Goals from Donal Burke and Cian Boland proved crucial for Dublin who overcame an early wobble at Parnell Park to register their first win in the Leinster SHC.
Surprisingly held to a draw by Antrim last weekend, and four points down after a slow start this time, Micheál Donoghue could have been forgiven for being a little nervous on the Dublin sideline.
But prolific attacker Burke rode to the team's rescue again with a settling goal late in the first-half and 1-09 in total to keep their hopes of progression from the group alive.
That goal still separated the sides with 46 minutes played but Dublin drew on all their experience, and quality, to turn the screw from there, Boland's 52nd minute solo goal opening up an eight point lead at that stage.
Dublin had 10 different scorers in all including Alex Considine who came on and hit back to back scores in the eventual 12-point win.
Dublin will return to action at nearby Croke Park next Saturday for a Round 3 encounter with Wexford while Westmeath will host Galway in Mullingar the same day.
Westmeath manager Joe Fortune, the former Dublin U-21 boss, responded to last weekend's 22-point defeat to Kilkenny by changing almost a third of his Westmeath team for the trip to the capital.
Half-back Jack Galvin, midfielder Gary Greville and attackers Charlie McCormack and Niall Mitchell all came into the lineup.
Dublin, meanwhile, made just a single change with Ronan Hayes starting his first game of the year up front.
Hayes, sidelined for several weeks after a hamstring injury early in the National League, came on for Considine last weekend in Belfast and retained his position from the start here.
It was Westmeath that appeared to get the mix right initially, striding four points clear thanks to Niall Mitchell's second minute goal.
The Clonkill man plucked the ball from a ruck of bodies close to the Dublin goal and fired a snapshot past Sean Brennan.
Ciaran Doyle then sniped a stunning point for Westmeath when, with his back to goal, he somehow contorted his wrists to send the ball between the posts.
Doyle was unerring on the frees for Westmeath too and with 16 minutes on the clock, the 2021 Joe McDonagh Cup winners deservely led by 1-06 to 0-05.
It wasn't until the rain began to fall down heavily on the north Dublin venue that Dublin eventually woke up and got going.
In the following 20 minutes or so before half-time, the hosts outscored Westmeath by eight points to take a 1-11 to 1-07 lead at the interval.
Both Burkes, free-taker Donal and Conor, contributed to the scoring though it was Donal's 35th minute goal that really made an impact.
Cian O'Sullivan arrowed a pass across from the left corner and Burke did brilliantly to firstly control the ball before planting it in the net.
Westmeath, to their credit, came again with a mini-burst of scoring in the third quarter and reduced the deficit to three points after 46 minutes.
That was as good as it got for the Lake County, however, as Dublin finally struck the scores to put the game beyond doubt.
Donal Burke and Daire Gray blasted three points in a row before Boland grabbed his 52nd minute goal to finally allow the home supporters to breathe out.
It was a classy goal too from Boland who capitalised on his searing pace to find space down the left before releasing a sidewinder to the roof of Noel Conaty's net.
Dublin then took their lead into double digits with five points in a row from Considine, Boland and Burke between the 56th and 75th minutes as the game petered out towards an inevitable conclusion.
Dublin: Sean Brennan; Paddy Doyle, Eoghan O'Donnell, Paddy Smyth; Conor Donohoe (0-01), Conor Burke (0-2), Daire Gray (0-01); Mark Grogan (0-01), Chris O'Leary (0-01); Cian Boland (1-02), Donal Burke (1-09, 0-09f), Danny Sutcliffe (0-02); Cian O'Sullivan, Paul Crummey (0-02), Ronan Hayes.
Subs: Alex Considine (0-02) for Hayes 50, Sean Currie for Crummey 50, Darragh Power for Grogan 63, John Bellew for O'Donnell 64, Fergal Whitely for Sutcliffe 66.
Westmeath: Noel Conaty; Tommy Doyle, Conor Shaw, Darragh Egerton; Johnny Bermingham (0-01), Jack Galvin, Aaron Craig; Robbie Greville, Gary Greville; Charlie McCormack, Davy Glennon (0-01), Joseph Boyle; Ciaran Doyle (0-09, 0-05f), Niall Mitchell (1-00), Kevin Regan (0-01).
Subs: Niall O'Brien for Gary Greville h/t, Eoin Keyes (0-02) for Boyle 43, Derek McNicholas for Regan 53, Cormac Boyle for Galvin 61, Darragh Clinton for Mitchell 65.
Referee: Shane Hynes (Galway).
