Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip
February 19, 2024
This vegan spinach and artichoke dip is creamy, cheesy, indulgent, and tastes just like the original. No one will know there's no dairy! It's perfect for parties, game day, or any time you feel like having a guilt-free treat.
Spinach & artichoke dip is a snack that's known for being so delicious, but not so healthy. But with this vegan and gluten-free dip, you get the best of both worlds! Replacing the cheesy dairy with cashews creates a version that tastes indulgent, but is so much lighter!
This vegan dip is a party favorite with tortilla chips, pita chips, or whole wheat crackers. Whenever I serve it to guests, I am met with both shock that there's no dairy, and constant requests for the recipe.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Cashews: Make sure these are raw and unsalted. Soak them in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain before using. If you don't have cashews or prefer not to use them, you could also use raw sunflower seed kernels or macadamia nuts.
Water: For blending together with the cashews to make a rich, creamy base for the dip.
Tapioca flour: Also known as tapioca starch, this flour gets stretchy like cheese when it's heated, and thickens the dip. If you substitute with arrowroot or cornstarch, you won't have quite the same stretchy texture, but it will work.
Nutritional yeast: Provides cheesy flavor.
Salt and pepper: For added flavor.
Onion: I recommend using a white, yellow, or sweet onion. Chop into small pieces so that the flavor is not too overpowering in the dip.
Garlic: For flavor; make sure it's minced into tiny pieces.
Spinach: I like to use fresh spinach here; it can be regular or baby spinach. Chop it up a bit so that it doesn't create long, stringy pieces in the dip. You could also use frozen spinach if you want, but you'll have to defrost it and drain it first.
Extra-virgin olive oil: For cooking the vegetables; you can use any oil you like for cooking.
Marinated artichoke hearts: I like to use Trader Joe's artichoke antipasto, which doesn't need to be chopped. If you want larger pieces of artichoke in your dip, you can use a can of marinated artichoke hearts and chop into the size you prefer. You could also use plain artichoke hearts here, but you may want to adjust the seasonings to add more flavor.
Shredded vegan mozzarella: I usually make it from scratch so I know exactly what's in it; I also like Miyoko's mozzarella (which needs to be grated), or Trader Joe's dairy-free mozzarella shreds.
Unsweetened almond milk: If your dip is too thick, use this to make it a little thinner. You can use any type of non-dairy milk that you like here, just avoid sweetened or flavored varieties.
How to Serve Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Let your spinach dip cool just a bit, and serve it warm. My favorite dipping device for this dip is a crunchy tortilla chip, but you could also use pita chips, toasted baguette slices, whole wheat crackers, or even raw veggies like carrots, celery, and mini bell peppers.
This dip is the perfect game day or party food, so it's great together with other appetizers, pizza, and more. Here are some more vegan party recipes to serve alongside this dip:
Pizza with vegan liquid mozzarella
Storage and Reheating
For short-term storage, place leftover dip in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. For longer-term storage, place in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. If you're going to freeze it, you may want to split the dip into portions that you'll eat in one sitting to avoid defrosting the whole block and refreezing it later. Smaller portions will also thaw out faster. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight (more or less depending on how much dip you have) before reheating.
To reheat, spoon your spinach dip into a saucepan or saute pan and warm over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Use some additional non-dairy milk to add moisture, as the dip will dry out as it warms. When it's heated through, spoon into a bowl and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to bake the spinach dip? Placing the dip under the broiler creates a golden brown top; you can certainly skip this step if you prefer.
Is this dip gluten-free? Yes, all the ingredients in this dip are naturally gluten-free. If you have an allergy, be sure to check the labels on your ingredients to ensure there's no risk of cross-contamination.
Can I make this dip nut-free? Yes, you can use raw sunflower seed kernels in place of cashews. Be sure to use a nut-free vegan cheese and milk as well.
Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Yield12 servings
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Total Time48 minutes
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour (tapioca starch)
- 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- extra-virgin olive oil for cooking
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 oz. fresh baby spinach, chopped
- 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
- plain, unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk), as needed
Instructions
Preheat the broiler on your oven on high.
Combine the soaked cashews and water in a blender and blend until smooth (about 5 minutes). After the cashews have turned into a creamy sauce, add in the tapioca flour, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper, and blend until it’s evenly mixed.
![Cashews and water blended in a blender.]()
Preheat a large pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and the chopped onion and cook until it just starts to turn golden. Use a wooden spoon to stir while it cooks.
Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for another minute or so. Turn down the heat to medium-low.
![Onion and garlic cooked in a cast-iron pan.]()
Add the chopped fresh spinach and cook until it’s wilted, soft, and dark green.
![Wilted spinach in a pan with garlic and onions.]()
Add in the chopped artichokes, cashew sauce, and vegan mozzarella and mix well. If it’s too thick, add some almond milk as needed. Continue stirring over medium heat until the dip begins to turn stretchy.
![Vegan spinach dip in a pan, before broiling.]()
Transfer the mixture to a broiler-safe metal pan, then place under the broiler on high until the top is golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Let cool briefly on a trivet or hot pad. Serve warm with tortilla chips or pita chips, and enjoy!
![Finished spinach dip in a pan.]()
Notes & Hints
Soak your cashews in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain before using.
Be sure to use a broiler-safe metal pan. Glass or ceramic dishes may not hold up to the heat of the broiler! I like using a cast-iron pan for both steps so I have fewer dishes to clean.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warm, stirring occasionally, and adding non-dairy milk as needed.
Nutrition Data
Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe; Calories: 137; Fat: 10 g.; Saturated Fat: 4 g.; Cholesterol: 0 mg.; Sodium: 351 mg.; Carbohydrates: 8 g.; Fiber: 2 g.; Sugar: 1 g.; Protein: 3 g.; Vitamin A: 1110 mcg. RAE; Vitamin B12: 1 mcg.; Vitamin C: 5 mg.; Vitamin D: 0 mcg.; Calcium: 29 mg.; Iron: 1 mg.; Potassium: 155 mg.; Zinc: 1 mg.Note: This data should be used only as an estimate. Please see the nutrition section of my terms and conditions for more information on how this data is calculated.
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