtaking the traditional briny and cheesy flavors. With a few smart substitutes, you can make a dip that everyone will love without feeling bloated. Get ready to reclaim this ultimate appetizer!

What Inspired This Celery Root Dip

While on my quest to create a skinny spinach artichoke dip, I started playing around with different ways to thicken the dip without adding a ton of fat. I came across a recipe where the author uses pureed white beans. Interesting, I thought.

I didn’t have white beans, but I had celery root. The wheels started turning and I had the following conversation with myself: Why not use celery root puree? You serve this dip with celery often, so why not celery root IN it?

What makes this dip healthier than artichoke spinach dip?

Traditional spinach artichoke dip has mayonnaise and sour cream. It can also have a ton of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. All of these are highly caloric and contribute to a greasy consistency as the dip heats and cools.

In addition to the celery root vegetable giving this dip that creamy texture, I also subbed out the mayonnaise and sour cream in favor of Greek yogurt. This results in less fat and more protein. I also cut back on the cheese, only using enough for it to jussssst come together.

Note, this recipe still uses a lot of processed foods using packaged cheeses and canned pantry staples. This means it’ll still be higher sodium and not as nutritious as eating whole foods. Consider this more a “healthy-ish” face lift versus something you’d add to a nutritious diet.

What does this dip with celery root taste like?

It honestly tastes exactly like spinach artichoke dip. The artichokes are still the star of the dish, it just doesn’t taste as heavy as a traditional recipe would. You’ll get the briny flavor from the artichokes and that vibrant green color from the spinach. There will be the ever-so-slight sweet taste thanks to the celery root, but only the most discerning of palates will be able to tell.

The biggest difference will be in the texture. Because there’s less oil and fat, it won’t be as loose or greasy. I think this is a great thing because you don’t feel as gross afterwards and it’s easier to pick up this celery root dip with goodies later when you go to eat it!

Substitutions That Can Affect Taste or Texture

You have flexibility to make this celery root dip whatever consistency you want, just adjust the cuts of the vegetables to your liking. I prefer a bit finer of a texture, but you can keep the celery root cut into 1-inch pieces for a hearty dip.

I also recommend roasting the celery root before adding it to the slow cooker to add more flavor. But you can easily add cold water to a pot and bring to a boil before tossing in the celery root for about 25 minutes, or until fork tender.

Lastly, if you don’t have Greek yogurt, use the same amount of sour cream in this celery root dip. It’s healthier than mayonnaise!

Celery Root Dip Recipe

Serves 12 | Active 20 minutes | 1-3 hours total

Ingredients:

1 small celery root (also called celeriac), peeled & chopped
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. salt
One 14 oz. cans artichoke hearts (in water), drained and chopped
10 oz. spinach (fresh or frozen), chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1.5 cup Greek yogurt
8 oz. Neufchatel cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (or similar)
1/4 tsp. onion powder
Black pepper to taste
Chopped chives for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add celery root to one baking sheet covered with parchment paper or foil. Add 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil and season with 1 tsp. salt and some ground black pepper. Toss to cover celery root in oil and spread out evenly, being sure not to crowd the root vegetables so it browns instead of steams. Bake for 20 minutes until browned in places.
Add the roasted celery root to the slow cooker insert. Add the rest of the ingredients except the chives to the slow cooker with it. Stir.
Cook the celery root dip in the slow cooker on high for one hour or low for 2-3 hours until the cheese is completely melted.
When done, add to a bowl and serve garnished with chives and alongside celery, carrots, peppers, snap peas, or whatever other vegetable you like. You can even serve it with wedges of lemon for people who make like a zip of lemon juice with it. I find this is best when really warm still, so keep it in the slow cooker until just before you’re ready to eat. Enjoy!

Nutritional Facts Disclaimer: I am not a registered nutritionist and therefore these numbers are approximate. I researched the serving sizes and facts for each ingredient in this recipe (mostly using the manufacturer labels and this site), but slight variations in things like seasoning, garnishes, and substitutions can change the nutritional information. Use this information only as a general indication of your nutritional intake.

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Comments

Meg says

January 25, 2016 at 8:21 pm

This looks great.

We got celery root with a farm share once, and I had no idea what to do with it!
- Adria Saracino says
  
  January 25, 2016 at 9:58 pm
  
  That’s how I discovered celery root, too, Meg! It’s so scary looking, but what I found most surprising is how easy it is to peel and chop. It definitely looks like a brick that would be difficult to work with, so I was pleased with that discovery!