Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
This vegan spinach and artichoke dip offers a healthier yet equally delicious twist on the classic appetizer. It's light and creamy, with all the flavors you would expect without the heavy cream and cheese.
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 457kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews Soaked for 2 hours in boiled water
- 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup almond milk
- 16 oz frozen spinach If you use finely chopped fresh spinach, you will need approx. 1.5 lbs
- 1 15 oz can artichoke hearts drained
Instructions
- Rinse and drain the soaked cashews. Place them in a food processor with the nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and almond milk. Blend until very smooth.
- Place frozen spinach into a skillet over medium heat. Stir until the spinach has evenly thawed and any liquid completely evaporated.
- Drain and add roughly chopped artichoke hearts, stir to reduce any remaining artichoke liquid to prevent the dip from becoming watery.
- Pour in the cashew cream and stir to combine.
- Heat the dip thoroughly; when it starts to bubble, remove it from heat. Optional: for a thicker dip, add 2 tbsp of cornflour while the dip is still over the stovetop and mix well to combine.
- Adjust seasoning and nutritional yeast to taste.
- Serve warm with your preferred dipper, such as bread, crackers, carrots, or celery sticks.
Notes
Recipe Substitutions
- Almond Milk Alternative: Any non-dairy milk like soy, oat, or cashew milk can replace almond milk.
- Nutritional Yeast Substitute: If you don’t have nutritional yeast, you can use a vegan cheese substitute for a similar cheesy flavor.
- Fresh Spinach Option: You can use fresh spinach instead of frozen. You will need approximately 1.5 lbs of spinach to equal 16 oz of frozen spinach. Sauté or steam it down until it’s wilted and drain any excess liquid.
- Artichoke Hearts: Use tinned artichoke hearts in brine, drained and chopped. You can also use frozen artichoke hearts if that’s all you can find. Just make sure to defrost them first, then chop them. This will ensure no unnecessary liquid will make your dip runny.
- Cashews: The key to this dip recipe is soaking the cashews well and blending them until they are very smooth. If you shortcut these steps, you won’t achieve the delicious creaminess that makes this dip such a winner. And only use raw cashews. Salted or roasted cashews will not work.
- For Thicker Dip: Add cornflour or arrowroot powder while the dip is still over the stovetop, and mix well to combine. Start with a small amount and increase as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Gentle Heat: When heating the dip, use low to medium heat to avoid burning it. Stir continuously for even heating and to maintain a smooth consistency.
- Sauté or Steam Fresh Spinach: If using fresh spinach, sauté it first to remove excess moisture. This prevents the dip from becoming too watery.
- Drain Artichokes Well: Make sure to drain the artichokes thoroughly. Excess liquid from artichokes can dilute the flavor and texture of the dip.
- Storage and Reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. When reheating, you may need to add a little non-dairy milk to bring back the original creamy consistency.
To Transport Warm to a Picnic or Party
- Heat the dip as close to departure as possible. Transport the dip in a thermal container or with an insulated cover.
- I recommend heating and transferring to a dish with a storage lid, such as Pyrex dishes, and transporting it in an insulated lasagna lugger. See my tips for keeping picnic food warm here.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Sodium: 1174mg | Potassium: 982mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 13297IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 248mg | Iron: 7mg