Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
This vegan spinach artichoke dip is warm, creamy, and oh-so-cheesy—perfect for pairing with crusty bread, pita chips, and all your favourite dippers!
When it comes to crowd-pleasing appetizers, this vegan spinach artichoke dip ranks right up there with Loaded Potato Skins, Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, and Vegan Southwest Egg Rolls. In other words, serve this at a party and you can’t go wrong.
You don’t have to make it for a party, though! When I first came up with this recipe, Gav and I happily ate it by ourselves, then used the leftovers as a creamy, cheesy filling in sandwiches, as a sauce for pasta, and even as a topping for baked potatoes.
While spinach artichoke dip is traditionally made with lots of dairy, it’s easy to give it a vegan revamp with some simple ingredient swaps that still keep it incredibly creamy and delicious.
Why This Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe Works
So let’s talk about those simple swaps! Here’s what makes this spinach artichoke dip a winner.
- Rich and creamy. Cashews are the secret ingredient in my Creamy Tomato Pasta and Cauliflower Mac and Cheese, and they’re also a heavy-hitter in this vegan spinach artichoke dip. When pureed, they add a creamy, dairy-like texture to any recipe.
- Surprisingly cheesy. Nutritional yeast and vegan Parm are here to bring the cheesy flavor, while lemon juice gives the dip a little more tang.
- Perfect texture. Tapioca starch acts as a thickener to give this vegan spinach artichoke dip a texture similar to melted cheese.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Fresh spinach – I like using fresh spinach and wilting it, but thawed frozen spinach can be substituted.
- Artichoke hearts – I recommend using canned artichoke hearts, rather than the oil-packed marinated artichokes.
- Raw cashews – Soak these overnight, then give them a good rinse.
- Vegan milk – Any unsweetened, unflavoured variety you like.
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
- Nutritional yeast
- Onion and garlic powder – These add lots of savoury flavour.
- Paprika
- Lemon juice
- Vegan Parmesan cheese – Either store-bought or homemade vegan Parmesan.
- Tapioca starch – An optional ingredient for a cheesy texture.
Does Nutritional Yeast Really Taste Like Cheese?
Nutritional yeast does taste like cheese—and, in particular, it tastes like funky aged cheeses like Parmesan. It’s also nutty, salty, and savoury, making it a fantastic addition to spinach artichoke dip.
How to Make Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ready for a creamy, cheesy dipping experience? Let’s get started!
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 400°F.
Blend. Add the cashews, vegan milk, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice, vegan Parmesan, and tapioca starch to a blender and blend on high for 2 to 3 minutes, or until completely smooth.
Wilt the spinach. Add the spinach to a pan set over medium heat. Let it cook until it’s wilted, then remove from heat and drain the excess liquid.
Add the artichokes. Return the pan to medium-high heat and stir the artichokes and a pinch of salt into the spinach. Cook for about 2 minutes.
Assemble. Transfer the spinach artichoke mixture to a baking dish and pour the blended sauce mixture on top. Stir to combine and season to taste.
Bake. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Garnish with additional vegan Parmesan cheese, if desired, then cool slightly and serve.
Tips for Success
These simple pointers will help you make sure your vegan spinach artichoke dip turns out perfect:
- Don’t forget to soak the cashews. Soaking is key to achieving a supremely creamy consistency. You’ll also want to use raw, not roasted, cashews.
- Puree completely smooth. You don’t want bits and chunks of nuts in your spinach artichoke dip! Use a high-speed blender and make sure the mixture is absolutely smooth before you add it to the baking dish.
- Make it in an oven-safe skillet. If you cook the spinach and artichokes in a skillet that’s safe to go in the oven, you can skip the step of transferring the veggies to a baking dish.
- Pop it under the broiler. Although this is optional, it gives your spinach dip a toasty finish. You can add some vegan Parmesan over the top first, or another melty vegan cheese.
Variations
Like crunchy water chestnuts in your spinach artichoke dip? Feel free to add those if you’d like! You can also swap the vegan Parmesan for a vegan shredded cheese—cheddar is great for a more pronounced flavour, or mozzarella for a milder option.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this dip with pita chips, crackers, tortilla chips, breadsticks, on crostini, slathered atop fresh bread, as a veggie burger topping, or tossed with pasta. The possibilities are endless!
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover vegan spinach artichoke dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. (You can also make it in advance and store it wrapped in the baking dish.)
Reheat spinach artichoke dip in the microwave or in a 350ºF oven until it’s warmed through, or eat the leftovers as a cold dip.
Can I Freeze This Recipe?
If you’d like to freeze this recipe, store it wrapped in the baking dish or in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, then reheat according to the instructions above.
More Vegan Party Appetizers
- Sambusas
- Vegan Charcuterie Board
- Vegan Whipped Feta Dip
- Air Fryer Veggie Chips
- Perfect Homemade Hummus
Enjoy friends! If you make this vegan spinach artichoke dip, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 10 ounces fresh spinach, or frozen spinach, see notes*
- 14 ounces canned artichoke hearts (about 1 can), (395g) drained, rinsed and chopped
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in water overnight, then rinsed and drained OR just easily boiled for 5 minutes**
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened vegan milk
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons vegan Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch, optional, but great for a cheese pull
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F/200°C.
- In a blender, add the cashews, vegan milk, sea salt, ground black pepper, nutritional yeast, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice, vegan parmesan cheese and optional tapioca starch. Blend on high for about 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth. Set aside.
- In a pan over medium heat, add the fresh spinach and wilt down if it’s fresh until fully wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain the excess water that comes off.
- Turn the pan back on to medium-high heat, place the spinach back in the pan, and add the artichokes to the pan with a pinch of salt and stir together for about 2 minutes.
- Turn heat off and add the spinach artichoke mix to your baking dish (I used about a 9" x 5" oval dish). Pour the blended sauce mixture on top, and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden and cheesy, and you can broil for a few minutes if desired too. Remove from oven, sprinkle optionally with extra vegan parmesan cheese, allow to cool slightly, then serve! Enjoy!
Notes
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Made this recipe for Super Bowl and it was not only delicious but really easy to make! I’ve always wanted to make a vegan version of this dip and this one is perfect – even for the non vegans in my life. Will be making again.
We’re so happy that you enjoyed this recipe Michelle! Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a nice comment!
This looks so yummy! 😋 We’ve got a cashew allergy in the house and I’m wondering if almonds can be substituted for the cashews in this recipe?
HI Coco thanks so much for reading. We actually haven’t tried substituting in this recipe so I would be unable to advise.
This recipe is a keeper! I’ve made this 3x and it doesn’t last in my house. Everyone loves it! Can’t wait to make it again for the 4th of July.
Hi Mabel,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share. Thrilled that you loved this Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe.
Made this for New Year’s Day and it was a hit, even with big-time meat and dairy eaters! Only adjustments I made was to increase the spinach (I put in 12 ounces) and since I had some leftover breadcrumbs from one of your other yummy recipes, I sprinkled them over the top before baking. I also only had oil-packed artichokes so I rinsed and drained them really well. It came out SO good! Thank you, Jessica, for always giving us easy, delicious vegan recipes!
Hi Dana,
Ahhh music to our ears! So so happy to hear that this recipe was easy and delicious for you. Thank you for taking the time to share the love in a review. Means the world to us.