Snack Recipe: Spinach Dip Wontons

I’ll admit it- I’m a snack fiend, but I swear it’s not my fault. I come from a family of grazers, as in, we eat a little of a lot of things all day long. As I’ve become more of an adult so have my tastes, and I’ve matured from your standard chip-style snacks to more of an appetizer variety. You know when you go to a great pub and they have those enormous appetizer sampler platters? Yeah, I’m the girl who orders it every time. I really just can’t help myself, I could live on them. The meals I cook at home generally resemble this, especially when I’m cooking for others, and even more so if there’s alcohol involved.

In my love for appetizers comes a sincere appreciation for anything in dip form, and many times my recipes involve creating a dip and putting it inside an edible vessel (I now realize how odd of a description that was, but just go with it.) My spinach dip is a particularly well-loved recipe by anyone who has eaten in my home, and I’ve tried to come up with ways to make it even more fun. I’ve stuffed it in crescent rolls (totally delicious, I recommend it), I’ve made my own pita chips to dip in it, and the latest and most revered adaption is making wontons out of it. I did this a couple nights ago for a few girls during our wine night, and no one was disappointed.

There’s something about a creamy dip stuffed in a crunchy wrapper to make a bunch of tipsy girls very happy.

I’ll explain.

The spinach dip part is easy. There is no magic or secret, it’s all to taste. Some people like it creamier, some like it with more spinach. So it helps to just start with a little of each ingredient and keep adding until it’s just right. 

I start with half a box of thawed chopped spinach (I prefer frozen chopped spinach as it mixes better, and can be portioned out very easily), and toss in half a block of cream cheese (I never said it was a healthy choice) in a microwave-safe bowl. My seasonings of preference are pretty straightforward- garlic, salt and pepper- but feel free to get a little creative with some cayenne or chili powder if you’re feelin’ spicy.

This recipe is meant to be simple and easy, with the control in the hands of the chef. After you’ve mixed it all together, give it a taste, and add whatever you feel is missing and then it should look a little something like this:

Take a single wonton wrapper in your hand or on a plate, plop a little dollop of dip in there- about half a teaspoon. Turn the wrapper so it looks like a diamond, not a square, dip a finger in water, and gently wet two perpendicular sides of the wonton wrapper. When you fold over the other side, it will create a triangle, and the water mixed with the starch on the wrapper will create a nice glue to hold all the dip inside. Do this with each wrapper until you run out of dip or space on the tray.

Now here’s the best and final part. If you’re trying to be healthy, skip this step, but if you want to up the delicious factor on these babies, keep reading. Melt a little salted butter in the microwave, and lightly paint it on each wonton before you put them in the oven. Don’t ask questions, just trust me on this. You’ll thank me later.

These bad boys are definitely a crowd pleaser, especially if it’s late at night and you’re a little less than sober. You’re welcome.

SPINACH DIP WONTONS | Yield: 20-30 pieces

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes | Total: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package frozen, chopped spinach (thawed)
• 1 block cream cheese
• Wonton wrappers- I prefer the Nasoya Brand
• 1 tbs salted butter
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking oil.
3. In a microwave-safe bowl, add in half the package of chopped spinach and half a block of cream cheese. Microwave until cream cheese is soft and malleable.
4. Mix in garlic powder, salt and pepper, adding more to preference.
5. Lay single wonton wrapper in palm or on a plate, and lightly dollop approximately half a teaspoon of spinach dip in the center.
6. Turn the wrapper 90 degrees so it looks like a diamond, dip your finger in lukewarm water, and wet the two top edges of the wrapper.
7. Fold over the other side, creating a triangle. Repeat until you run out of space on your tray, or you are out of dip.
8. Melt the butter and brush onto each wonton.
9. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and crispy.
10. Let rest for 2-3 minutes before serving, as the inside will be extremely hot!