Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
on Dec 17, 2022
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This is THE BEST plant-based Spinach Artichoke Dip! I hesitate to throw around the word “healthy” when describing food because healthy means different things to different people. But since classic Spinach Artichoke Dip recipes are often made with cream cheese, sour cream, mayo and cheese, this plant-based version is undoubtedly on the healthier side.
It’s creamy and cheesy and made with a few simple ingredients and even though this dip is dairy-free, it’s utterly decadent and delicious. Serve warm with crackers, tortilla chips and veggies for a vegan appetizer recipe that everyone will love!
What ingredients do you need to make vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip?
Making homemade Spinach Artichoke Dip is easy! And this healthy, plant-based version is made with some simple pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
Frozen Spinach – One of the great things about this recipe is that it’s loaded with dark, leafy greens! Look for frozen chopped leaf spinach for best results.
Artichoke Hearts – Grab the canned artichokes hearts that are in water, not the marinated or seasoned variety.
Cashews – raw soaked cashews make this dip super rich and creamy without dairy!
Plant Milk – opt for an unsweetened plant milk like soy milk or almond milk for a silky smooth dip.
Onion Granules + Nutmeg – The combo of these spices makes the vegan cream sauce taste rich and buttery.
Nutritional Yeast – adds depth with a savory umami flavor.
Vegan Parmesan – sprinkle in some vegan parmesan cheese for a cheesy dip that tastes just like the non-vegan version.
Salt and Black Pepper – ties it all together!
How to make healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
The full recipe for Spinach and Artichoke Dip can be found on the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview to give you an idea!
Start by soaking your cashews so they’re easy to blend. To do this, just pour some boiling water on top of the cashews and let them soak for 45 minutes. You’ll also want to make sure the spinach is thawed so set it out on the counter to take the chill off.
Then place the thawed spinach on top of clean dish cloth and squeeze out the excess water.
Next make the cashew cream by blending the soaked cashews with plant milk, nutritional yeast and a sprinkle of onion granules, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy and set it aside for now.
Then chop up the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes until translucent. Then add the garlic and turn off the heat.
Then you’ll add the chopped artichoke hearts and thawed spinach along with the cashew cream sauce, vegan parmesan and extra plant milk. Give it a stir and cook for a few more minutes to gently warm it up.
Once warm, serve this creamy, cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip with some sourdough bread, tortilla chips, crackers or veggies for dipping and enjoy!
How to Serve Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
In addition to serving this dip as an appetizer with crackers and veggies, there are even more ways to enjoy it! For example:
Spinach + Artichoke Jacket Potatoes: Spoon the warm spinach dip into a baked potato for a delicious and flavorful jacket potato!
Spinach + Artichoke Pasta: Stir through pasta with a splash of pasta water for a delicious, creamy pasta sauce.
Spinach + Artichoke Pizza – Spread a thick layer of Spinach Artichoke Dip on to a pizza crust and top with vegan mozzarella. So good!
Spinach + Artichoke Veggie Wraps – if you have leftover dip, spread the cold Spinach + Artichoke Dip on a large whole wheat tortilla. Top with veggies like spinach and bell peppers and roll it up!
More Vegan Appetizers You Might Enjoy!
If you liked this recipe, you’ll probably love these easy plant-based appetizer recipes:
Savory Vegan Puff Pastry Tarts
Healthy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 1¼ cup plant milk, such as unsweetened almond or soy milk, divided
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- ½ tsp onion granules
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp kosher salt, I use Morton's
- ½ large yellow onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 can artichoke hearts, in water, not marinated
- 16 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- ¾ cup shredded vegan parmesan cheese, I use VioLife
For Serving:
- sourdough bread, tortilla chips, crackers or veggies for dipping
Instructions
Prep
- Start by thawing the spinach in the fridge or on the counter and then soak the cashews to soften them up. To do this, simply place the cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for for 45 minutes.
Chop
- Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic and set both aside for now. Then drain and rinse the artichoke hearts and place them in a food processor to finely chop. This can also be done by hand, just make sure the pieces are very small (photo in the post above for reference)Set the chopped artichoke hearts aside and add the thawed frozen spinach to the food processor. Pulse to finely chop as well. This can also be done by hand, just remember that small pieces are key 🙂 Important: place the chopped spinach on a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much water as possible.
Make the Cashew Cream Sauce
- Drain the water from the cashews and place them in a blender along with the 3/4 cup of the plant milk, 1 tbsp of olive oil and the nutritional yeast, onion granules, nutmeg and salt. Blend until very smooth and creamy (about 30-40 seconds).
Cook the Veggies
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large frying pan and set to medium heat. Once warm, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Be careful not to brown the onions, simply cook until translucent.
- Then add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the chopped artichoke hearts, chopped spinach, cashew cream sauce, vegan parmesan cheese and the remaining 1/2 cup of plant milk.
- Cook over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes to warm through and thicken slightly. Then taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Serve
- Serve warm with bread, crackers, tortilla chips or veggies for dipping and enjoy!
DELICIOUS!!!
Delicious! And the easiest spinach and artichoke dip I’ve made. I’ll be eating dip for dinner tonight Oliver Putnam style while I finish Only Murders. Thanks for the idea and the recipe.
I’m so glad you found it easy to make! That’s so good to hear 🙂
So good! I ate dip for dinner, Oliver Putnam style, while finishing Only Murders. Thanks for the idea and the recipe!
haha I LOVE IT! Oliver would be pleased 🙂 I am too. So glad you liked this recipe!
Hi! Can I make this ahead and refrigerate, then warm in the oven?
I absolutely loved this dip! Tasted so much like the original dairy version but was better and so much healthier! Thank you for the recipe, Nikki
How can I use cashew milk instead of the cashews in blender. I don’t have a blender. How much cashe milk should I use?
I haven’t tried it without the cashews so I can’t say for sure but I’d do 1 cup cashew milk, plus 1/4 cup that you mix with 1.5 tbsp of cornstarch. It will be 1 1/4 cup of milk all together and that should be fine. Hope you enjoy!