I’m Making Martha Stewart’s 4-Ingredient Dip on Repeat During the Holidays

This past weekend, my family attended a party where a classic spinach and artichoke dip was served in a hollowed-out bread bowl. This was one of my favorite appetizers as a kid, and to my delight and slight horror, my one-year-old daughter, Eloise, has followed in my footsteps. I didn’t need to chase her all night because I could find her posted up at the snack table. She was also blissfully double-dipping with both hands.

My daughter is an adventurous eater and has a surprisingly funny palate for a baby. Her favorite snack is briny green olives (just like me!) and she loves spice. After seeing how much Eloise loved the dip, I wanted to make her some at home.

I had a jar of marinated artichokes on hand, and in my search for a recipe, I came across Martha Stewart’s Creamy Artichoke Ranch Dip. If there’s anything Eloise likes more than olives, it’s ranch. In fact, I’ve seen her dip mozzarella cheese in it, so you know she’s a true innovator and connoisseur.

How To Make Martha Stewart’s Creamy Artichoke Ranch Dip

Martha’s take on this quick artichoke dip calls for just four ingredients—not counting olive oil, salt and pepper. Plus, it mixes up in a food processor, so it comes together in just minutes. Since I need to keep mine in storage due to space constraints, I used my blender, which worked very well.

You add a whole jar of drained marinated artichoke hearts, along with three tablespoons of the brine, parsley for freshness, anchovies for umami, and Greek yogurt for richness. Olive oil helps it blend, then you serve it with crackers or crudités. Or, if you’re Eloise, you eat it by the spoonful.

I think the genius of this dip is in the use of the artichoke brine. It’s full of flavor and really mellows the tart edge of the Greek yogurt. Since I was making this mainly for my kids, I omitted the anchovies but added a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce to mimic the flavor. I also added a little fresh lemon zest to brighten up the flavor.

My only advice is to select the artichokes you use with care. Some of the jarred marinated options can be overly seasoned for my taste, which can impact the final flavor of the dip. I used the Cucina & Amore brand—it has just enough salt and brininess.

I think this makes an awesome snack, but it’s also elegant enough to serve at a holiday party. It has that nostalgic flavor of spinach-artichoke dip, but it feels a little more refined. A batch of this dip stays fresh in the fridge for up to four days. It’s a great make-ahead appetizer for the busy holiday season—unless you have an Eloise at home who will eat it all in one go.