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. Promise!
This spinach-artichoke dip is a vegan version of a family favorite from my childhood. Let me tell you a story.
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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!
Making the dip
Since going vegan, I've missed that artichoke dip, and this vegan spinach-artichoke dip recipe is me trying to recreate that comfort food from my childhood.
I texted my mom to get the non-vegan recipe - it was heavy on the mayo and, of course, the shakey Parmesan cheese - then 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!
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 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 nice 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 this 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.
Vegan spinach artichoke dip recipe
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.
Have a question? Tried this recipe? Share your thoughts!