Ingredients:

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 cup mayonnaise
  • 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed bone-dry
  • 0.5 cup water chestnuts, finely diced
  • 0.5 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp sea salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Thaw the spinach. Place the frozen block in a colander and run warm water over it until soft.
  2. Squeeze the spinach. Wrap the thawed greens in a clean kitchen towel and wring it until no more liquid drips out. Note: It should look like a dense, dry ball of moss.
  3. Whip the dairy. In a medium bowl, mash the 8 oz cream cheese until silky, then stir in 0.5 cup sour cream and 0.5 cup mayonnaise.
  4. Add the aromatics. Stir in 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes, 0.5 tsp sea salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper.
  5. Fold in the cheese. Add 0.5 cup finely grated parmesan and mix until the base looks uniform and glossy.
  6. Incorporate the greens. Break the spinach ball apart with your fingers and fold it into the cream mixture.
  7. Add the crunch. Gently stir in 0.5 cup finely diced water chestnuts.
  8. Chill and set. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes until the flavors marry and the texture firms up.