Warm, creamy vegan spinach artichoke dip uses no mayo, cheese, cream cheese, or sour cream. But even though it's dairy free, it's just as decadent. No one will be able to tell that it's vegan!
This spinach-artichoke dip is a vegan version of a family favorite from my childhood. Let me tell you a story.
Jump to:
When I was growing up, my mom had a friend who we can just call Betty. Whenever our family would get together with Betty's, she made this super delicious artichoke dip.
It was sort of her thing, and my sister and I loved it. Mom asked Betty a few times if she'd share her recipe, but she told us it was an old family secret.
Then one evening at supper I was looking on the side of the Kraft Parmesan cheese container, and there it was: a baked artichoke dip recipe! We passed the container around the table, and we were pretty sure that we'd discovered Betty's "family secret."
We made a batch and it tasted exactly like hers! Of course, next time we all got together, mom brought a pan with her. Busted!
Now, I make my own vegan spinach artichoke dip. It's so similar to the one we ate as kids -- no one will guess that it's vegan!
How to make it
I texted my mom to get the non-vegan recipe -- it was heavy on the mayo and, of course, the shakey Parmesan cheese. Then, I veganized it. I'm thrilled with how it came out!
Instead of mayo, I created a flavorful garlic cashew cream sauce to give this dip its a creaminess. The cashew cream comes together quickly in the blender.
To replace the shakey Parm, I just substituted nutritional yeast.
The original dip didn't have spinach, but I think the greens make it a lot prettier and maybe even more delicious than the dip I remember from childhood. This recipe uses thawed frozen spinach, because it's easy and has the perfect texture.
Make sure that you drain that spinach well! Frozen spinach contains a lot of water. I like to actually "wring" it out in a colander. You don't want a watery dip!
Now, it's time to assemble! Combine the cashew cream, drained spinach, and drained, chopped artichoke hearts, and nutritional yeast in a baking pan. Fold the ingredients together until they're well combined, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
Bake until the edges are browned and bubbly, and you are ready to serve!
Variations
If you don't like artichoke (or don't like spinach), you can customize this dip to suit your tastes. If you eliminate one of the veggies, just double the amount of the other, and you're in business.
This recipe is very forgiving, so don't be shy about mixing things up, if that's your thing!
How to serve and store it
Serve this up with your favorite chips, crackers, or veggies for dipping. I love it with bagel chips, whole wheat crackers, or pita chips. You want a pretty sturdy chip, because the baked dip is rich and thick.
You can also use this as a spread for sandwiches and wraps. This was my sister's and my favorite way to use the leftovers the next day, when mom used to make spinach artichoke dip for parties.
I also use this dip as a sauce for my spinach artichoke pasta. It's a super simple one-pot meal that's quick and easy to make!
The baked dip will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days in an airtight container. If your 8x8" pan has a snap-on lid, you can just store it right in the pan. Otherwise, transfer to a lidded container.
I do not recommend freezing this dip. Freezing can change the texture of your cashew cream.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
- ½ cup water
- 3 cloves garlic
- juice of ½ lemon
- 9 ounce bag frozen spinach thawed and drained
- 1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts drained and chopped
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Combine cashews, water, garlic, and lemon juice in your blender and puree until very smooth.
- In an 8x8" oven-safe dish, fold the spinach, artichoke hearts, and nooch into the cashew cream. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the dip – uncovered on the top oven rack – for 20-30 minutes to get a nice crust on the top.
Video
📝 Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
This recipe is!
Conventional spinach artichoke dip is usually packed with dairy: cheese, mayo, cream cheese etc. This recipe replaces all of those ingredients with a simple, flavorful garlic cashew cream.
The resulting dip is just as rich and creamy with no dairy needed!
You can serve it either way! I love it warm from the oven, but I have definitely been known to dig into leftover spinach artichoke dip cold with crackers.
If you do want to reheat cold spinach artichoke dip, you have a couple of options. You can spread it into a pan and bake it until it's warmed through. Or, you can scoop the portion you want onto a plate and microwave it for a minute or two to heat it up.
Serve this up with corn chips, carrots, celery, or hearty crackers for dipping. I especially love this dip with Triscuits, Wheat Thins, pita chips, or bagel chips.
You can! Make the dip up to a day ahead, then pop it into the oven to bake just before serving.
Camille Lawrence
I have honestly been using this recipe for years now. Thanksgiving, Super bowls, Christmas, etc it's literally perfect for any occasion. I should have posted a comment sooner, but this truly is a recipe I have saved for anything
Becky Striepe
Oh my gosh, Camille, what a delight this comment was to read! Thank you so much. I'm glad that this dip is a fave.
Laurie
Can I use fresh spinach
Becky Striepe
You can! Just cook enough that you end up with the same amount, cooked, and make sure to wring out the excess liquid. You will need a ton of fresh spinach, since it cooks down so much. I'd guess 4-6 cups fresh.
Angie
Just made this tonight for my New Year’s Eve at home and it so delicious!!!
Becky Striepe
That is so wonderful! Happy new year!
Diane Foidart
Definitely want to make this for my vegan friends and for me - I don't eat dairy. Not sure I'll tolerate the nutritional yeast? Can it be omitted?
Becky Striepe
You can try. The nooch thickens the sauce a bit, so it will be thinner without it. It should still taste good, though.
konekoo
I actually prefer cashew kream, Great for all those holiday parties..!
Becky Striepe
Thank you!
Elly
Can you assemble this a day ahead and keep in the fridge until baking?
Becky Striepe
Sure! I'd definitely pull it out about an hour before, so it can come closer to room temp. I'm always nervous about putting a fridge-cold glass pan into a hot oven.
Rachel
Is there a reason for using frozen spinach? If I use fresh, should I still use 9 oz? Thanks!
Becky Striepe
I have not made this with fresh, but I imagine that it would work fine, as long as you cook it before adding to the dip. You'd need a lot more than 9 ounces, though, since spinach loses so much volume during cooking.
Tanya
Made this tonight for a gathering with non-vegans. Used collard greens instead of spinach (what I had) and it was a hit!! Thank you!
Becky Striepe
Ooh I'm glad to hear it was good with collards! One of my favorite green leafies!