Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

5 from 104 votes

This Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip is hot, creamy, cheesy, and irresistibly gooey! Made with a simple homemade cashew cheese sauce, tender spinach, and artichoke hearts, then baked until bubbly and golden. It's the perfect crowd-pleasing appetizer for parties, game day, holidays, or anytime you're craving a warm, cheesy dip.

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 50

Servings: 8

Author: Sam Turnbull

Ingredients

For the vegetables:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 can (14 oz / 398 ml) artichoke hearts packed in water drained well and roughly chopped
5 oz frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed very well

For the cheese sauce:

1 cup raw cashews softened if needed (see notes)
2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (such as soy or oat)
1 cup water
3 tablespoons tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
For serving: Toasted baguette slices, pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers, or fresh vegetables

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a 2- to 3-quart baking dish (such as an 11 × 7-inch dish).
Sauté the onion and garlic: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant. Remove from the heat.
Make the cheese sauce: Add the cashews, plant-based milk, water, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. The sauce will look thin and milky at this point.
Assemble the dip: Add the sautéed onion and garlic, artichokes, and spinach to the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over top and stir well to combine. The mixture will look very thin at this point, but don't worry! It will thicken and become creamy and gooey as it bakes.
Bake the dip: Place the baking dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, stirring well every 10 minutes and scraping the thickened mixture from the edges back into the dip. The sauce will gradually thicken and become creamy and gooey.
Broil: Give the dip one final stir and smooth the top. Turn the oven to broil and broil for 1–2 minutes, watching carefully, until lightly golden on top.
Serve: Serve hot with toasted baguette, pita chips, tortilla chips, crackers, or fresh vegetables.

Notes

Soften the cashews (if needed): If you have a high-powered blender, you can skip this step. Otherwise, I recommend soaking or boiling the cashews first so they blend smoothly.

To soak: Add the cashews to a bowl, cover with cool water, and soak for 6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse well before using.
To boil: Add the cashews to a small pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, until softened. Drain and rinse well before using.

Cashew substitute: Raw blanched almonds or raw sunflower seeds can be used instead of the cashews. For the smoothest texture, soak or boil them first as described above. The dip will still be delicious, but cashews give the creamiest, most neutral-tasting result.

Tapioca starch: Tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour) gives the cheese sauce its gooey, slightly stretchy texture. Cornstarch can thicken the dip in a pinch, but it won't have quite the same cheesy, stretchy texture.

Make ahead: Assemble the dip through the assembly step, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, give it a good stir and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes as needed since the dip will be cold.

Storage: Store leftover dip covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover and warm in a 350°F (180°C) oven until heated through.

Oil-free option: Omit the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic in a splash of vegetable broth or water instead.

Nutrition

Find it online:

https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/vegan-spinach-artichoke-dip/

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