This is the best vegan spinach and artichoke dip ever! It's loaded with spinach, artichoke hearts, lots of garlic, and a creamy cashew sauce. It's not just an appetizer, you can use the dip to make all kinds of delicious meals! Instructions to make it without cashews are also included.
This vegan spinach artichoke dip far exceeds the dairy-based version that I used to love before I was vegan! This savory dip is so creamy, it's loaded with spinach, artichoke hearts, and the creamiest cashew sauce.
It's absolutely delicious and it makes a great appetizer to share with family and friends. I can also tell you that this recipe is loved by vegans and non-vegans alike! I always make this dip to bring to family gatherings, for our Thanksgiving dinner, and for Christmas dinner, and everyone raves about it!Â
Ingredients & Substitutions
This vegan spinach dip is made from a combination of raw cashews to make it creamy, nutritional yeast to make it taste cheesy, onions and garlic to add lots of flavor, and of course, loads of spinach and extra artichokes!
- Onion - Yellow, sweet, or red onion can be used. Shallots would be delicious too!
- Garlic - I used fresh garlic, but you could substitute 1-½ tsp of dried garlic.
- Nutritional Yeast - This makes the dip tastes cheesy!
- Dried Seasonings
- Spinach -Â You could use fresh or frozen. I used frozen because it's easier, but if you want to use fresh, you'll need to use (3) 5 oz bags of fresh spinach and make sure to roughly chop it before you add it so it's easier to eat.
- Apple Cider Vinegar - You can use white wine vinegar if you don't have apple cider vinegar.Â
- Lemon
- Cashews - Cashews make the dip SO creamy! You can substitute 1 small head of steamed cauliflower or 1 ½ cups of soaked sunflower seeds for the raw cashews.Â
- Coconut Milk - You can substitute unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk.
How to Make It
First, you're going to make the creamy 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, make the cashew cream sauce in a high-powered blender. 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).
Serving Suggestions
You can serve it as a dip or use it as a filling for vegan spinach artichoke lasagna or vegan stuffed shells! I like to serve this vegan spinach and artichoke dip with any of the following dippers:
- Tortilla Chips
- Crackers
- Pita Bread
- Baby CarrotsÂ
- Celery SticksÂ
- Broccoli Florets
- Cauliflower Florets
- Zucchini Slices
- Cucumber Slices
- Sliced Bell Peppers
Can I Freeze It?
Yes, you can freeze the leftover vegan spinach and artichoke dip. Put it in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for 2-3 months.
When you're ready to reheat it, put the container in the fridge for 24 hours to defrost. It will be a little watery when you first defrost it, but just give it a good stir to mix it up and the water will evaporate completely when you heat it up. You can warm it in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium heat on the stovetop until it's warmed through.
Recipe Variations
You can use enjoy the recipe just like this or you can use it as a filling in so many different recipes!
- You can spoon the filling into lasagna noodles or zucchini slices and make rollups.Â
- Use the filling in manicotti tubes, top it with tomato sauce, and then bake it at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Spoon the dip over vegan chicken tenders (I like Gardein seven-grain tenders) or roasted cauliflower steaks for a vegan spin on chicken florentine.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's usually eaten hot, but it can also be enjoyed cold.
Yes! To make a baked spinach artichoke dip, follow the recipe instructions, then pour it into an oven-safe dish, top it with shredded vegan cheese (optional) and bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until it's hot and bubbly.
Yes, you can make it 1-2 days before you're ready to serve it. 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!
Yes, you can make it without cashews. Sunflower seeds are the perfect replacement! Substitute 1 ½ cups of raw sunflower seeds for the cashews. It will be just as creamy, just make sure to boil the seeds first for 10 minutes and keep blending until the cream sauce isn't grainy anymore.
Success Tips
- You can boil the raw cashews for 10 minutes or soak them for 2-3 hours prior to blending. Doing this will help the cashews to break down easier in the blender and it makes it easier to digest.
- Only use unsweetened and unflavored plant milk. If you use sweetened or vanilla-flavored, the dip will taste sweet.Â
- The dip will continue to thicken as it cooks, so you may need to add more liquid if it gets too dry. It should be very saucy and creamy.Â
Want More Vegan Artichoke Recipes?Â
- Lemon Tahini Zucchini Salad
- Wheat Berry Artichoke Salad
- Lemon Orzo Artichoke Soup
- Creamy Lentil Chickpea Soup
Easy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Equipment
- Small Pot
- High-Powered Blender
- Large Pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews or sunflower seeds
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (I used a carton of coconut milk from the refrigerated section, not a can.)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 4 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- â…› tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt (add more to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper (add more to taste)
- 3-4 tbsp vegetable broth or water to saute (or oil)
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 3 medium garlic cloves minced
- (2) 14 oz cans artichoke hearts (in water) rinsed, drained, and roughly chopped
- (2) 10 oz bags frozen spinach
Instructions
- Start by boiling the raw cashews in enough water to cover them by 1-inch for 10 minutes and then carefully drain the water out and discard it.
- Put the cashews, 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar, 4 tbsp nutritional yeast, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ⅛ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ 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 until they are soft and translucent. Add the chopped artichokes and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. You may need to add more liquid if the pan gets too dry.
- Pour the cashew cream sauce into the pan and stir to combine.
- Lastly, stir in the frozen spinach. Stir it together, and let it cook for 10-15 minutes or until the dip is hot and bubbly. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cooks. If it gets too dry, add a little bit more coconut milk so it's creamy and saucy. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Boil the raw cashews for 10 minutes before blending so they will break down easier.Â
- Only use unsweetened and unflavored plant milk. If you use sweetened or vanilla-flavored, the dip will taste sweet.Â
- Store the leftover dip in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or you can freeze it for 2-3 months.Â
But allergies here - is there a way to not use cashews? Almonds are ok would they work
Hey! No almonds can't be used in place of the cashews. I haven't tried it yet but I think a 1/2 head of steamed cauliflower would work well instead of cashews.
I just made this and it's great! Maybe more garlic next time like another commenter said (:
I'm so glad you liked the recipe, thank you!
How long will the cashew cream last in the refrigerator? I’d like to keep it around. Thank you!
Hi Ashley, I'd say it should be good for 4-5 days. Definitely smell it first before you eat it though to make sure.
I made this tonight to serve tomorrow for Christmas. I haven't tasted it yet, but I have a couple of comments. Your instructions say to put the ingredients in a medium pan; I put the ingredients in a large pan on the stove and after adding the cashew sauce it was pretty much full... Before adding the seasonings and spinach I had to transfer it all to a large pot. Also, my dip didn't turn out looking at all like yours; your dip looks nice and white but mine has an orange tint to it from the teaspoon of paprika.. I didn't even add the nutmeg because I'm not a big nutmeg fan, but I'm wishing that I hadn't put in the paprika because it doesn't look like traditional spinach dip with that color in it.. and I didn't expect that to happen because in the photos of yours I don't see the orange tint.
Hello! I'm sorry that you had to dirty to pans, I guess I thought my pan was on the smaller side but I'll update the recipe card to say larger pan so nobody else will run into this issue.
As for the orange tint, that's very odd and I haven't had anyone else comment about that. One tsp of paprika shouldn't turn the whole dish orange. The only thing I can think of is maybe we used different types of paprika as it has never turned orange when I've made it and I've made it at least 10+ times. Did you use standard paprika, not smoked or any other variety? I'm sorry that happened but I hope you still enjoyed it!
Such a great recipe! Thank you! It was a hit as one of our pre-dinner snacks at Christmas. The vegans and non-vegans in my family really enjoyed it. As someone who really does not have a knack for cooking, this was super simple and it tasted great! I’m transitioning into veganism, so my taste hasn’t change much yet but this was very delicious. I may add a little more garlic next time, but I like things on the garlic-y side 😊 Thank you again! Can’t wait to try this dip in the vegan lasagna!
Thank you so much for the feedback and awesome review, I really appreciate it! I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipe! More garlic sounds good to me too =) Merry Christmas!
Wow!!! This looks amazing!!! I put it on my list of meals to do for my Christmas party!!! Can't wait to try it. 🙂 🙂
I have one question: Is it ok for me to do this in advance, in the morning for example, and serve it later in the evening?
Emma
Hey Emma! Yes, you can make it in the morning and then heat it up later. To keep it saucy, I might add a little water or unsweetened plant milk when reheating it later that day. Enjoy!
Awesome!!!! Thanks!!!!
Can’t wait to try this with your lasagna recipe. I see that the recipe states add frozen spinach. I just need to clarify, Is the spinach added frozen or thawed and drained? If added frozen, the end result is not too watery??
Thank you
Hello! I add the spinach while it's still frozen (not thawed or drained) and it never turns out watery. I hope you try the recipe, enjoy!
Thank you! I’ll be trying it this weekend!!
Is this possible to make with soy milk, or would it cause a very big difference?
Hi Briana, as long as it's unsweetened soy milk I think it would be fine. Let me know how it turns out!
This looks so great! I've never had dairy free artichoke dip before, in fact - did not even know it'd be possible! Thank you so much for sharing. I can't wait to try making this at home for the family!
Thank you, Billy! This is one of my favorite recipes, it's so delicious! I hope your family enjoys it too!
It's possible to make a vegan version for just about anything that you can think of! I've even seen recipes for vegan deviled eggs 🙂
It really is! I love how versatile plants are!
I’m super excited to try this! Do you think it would be ok to freeze half of this for a different time?
Definitely! Enjoy!
This looks so delicious! Excited to try it, thanks for sharing the recipe. 🙂
Thank you! I hope you like it as much as we do!
Going to try this today. Looks delish. I've recently been using The New Barn almond milk -- unsweetened plain. It only has two ingredients and you can tell by nutritional info that it contains good amount of almonds. Tastes very much like homemade almond milk. It's in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods. Thanks for the recipe.
That sounds great! Enjoy the recipe, it's one of our favorites!
Can you make this with Almonds instead of cashews?
No, you need the cashews because that's what makes it so creamy!
Hello all of your recipes look delicious an healthy! I'm just wondering if you have a calorie count for them?
Just made this and while mine does not look nearly as presentable as yours it's pretty tasty! I've been craving stuffed shells of some sort and have a dairy allergy, these hit the spot! I think next time I will try it with almond milk or cashew milk 🙂 but it doesn't taste too much like coconut which I am happy with 🙂 all in all thank you!!! I will be trying other recipes if yours 🙂
Hi, Morgan! I'm so glad that you liked it, thank you for letting me know! I bet the shells would be delicious with cashew milk or almond milk too =)
If you try any other recipes please let me know what you think of them!
Stacey, for your cashew cream, are you using coconut milk from a can or coconut milk from a milk carton? I would assume a can for that full fat goodness at the top, but I could be wrong.
Thanks!
I used coconut milk from a carton for this recipe!
I can't wait to make this, Stacey! I just loved the snaps you took while making it...I was like drooling over those pics, haha! Spinach artichoke is one of my favorite dips, but I haven't had it in a long while since it's usually choked full of dairy. You are BRILLIANT for creating this yummy, dairy-free, vegan version that doesn't look any different than the original! Putting some of these ingredients on my shopping list so I can make this asap!
Thank you, Joscelyn! Spin dip is one of my favorites too, I was craving it so bad but didn't want to eat all the dairy and fat so it came to be out of desperation!
Squealing! I literally have everything for this! This looks amazing! I love spinach dip but we have gluten and dairy allergies in our family. Now I don't have to miss it!
Thank you! This spin dip is great for everybody! Enjoy! =)
YUM! This sounds amazing and I've pinned for later. I also pinned the pasta idea, because zoodles and sweet potatoes are right. up. my. alley. I can't wait to try this out next week!! Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you! I love both recipes so much! We just finished the last of the spinach dip and I can't wait to make another batch!!!
GIRL, you are my hero!! I never knew the deliciousness of spinach artichoke dip growing up but as soon as I did, my body also decided it was done handling even the smallest bit of dairy. This is a must try for me!
That makes me so happy to hear! Spinach dip should be enjoyed by everybody!!! It's the best! =)
Wait, a healthy spinach and artichoke dip? Like ACTUALLY healthy?! You deserve a Nobel prize for this one. Looks incredible!!!
I think this might be my favorite recipe comment ever!! Thank you so much! =) And yes, it's actually good for you! Yay!