Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

An absolute classic at a winter table of delectable sauces, cheesy baked dip with artichoke and spinach is an American favorite. But did you know you can also make it without any animal products at all? That’s right! My Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip has all the cheesy, savory goodness of the original, without requiring any dairy products whatsoever. Let’s find out how it’s done.

What is Spinach Artichoke Dip?

Spinach artichoke dip is a popular American baked dip, in which preserved artichokes and cooked spinach are seasoned and mixed with lots of cheese and cream. The whole dish is then placed in the oven to bake for a short while, so that the cheese softened and the whole thing browns on top. It’s highly savory in flavor, and is usually served with bread or crudités, to scoop up spoonfuls of the dip.

How to Make Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

The usual cream is easily replaced by vegan yogurt. Coconut yogurt can be a little too strongly flavored, but plain soy yogurt is ideal. Then we just need to find a vegan replacement for the cheese, that will give us an equally satisfying umami flavor. We’re going to do that with a mixture of cashew nuts, nutritional yeast, granulated onions, and lemon juice. And the only thing you need to make it is a blender.

How to Make Vegan Cheese

Start off by soaking your cashew nuts in hot water. Simply place them in a heat proof bowl, pour over boiling water and leave to soak for about five minutes. Alternatively, you can use cold water and leave to soak overnight. Both methods will soften the cashew nuts, making it easier to blend them. It’s the nuts that give us the creamy texture that is akin to a soft cheese.

While the nuts are soaking, you can start with the rest of the filling. Simply add the spinach, artichokes, and garlic to a pan and heat gently, over medium heat. It is ready as soon as the spinach wilts.

To finish the vegan cheese, blend the soaked cashews with the nutritional yeast and onion powder. Add lemon juice, plus salt and pepper to taste. You can then mix the creamy vegan cheese with the yogurt, spinach and artichokes. You should end up with a rough, lumpy mixture, with wilted spinach and chunks of artichokes sitting in a rough creamy sauce.

Transfer to a baking dish and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbling slightly at the edges. The mix will have solidified slightly, into a scoopable dip. You will also notice that it smells fantastic, with deep savory notes and pungent from the garlic and onions.

How to Serve Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

I like to serve it with a range of other dips at a casual event. Because it’s baked and served hot, it always feels more appropriate to me as a winter dish, although you can of course serve it at any time of year. Scoop out small spoonfuls and add them to slices of bread or toasted croutons. Its richness also goes well with vegetable crudités, especially sweeter vegetables, like bell peppers and carrots.

My recommendation is to serve it hot, but you can also let it cool to room temperature or even chill. The dip will be much firmer when cooled down.

And More…

Want some inspiration for more dips to serve at a spread? Try one of these:

• Sriracha Yogurt Dip
• Peanut Dipping Sauce
• Yogurt Red Onion Dip
• Tahini Sauce
• Creamy Avocado

Conclusion

Next time you’re making this classic dip, try my version: Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip. Not only will the vegans love you for it, the omnivores probably won’t even notice the difference. And even if they do, they won’t care, because it tastes so good! Let me know in the comments if you have a different recipe for vegan cheese that I should try – or perhaps you know a great store-bought version that’s ready to go?