Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese with Bacon

Name: Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese with Bacon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 10 slices bacon (diced); 1 cup onion (diced); 2 tbsp garlic (minced ); 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, chopped; 1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese (softened); ½ cup sour cream; 1 bunch fresh spinach (finely chopped OR 12 oz frozen chopped spinach (drained)); 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 12 pieces Sliced bread; 8 oz butter (softened)

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This spinach artichoke grilled cheese takes rich, creamy spinach artichoke bacon dip and sandwiches it between two classic pieces of buttery grilled cheese for a sandwich like no other!

Closeup photo of spinach artichoke grilled cheese sandwich halves stacked atop one another. The filling is visible.

Grilled cheese sandwiches are some of my favorites to make, and I love getting creative with them. Over the years, I've made all kinds, but this one has to be the winner when it comes to unique grilled cheese. I think you'll love it.

This was inspired by my other unique grilled cheese recipe on this site and pairs well with this amazing soup recipe.

Why You Will Love this Recipe

It's a delicious combination of creamy, crunchy, and savory flavors. The melted cheese and bacon give the sandwich a remarkable flavor that pairs perfectly with the tangy artichokes.
It's a great way to get both adults and kids to enjoy the same meal.
It's quick and easy to make, making it perfect for busy weeknights or lunch breaks
Ideal for picnics due to its portability – just assemble ahead of time then finish grilling when you arrive.

Top Tip:

Cook your bacon and onions over medium heat, so the onions and garlic don't burn while the bacon crisps.

Ingredients

This recipe only uses simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store. There's nothing fancy here! See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.

Bacon
Onion
Garlic
Artichoke hearts
Cream cheese
Sour cream
Fresh spinach or frozen chopped spinach
Worcestershire sauce
Sliced bread
Butter

Substitutions and Variations

Bacon - Try cooked, shredded meat like chicken, pork or turkey, crumbled chorizo sausage, Italian sausage, diced pancetta, prosciutto or ham.
Onion - Your favorite variety will work.
Garlic - More or less to taste
Artichoke Hearts - Replace with mushrooms, hearts of palm, broccoli, or roasted red peppers
Cream Cheese - Use ricotta or goat cheese instead. Brie, Gouda, or Provolone also work.
More Cheese - Add more cheese to each slice of bread before adding the artichoke mixture like mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, Gouda, or feta cheese.
Cheesy Outside - Top bread outside, on top of butter, with grated parmesan or mozzarella cheese right before toasting for a crisp cheesy exterior.
Sour Cream - Use yogurt or Greek Yogurt instead.
Spinach - Fresh or frozen chopped spinach, fresh baby kale, and swiss chard work great too.
Worcestershire sauce - Swap Worcestershire sauce for hot sauce, teriyaki sauce, or BBQ sauce. Try a mixture of balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard. Combine the two ingredients in equal proportions until you reach your desired flavor intensity.
Sliced bread - Use sourdough, whole wheat, or your favorite bread.
Butter - Use oil or mayo on the outside of each bread slice instead.
Spicy - Add a teaspoon of chili pepper flakes, jalapeno powder, smoked jalapeno powder, or chipotle powder to the artichoke mixture to imbue heat into the dish. I will also occasionally add a teaspoon of our homemade hot pepper sauce, sriracha, or our favorite hot sauce, to the mixture as well.
Add More - Diced or sliced tomatoes, mashed or sliced avocado, sweet bell peppers, chopped scallions, sliced zucchini, caramelized onions, pesto, salsa, or olives.
More Flavor - Sprinkle on some dried herbs such as basil, oregano, rosemary or thyme.
Gluten-Free - Use gluten-free bread for a gluten-free option
Panini - Toast your sandwiches in a panini press rather than in a skillet.
Food Process It - Place dip ingredients inside blender and pulse until dip is fairly smooth and will spread easier inside sandwich.

Instructions

This recipe is completely homemade, but it's still so easy! The highlights are below, but you can find the complete instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.

1: Cook the bacon, onions, and garlic until the bacon is crispy and the onions are tender. Then, add the artichoke hearts and cook until heated through.

Overhead shot of bacon, onions, and garlic in pan

Overhead shot of cooked bacon and onion mixture with artichoke hearts in pan

2: Combine cream cheese, sour cream, chopped spinach, and Worcestershire sauce.

Overhead shot of sour cream and cream cheese in a glass bowl.

Worcestershire sauce being poured into bowlful of spinach, sour cream, and cream cheese.

3: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream together. Add chopped spinach and Worcestershire sauce and stir again. Then add the bacon mixture and stir.

Overhead shot cream cheese spinach mixture in a glass bowl

Overhead shot of artichoke mixture added to the cream cheese spinach mixture inside a large glass bowl.

4: Butter bread and place it in a skillet, then top with the spinach artichoke mixture.

Overhead shot of spinach artichoke dip in a large glass bowl

Overhead shot of two slices of bread in a skillet

Overhead shot of two slices of bread topped with spinach artichoke dip in a skillet

5: Cook until the bottom slice of bread is golden brown, then flip and cook until the other slice is golden.

Overhead shot of two spinach artichoke grilled cheese sandwiches in skillet. The top of the slice is covered in butter.

Overhead shot of two cooked spinach artichoke grilled cheese sandwiches in a skillet

6: Cut in half and enjoy.

Closeup shot of two spinach artichoke grilled cheese sandwich halves stacked atop one another on a plate

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the spinach artichoke mixture in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. NEVER store cooked sandwiches. The bread will get soggy.

Freezer: The filling doesn't freeze well. The sour cream will break and cause the filling to become grainy and watery.

Make Ahead: Make the filling up to 3 day sin advance. Then, make your grilled cheese sandwiches whenever you're ready.

What to Serve with Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese can be paired with all kinds of dishes. Check out these links for some great ideas.

Tips

Preheat your skillet to medium before adding the sandwiches.
Use thick slices (¾ - 1 inch) of bread for a more substantial sandwich.
Ensure that all ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the filling mixture and on each sandwich so that it cooks evenly and consistently.
Sprinkle some shredded cheese over the mixture while it is cooking in the skillet to ensure extra cheesy goodness.
Toast both sides of your bread lightly before filling with spinach and artichoke dip if using cheese on each slice of bread.

FAQ

How do I know when Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese is done cooking?

A good indicator that your grilled cheese is ready is when the outside of the bread has achieved a crispy golden brown color and the cheese inside is melted and gooey. To ensure that your sandwich doesn’t burn while cooking, be sure to flip it frequently so that both sides are evenly cooked. You can also use a thermometer to check if the center of the sandwich has reached 165°F (74°C). When it has reached this temperature, your grilled cheese will be perfectly done!

How do I make sure that my Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese turns out perfectly every time?

To ensure perfect results every time you make Spinach and Artichoke Grilled Cheese sandwiches, make sure to cook them over medium heat so they don’t burn or become too crisp. You should also be careful with how much filling you add. Too little will cause them to be dry while too much will make them hard to flip over! Finally, let them sit for a few minutes after cooking so all those layers melt together deliciously.

What can I use as a substitute for Worcestershire sauce?

If you don't have Worcestershire sauce on hand, you can also use soy sauce, an equal mixture of balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard, teriyaki, or barbecue sauce.

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