Impress all of your guests with this rich & creamy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip! They’ll never know it’s vegan & made with whole ingredients.
Creamy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
I am happy to report that this super rich vegan spinach artichoke dip made everyone at my last dinner party very happy. Dinner parties are honestly the best places to test out new recipes. If the dish is gone at the end of the night, you know it’s a keeper.
As happy as I was that this artichoke dip was a smash hit, I’ll be totally honest and say that I was a little disappointed that people loved it so much… because I wanted leftovers. 🤷🏼♀️
Everyone was shocked that this vegan spinach artichoke dip is made from whole food ingredients and is unbelievably creamy thanks to the magical nuts we call cashews. Can I get an amen for cashews?!
The genius behind this vegan spinach and artichoke dip is one of my favorite vegan food bloggers since day 1—Brandi Doming of The Vegan 8! If you haven’t already checked out her website, bookmark this recipe and then go STRAIGHT to The Vegan 8. I highly recommend her Rosemary White Beans (also a hit at my dinner party).
This vegan artichoke dip would be amazing as a vegan Thanksgiving appetizer or it would be a great dish to bring to your holiday gatherings. Although on second thought, maybe not because everyone will definitely want to fill up on this before you serve the main meal!
Ingredients for Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Brandi has just released a cookbook called The Vegan 8: 100 Simple, Delicious Recipes Made with 8 Ingredients or Less, and I could not be more excited about it. True to the focus of her blog, all the recipes in the cookbook are made with 8 or less simple, plant-based ingredients (minus salt and pepper). Don’t get it twisted, though—the recipes are anything but boring. This vegan spinach artichoke dip is one example. She also has recipes for some of our favorite comfort foods like Baked Mac ‘N’ Cheese, Crowd-Pleasing Brownies, fluffy pancakes, and so much more. Her cookbook is all about making regular food for regular people, just with a plant-based twist.
Here are the 8 ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious artichoke dip:
- Yellow onion. This artichoke dip starts with sauteed onion and garlic to build the flavor base.
- Garlic cloves. You’ll need three large minced garlic cloves for this recipe.
- Spinach. Fresh spinach will perform best in this recipe. If you prefer to use frozen, thaw it and try to drain off as much water as possible.
- Artichoke hearts. All you need is one 14-ounce can. Make sure to drain them well!
- Dairy-free yogurt. For the yogurt, the So Delicious brand makes a plain coconut “unsweetened” that works well. I would avoid using a low-fat or almond yogurt as they don’t perform super well.
- Distilled white vinegar. This will help brighten up the spinach artichoke dip and cut through all the creaminess to balance out the recipe.
- Cashews. They have to be raw, unsalted cashews. To make this nut free, sub the cashews for 1/2 cup of white cannellini beans.
- Yukon Gold potatoes. You’ll want a waxy skin potato like Yukon Gold for the right creamy texture. Something like a russet will be too starchy.
How to Make Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Not only is this vegan dip recipe made with just 8 ingredients, but it also comes together super easily in an hour.
This vegan spinach artichoke dip starts off with sauteed onion and garlic. You’ll cook your onion and garlic for about 5 minutes or until it starts to become tender. Next, you’ll add in the spinach in batches and cook each batch until it’s wilted before adding another handful. Repeat until all the spinach is softened then turn the heat off. Then, chop up the artichokes and squeeze as much water as you can out of them. Once they’re well drained, add them to the pan with the spinach mixture and set it aside.
Next, add your yogurt, vinegar, cashews, salt and pepper to a high powered blender or food processor and start to blend. You’ll add in the potato and continue to blend until everything is completely smooth. Once you’re left with a super creamy mixture, pour it over the spinach mixture and mix to combine.
Pour everything into a cast iron skillet or baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes in a 375F oven, or until the top is set and bubbling. Pull the dish out of the oven and let it cool off for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then you can top it off with some red pepper flakes for a bit of a kick and dig in!
More Vegan Dip Recipes
If you’re looking for more delicious, simple vegan recipes, click here to buy Brandi’s book; it is a great gift this holiday season for anyone who loves good food. For more delicious vegan dip recipes, check out some of these!
- Vegan Cashew Queso Chili Dip
- The Best Vegan Sour Cream Recipe
- Avocado Dip
- Carrot Top Chimichurri
- Best Vegan Seven Layer Dip by The Vegan 8
- Spicy Buffalo White Bean Hummus by The Vegan 8
- Vegan Pimento Cheese by The Vegan 8
Creamy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Impress all of your guests with this rich & creamy Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip! They’ll never know it’s vegan & made with whole ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (80g) finely diced yellow onion
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced (10g)
- 10 ounces fresh spinach, chopped into smaller pieces
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained well
- 1 cup (240g) plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt*
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (23g) distilled white vinegar
- 1/2 cup (75g) raw, unsalted cashews
- 1/2 teaspoon (3g) fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2g) ground black pepper
- 1/2 packed cup (110g) cooked, peeled Yukon Gold potato
- Optional: red pepper flakes for garnish, pita chips or veggies for serving
Instructions
- Add the onion, garlic, and 5 tablespoons (75g) water to a small pan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer, and cook 5 to 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add the spinach to the pan in small batches, stirring and tossing the spinach until it is well cooked and wilted before adding the next batch. Repeat until all the spinach is cooked well. This will take about 10 minutes. Turn the heat off.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Roughly chop the artichokes into quarters. This will release lots of liquid, so drain the excess. Squeeze out the excess liquid from the artichokes into the sink. You don’t have to be obessive about every drop, but give them a good squeeze so the dip doesn’t end up watery. Add the artichokes to the cooked spinach mixture, and set aside.
- Add the yogurt, vinegar, cashews, salt, and pepper to a high-powered blender or food processor**. Add the potato to the blender; blend on high until completely smooth. Scrape the sides if needed, and blend once more. Pour over the spinach and artichoke mixture, and stir to combine everything well.
- Pour the mixture into a 9-inch cast-iron skillet, pie dish, or an 8-inch square baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 25 minutes or until the top looks firm and set and is bubbly. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. For a kick, add some red pepper flakes on top before serving with pita chips or veggies.
Notes
*For the yogurt, the So Delicious brand makes a plain coconut “unsweetened” that also works well. Do not use a low-fat or almond yogurt. To make this nut free, sub the cashews for 1/2 cup (96g) white cannellini beans. The results won’t be quite as rich and creamy, so I only recommend this if you are allergic to nuts.
**If you do not have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, you’ll need to soak your cashews in warm water overnight, and then drain, rinse, and proceed with the recipe. Otherwise, the dip will be gritty. If using soaked cashews, I find a food processor works better than a regular, non-high-powered blender. Alternatively, you can sub with 1/4 heaping cup raw cashew butter (75g) to ensure it’s 100% smooth. Make sure to use a raw, no-oil-added cashew butter or make my homemade cashew butter on page 247.
