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This vegan spinach artichoke dip is better than the original; get ready to wow everyone! It’s easy to make with no substitute dairy required.
No joke, this spin on everyone’s favorite dip is better than the real thing. Meet vegan spinach artichoke dip, the snack that no one will believe is plant-based! It’s easy to whip up and requires no special dairy substitutes, just a few regular ingredients.
Creamy and bursting with flavor, it will make a splash at your next gathering (it has at many of mine). It’s perfect for entertaining since it’s a gluten-free and vegan appetizer. Get ready to wow everyone!
Ingredients Needed
This vegan spinach artichoke dip is bursting with flavor! It’s tangy, creamy, and garlicky; exactly how you expect this classic to taste, but without the dairy! A traditional spinach artichoke dip uses cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan and mozzarella, artichoke hearts, spinach, and seasoning to make a hot dip baked in the oven.
For this vegan variation, I wanted to make it without purchased substitutes like vegan mayonnaise and vegan Parmesan. So I made a riff on my vegan nacho cheese using artichokes instead of green chilis. It worked even better than imagined, making a creamy, dairy-like substitute! Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe:
- Pantry: Raw cashews, canned artichoke hearts, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, kosher salt, pepper
- Frozen: Frozen spinach
- Fresh: Green onions
- Equipment: Blender (high-speed, if possible)
Tips for Making Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
This vegan spinach artichoke dip is very easy to make and requires no cooking! You’ll blend cashews in a blender to make a creamy sauce, then mix it with chopped spinach, artichokes, and green onions to make the dip. Here are the basic steps:
- Boil the cashews first. Boiling the cashews helps soften them so they break down easily into a creamy sauce. You can also soak them, but I like the boiling option because it’s quicker.
- Prep the veggies. While the cashews are boiling, thaw the spinach and chop the artichokes and green onion.
- Blend the sauce. Blend the drained cashews with part of the chopped artichokes, Dijon mustard, and spices.
- Mix and bake. Mix everything in a bowl until combined, then pour into a small baking dish and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
Ways to Serve It
Many dippable items pair well with a vegan spinach artichoke dip! In general, I recommend bread-like items versus carrots and celery, since the veggies compete with the flavor. But if you love veggies with a spinach artichoke dip, go for it! Here are some ideas for how to serve this vegan dip:
- Pita bread or chips. Pita bread is vegan and perfect for dipping. Here’s how to make homemade pita bread!
- Bread. Any sort of vegan bread works here, cut into thin slices. For gluten-free, use gluten-free bread.
- Crostini. Make a batch of this Easy Crostini using a baguette.
- Crackers. These homemade crackers are tasty and perfect for dipping. Or for gluten-free, use almond crackers or purchased gluten-free crackers.
Storage and Make-Ahead Info
This vegan spinach artichoke dip works well made ahead, and you can pop it in the oven right before entertaining! Make this dip up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate in a sealed container or in a wrapped baking dish. Reheat until warmed through (about 20 to 25 minutes) in a 350F oven before serving. Leftover dip lasts 3 days refrigerated.
Dietary Notes
This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.
Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
This vegan spinach artichoke dip is better than the original: get ready to wow everyone! It’s easy to make with no substitute dairy required.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw unsalted whole cashews
- 14-ounce can (8.5 ounce dry weight) quartered artichokes
- 8 ounces frozen chopped spinach (about ¾ cup tightly packed)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup water, plus more as needed
- Baguette, pita chips or vegan crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the cashews in a pot on the stovetop and cover with 2 inches hot water. Bring to a boil, then boil for 15 minutes. Drain the cashews.
- Meanwhile, roughly chop the artichoke hearts and drain or squeeze out excess moisture. Set aside 1 cup for blending. Thaw the spinach by placing it under warm water in a strainer, then squeeze out all remaining moisture several times with your fingers until it makes dry crumbles (you should have about ¾ cup packed spinach). Thinly slice the green onion.
- Once the cashews are boiled and drained, place them in the bowl of a blender. Add 1 cup of the roughly chopped artichoke hearts (½ can), the Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, salt, and water in a high speed blender and blend on high until creamy and fully combined, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons more water to get it to a creamy consistency (we added 2 tablespoons).
- Add the remaining chopped artichokes, spinach, and thinly sliced green onions to a bowl, breaking up the spinach into crumbles with your hands. Use a spatula to scrape in the blended cashew mixture and stir everything to combine. Taste and add a few more pinches kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
- Spread the dip in an even layer in a small baking dish or 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 15 minutes until warmed through. Serve immediately with baguette slices or pita chips.
- Serve warm with pita bread, pita chips, baguette slices, or crostini. Make ahead info: make up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate in a sealed container or in a wrapped baking dish. Store up to 3 days refrigerated; reheat until warmed through (about 20 to 25 minutes) in a 350F oven before serving.
Hi! I live in Guatemala and frozen spinach is not accessible, only fresh. Will the measurements change if I make the recipe with fresh spinach? :)
It would still work, but wilt it down first!