This is the best vegan spinach artichoke dip you’ll ever taste and it’s loved by vegans and non-vegans alike! It’s loaded with spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, and the creamiest sauce! This gluten-free and vegan artichoke dip is so easy to make and it’s ready in just 30 minutes!
I’ve always loved spinach artichoke dip– I mean who doesn’t? It’s the best dip!
Before I was vegan, I used to only get to enjoy spinach dip when we would go out to eat and I would order it for an appetizer. It was definitely a treat food for me because the dairy version was loaded with butter, heavy cream, and cheese.
I’ve been on a mission to veganize all of our favorite dishes, and this vegan spinach and artichoke dip is our favorite so far! It’s better than the original version, it’s loaded with healthy plant-based ingredients, and it’s ready in 30 minutes!
This easy to make, hot spinach artichoke dip recipe is, dare I say, even better than the dairy-based dip that I used to love. I can also tell you that this dip is loved by vegans and non-vegans alike! I always make this dip to bring to family gatherings, for our Halloween party, Thanksgiving feast and Christmas dinner, all of our friends and family love it!
What is Spinach Artichoke Dip Made of?
This healthy dip is made from a combination of raw cashews to make it creamy, nutritional yeast to make it taste cheesy, onions and garlic adds lots of flavor, and of course, loads of spinach and extra artichokes!
How to Make Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
First, you’re going to make the simple cashew cream sauce. Start by boiling the raw cashews in water for 10 minutes and then carefully drain the water out and discard it.
Then, you will make the cashew cream sauce in a high-powered blender (I use a Vitamix). The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (Photo 1).
Next, In a large pan over medium heat, saute the diced onions until translucent. Add the chopped artichokes and garlic and saute for a few more minutes (Photos 2 & 3). Add the cashew cream sauce to the pan and stir it all together (Photo 4).
Lastly, stir in the frozen spinach, mix it together, and let it cook until hot and bubbly. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cooks (Photos 5 & 6).
What Goes With it?
You can enjoy this spinach artichoke veggie dip with:
- Tortilla Chips
- Crackers
- Thinly Sliced Baguette
- Baby Carrots
- Celery
- Broccoli Florets
- Cauliflower Florets
- Zucchini Slices
- Cucumber Slices
- Sliced Bell Peppers
Can You Make it in Advance?
Yes, you can make this vegan dip up to three days in advance. This is what I do when I make it for the holidays, because I like to prep as much food in advance as possible. It’s just as delicious and no one will ever be able to taste a difference!
Can You Bake it?
If you want the dip to have a melted cheesy crust, you can top the dip with shredded vegan cheese and then bake the spinach dip at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Can You Freeze it?
Yes, you can freeze the leftover vegan spinach dip. When you’re ready to eat it, put the frozen dip in the fridge for 24 hours to defrost. It will be a little watery when you first defrost it. Just give it a good stir to mix it up and the water will evaporate completely when you heat it up.
Ways to Adapt this Recipe
You can use enjoy the spinach dip just like this or you can use it as a filling in so many different ways!
- Vegan Lasagna: You can use the spinach dip as the creamy filling in vegan lasagna.
- Lasagna Roll-Ups: You can spoon the filling into lasagna noodles or zucchini slices and make rollups.
- Stuffed Shells: Use the vegan spinach dip as a filling for stuffed shells! (This is our favorite alternative way to enjoy the dip!)
- Manicotti: You can use the filling in manicotti tubes, top it with tomato sauce and then bake it at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Vegan “Chicken” Florentine: You can serve the dip over pasta that’s topped with vegan chicken tenders (I like Gardein seven grain tenders) or roasted cauliflower steaks.
Notes & Substitutions
- Gluten-Free: The dip is naturally gluten-free, you don’t need to make any substitutions.
- Can I Use Fresh Spinach? I used frozen spinach because it’s convenient, but you can use fresh spinach too. You’ll need to use (3) 5 oz bags of fresh spinach and make sure to roughly chop it before you add it to the dip so it’s easier to eat. If you don’t chop the spinach, it will be big clumps of spinach when you try to scoop it.
- Spinach Substitution: If you don’t want to use spinach, you could use thinly sliced kale instead.
- Apple Cider Vinegar Substitution: You can substitute white wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar.
- Cashew Alternative: You can substitute steamed cauliflower for the raw cashews. The cashews are the best option because they make the creamiest dip, but the cauliflower will work too.
- Can I Bake it? If you’d like to make a baked spinach dip, follow the instructions to make it and then you can pour the dip into an oven-safe dish, top it with vegan cheese (optional) and bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Success Tips
- Don’t skip boiling the raw cashews for 10 minutes prior to blending them, because it helps the cashews to break down and boiling the nuts (or soaking for 2-3 hours) makes it easier for your body to digest.
- Do not use sweetened or vanilla-flavored plant milk, it will make the dip taste sweet instead of savory. My favorite plant milk to use is unsweetened coconut milk (from a refrigerated carton), unsweetened cashew milk, or unsweetened almond milk.
- The dip will continue to thicken as it cooks, so you may need to add more liquid if it gets too dry. The dip should be very saucy and creamy.
- Store the leftover spinach dip in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze it for a future snack.
More Vegan Artichoke Recipes You’ll Love!
Creamy Spinach Artichoke Chickpea Soup
Lemon Tahini Courgette Artichoke Salad
Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Equipment
- Small Pot
- High-Powered Blender
- Large Pan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (or unsweetened cashew or almond milk)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 1/2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (more to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (more to taste)
- 2-3 tbsp low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- (2) 14 oz cans artichoke hearts (in water) rinsed, drained, and roughly chopped
- (3) 10 oz bags frozen spinach
Instructions
- First, you're going to make the cashew cream sauce. Start by boiling the raw cashews in water for 10 minutes and then carefully drain the water out and discard it.
- Put 1 1/2 cups cashews, 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 4 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper into a high-powered blender. Blend on high until the cashew cream sauce is smooth and creamy. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- In a large pan over medium heat, saute the diced onions in 2-3 tbsp of low-sodium vegetable broth until the onions are translucent. Add the chopped artichokes and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. You may need to add more broth if the pan gets too dry.
- Pour the cashew cream sauce into the pan and stir it in.
- Lastly, stir in the frozen spinach, mix it together, and let it cook for 10-15 minutes or until hot and bubbly. I know it looks like a lot of spinach, but it will wilt down a lot and the mixture will continue to thicken as it cooks.
Notes
- Don't skip boiling the raw cashews for 10 minutes prior to blending them because it helps the cashews to break down and boiling the nuts (or soaking for 2-3 hours) makes it easier for your body to digest.
- Do not use sweetened or vanilla-flavored plant milk, it will make the dip taste sweet instead of savory. My favorite plant milk to use is unsweetened coconut milk (from a carton), unsweetened cashew milk, or unsweetened almond milk.
- While you're cooking the spinach dip, you may need to add more liquid if it gets too dry. The dip should be very saucy and creamy.
- Store the leftover vegan spinach artichoke dip in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze it for a future snack.
- You can eat the dip just like this with chips or veggies, or you can top it with vegan cheese and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
*This recipe was originally posted on 7/11/16, but I updated it with better recipe instructions on 5/19/20.
