Go Back
+ servings
5 from 1 vote

Dairy Free Spinach and Artichoke Dip Recipe

Use fresh spinach for this oven-baked dish. Some use chopped spinach or not. Cashews play the role of the handyman: they replace cream cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise at the same time. And to taste, crunchy fresh vegetables or any type of chips are essential to increase the pleasure of this healthy dip.
Save Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Diet: Vegan
Keyword: artichokes, basil, cashew cream, cashew nuts, chives, dill, lemons, spinach
Servings: 3 cups
Calories: 2055kcal
Author: Naïby

Equipment

  • Measuring cups.
  • Measuring spoons.
  • Citrus juice press.
  • Chef's knife, 8".
  • Rubber spatula

Ingredients

  • cup raw cashews soaked for 5 mins, rinsed, and drained
  • 2 cups water or more
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives or green onions, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill (optional)
  • 4 cups fresh spinach (about 5 oz)
  • 1 14oz-can artichoke hearts drained and coarsely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 cup vegan Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • 1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Prepare the homemade cashew cream cheese: soak cashews in 2 cups in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain. Place all ingredients except herbs in the blender and blend until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the edges with a rubber spatula. Add chives, basil, and dill, and pulse or mix with spatula.
  • Place spinach, artichoke hearts, and garlic in a large bowl, a 9x9 baking dish, or medium cast iron skillet. Transfer the dip to ingredients and stir until ingredients are well combined with the optional cheeses, the parmesan and half the mozzarella. Spread in an even layer.
  • Top with the rest of the optional vegan mozzarella and bake for 20 minutes. Then broil the top for 1-2 minutes until golden.
  • Serve warm, ideally on chips.
  • Placed in an airtight container, this Dairy-Free Spinach and Artichoke Dip will keep for up to 4-5 days.

Notes

  • Avoid frozen spinach: it works best when cooked on the stovetop. Fresh spinach has good moisture content and wilts perfectly in the dip without steaming first. Frozen spinach can be quite dull tasting, disintegrate when squeezing out excess water after thawing, and be very runny when baked. 
  • The taste of garlic comes down to details: forget the minced garlic in a jar and mince the garlic instead! Otherwise, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder will provide the garlic flavor needed.
  • Wrong texture, weird twist: blend the cashews well, so you don't get a grainy composition. If the consistency of the dip is too thick, add a little water.
  • The order of the added ingredients matters: make sure to add the fresh spinach to the baking dish first, then all the other ingredients on top. This will help contain them better.

Variations

Make an easy spinach and artichoke dip (dairy-free, mayo-free, vegan)... 
  • With macadamia nuts: replace cashews or make half and half.
  • With a cheesy taste: add nutritional yeast. with increased umami: add miso.
  • Au gratin: cover with grated vegan Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
  • Spicy: sprinkle with cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes or mix in hot sauce, Sriracha or Tabasco. 
  • Low-FODMAP Spinach Artichoke Dip. Replace cashews with whipped coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk and garlic and onion with asafoetida.
  • Low-Fat Spinach Artichoke Dip. Use coconut cream again or oat milk thickened with tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour) or arrowroot (thickening agents).
  • Nut-Free Spinach Artichoke Dip. Swap out the cashews for seed milk, like sesame or sunflower milk thickened with a thickening ingredient mentioned above, soy-based vegetable mayonnaise, or silken tofu.

Nutrition

Calories: 2055kcal | Carbohydrates: 138g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 150g | Saturated Fat: 34g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 55g | Sodium: 3017mg | Potassium: 2313mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 11821IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 416mg | Iron: 22mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @biting.intolife or tag #bitingintolife!