Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip Recipe (Four Cheese Copycat)

This copycat Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip recipe uses the same four cheeses the restaurant lists on its menu: feta, Monterey Jack, Parmesan and cream cheese. It bakes up hot, creamy and golden in about 20 minutes in the oven, or even faster in the air fryer, with crispy flatbread on the side for scooping.

If you have ordered the Four Cheese Spinach Dip at Yard House, you know it is not a typical spinach artichoke dip. There are no artichokes, and the feta gives it a salty, tangy bite you will never get from mozzarella. Most copycat recipes online miss that. This one is built around it.

Love a hot, cheesy dip? My Air Fryer Artichoke Dip and Air Fryer Cheesy Hot Crab Dip are made the same easy way, and you will find plenty more restaurant favorites in my copycat recipes.

What Is Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip?

Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip is a baked spinach dip made with feta, jack, Parmesan and cream cheese, served with crispy flatbread. Newer menus call it Four Cheese Spinach Dip and add tortilla chips. It is listed as a vegetarian appetizer, so there is no bacon in the real thing.

Each cheese has a job:

• Cream cheese makes the smooth, creamy base.
• Monterey Jack melts into that stretchy, gooey pull.
• Feta adds the tang and salt that make it taste like Yard House.
• Parmesan brings a nutty flavor and browns beautifully on top.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• True to the menu. The real four cheeses, no artichokes, no bacon.
• Ready in 30 minutes. Ten minutes of mixing, then the oven does the work.
• Oven or air fryer. Directions for both are below.
• Vegetarian. Just like the restaurant version.
• Make-ahead friendly. Mix it in the morning and bake it when guests arrive.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Full amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Frozen chopped spinach: Thawed and squeezed very dry. Fresh spinach works too; see the FAQ.
• Cream cheese: Full fat, softened to room temperature so it blends without lumps.
• Sour cream and heavy cream: They loosen the base so the dip stays scoopable as it cools.
• Monterey Jack cheese: Shred it yourself. Bagged cheese has anti-caking agents that keep it from melting smoothly.
• Feta cheese: Buy a block and crumble it. It is creamier than the pre-crumbled tubs.
• Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated browns better than the shaker kind.
• Garlic: Fresh cloves, minced.
• Seasonings: Onion powder, black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Go easy on salt, because feta and Parmesan bring plenty.
• Flatbread or naan: For the crispy flatbread dippers.

How to Make Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip in the Oven

Step 1: Dry the spinach. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the thawed spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze until no more liquid comes out. Wet spinach is the top reason spinach dip turns watery.

Step 2: Mix the base. In a large bowl, stir the softened cream cheese, sour cream, heavy cream, garlic, onion powder, black pepper and red pepper flakes until smooth.

Step 3: Fold in the spinach and cheese. Add the spinach, 1 cup of the Monterey Jack, the feta and half of the Parmesan. Stir until evenly combined.

Step 4: Fill the pan. Spread the mixture in a greased 1-quart baking dish or small oven-safe skillet. Top with the remaining Monterey Jack and Parmesan.

Step 5: Bake. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges bubble and the top is golden. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes if you want it darker.

Step 6: Rest and serve. Let the dip rest for 5 minutes while you crisp the flatbread. It thickens as it sits.

Air Fryer Directions

Prefer the air fryer? Spread the dip in a greased 7-inch round pan that fits your basket and cook at 320 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Cover it loosely with foil if the top browns too fast.

How to Make the Crispy Flatbread

Cut naan or flatbread into strips or triangles, brush lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Bake in a single layer on a sheet pan at 375 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until crisp and golden. In the air fryer, cook at 350 degrees F for 4 to 6 minutes.

Want more dippers? My Air Fryer Pita Chips and Air Fryer Round Tortilla Chips take just minutes if you have an air fryer.

Pro Tips for the Best Spinach Cheese Dip

• Squeeze the spinach twice. When you think it is dry, squeeze again.
• Soften the cream cheese. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that will not stir out. Leave it on the counter for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Taste before you salt. Feta and Parmesan are both salty. Most batches need no added salt at all.
• Keep the heat moderate. High heat makes the dairy separate and turn greasy. Low and steady gives you a smooth middle and a golden top.
• Leave room for airflow. If you use the air fryer, choose a pan with at least an inch of space around it in the basket so the top browns evenly.

What to Serve With Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip

Yard House serves it with crispy flatbread and tortilla chips. At home, any sturdy dipper works:

• Crispy flatbread or naan strips (directions above)
• Air Fryer Pita Chips or tortilla chips
• Toasted baguette slices or crostini
• Celery, carrots, cucumber rounds and bell pepper strips
• Pretzel crisps or bagel chips

Building a game day spread? Set this out next to my Hooters Buffalo Chicken Dip and Air Fryer Mississippi Sin Dip so there is something creamy, something spicy and something meaty on the table.

Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating

• Make ahead: Mix the dip up to 24 hours ahead, spread it in the pan, cover and refrigerate. Let it sit out for 20 minutes, then bake, adding about 5 minutes to the cook time.
• Store: Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Reheat: Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, or air fry at 300 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes, to bring back the golden top. You can also microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between.
• Freeze: Not recommended. Cream cheese dips tend to separate and turn grainy after thawing.

Variations

• Spinach artichoke version: Fold in 1 cup of chopped, well-drained artichoke hearts. If artichokes are your favorite part, try my Air Fryer Artichoke Dip.
• Spicy: Swap the Monterey Jack for pepper jack and double the red pepper flakes.
• Lighter: Use reduced-fat cream cheese and plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream.
• Bacon: Not on the Yard House menu, but 4 slices of crumbled cooked bacon on top are hard to argue with.
• Leftover makeover: Stuff cold leftover dip into chicken breasts, the way I do in my Air Fryer Chicken Stuffed With Artichoke Dip.

Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip FAQs

What cheeses are in Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip? The menu lists four: feta, jack, Parmesan and cream cheese. This recipe uses all four in a balance that keeps the feta noticeable without taking over.

Is Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip the same as Four Cheese Spinach Dip? Yes. Yard House has used both names for the same appetizer. Newer menus call it Four Cheese Spinach Dip.

Does Yard House spinach dip have artichokes? No. Unlike most restaurant spinach dips, the menu description lists only spinach and the four cheeses. You can add artichokes at home; see the variations above.

Is Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip vegetarian? Yard House marks it vegetarian, and this copycat has no meat. If you follow a strict vegetarian diet, look for Parmesan and feta made without animal rennet.

Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen? Yes. Wilt 12 ounces of fresh spinach in a skillet, let it cool, chop it and squeeze it dry before mixing.

Can I make this dip in the air fryer? Yes. Use a 7-inch round pan and air fry at 320 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes, until bubbly and golden.

Why is my spinach dip watery? The spinach was not squeezed dry enough. Wring it out in a towel until no liquid comes out, then squeeze once more.

Can I make it in a slow cooker for a party? Yes. Stir everything together, cook on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring once or twice, then hold on warm. You will not get the browned top, but it stays scoopable for hours.

Is this dip gluten-free? The dip itself has no gluten ingredients. Serve it with gluten-free crackers, tortilla chips or vegetables instead of flatbread, and check your cheese labels.

More Hot Dips and Copycat Appetizers

• Air Fryer Artichoke Dip
• Air Fryer Cheesy Hot Crab Dip
• Air Fryer Mississippi Sin Dip
• Hooters Buffalo Chicken Dip
• 21 Warm Dip Recipes That Are Anything But Ordinary
• All dip recipes

Made this copycat Yard House Spinach Cheese Dip? Leave a star rating on the recipe card and tag @forktospoon so I can see it.