The Super Bowl is coming up and most years, I take full advantage of the opportunity to make a bunch of appetizers, finger food, and cocktails. This hot vegan spinach artichoke dip is PERFECT for your Super Bowl celebration because not only is it packed with veggies and made from real ingredients, but it’s straight up delicious, AND has left omnivores dumbfounded that it’s vegan and isn’t made with dairy cheese.
Just look at it. SO cheesy! It’s stretchy, meltable and gooey too, just like a good spinach and artichoke dip should be. Step aside, Daiya! This is made from scratch and a million times tastier.
I’ve also seen versions of dairy-free spin-art dip made with tofu, and I’m sure those are tasty too, but I think the cashews give the perfect rich and creamy base for this version.
(I recently took new pictures of this, but I included one of the old pictures here, for nostalgia’s sake).
This vegan spinach artichoke dip uses tapioca starch to create a thick and gooey cashew “mozzarella” base. Tapioca starch is an all-natural starch made from dehydrated manioc, a root vegetable similar to yucca. It gives the most amazing cheese-like texture to vegan cheesy items made from scratch.
Even if you aren’t big on football, I would have to guess that you, like me, enjoy an excuse to make a killer vegan spinach artichoke dip, so I hope that you’ll give this one a try. We will definitely be having it again on game day :). Go Seahawks and/or Ravens! :P. If you make this dip, let me know in the comments or tag me on Instagram with @yupitsvegan!
Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
For the blender mixture:
- 1/4 cup raw cashews soaked overnight in cold water (see notes)
- 1 cup plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp + 1/2 tsp tapioca starch
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp yellow or white miso (optional)
For the rest of the vegan spinach artichoke dip:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 white or yellow onion thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or less to taste)
- 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 14-oz. can artichoke hearts drained and roughly chopped (drained weight 8 oz.; I used the unmarinated kind)
- 2 oz. fresh baby spinach thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a cast iron skillet (mine is about 6 inches in diameter) or ramekin.
- Combine all of the ingredients for the blender mixture in a blender or food processor, scraping down the sides as needed and blending until completely smooth. Strain using a nut milk bag if needed. Set aside.
- In a wide skillet or saute pan, heat the olive oil of medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until the onion is translucent and starting to turn golden. Add the garlic, chili flakes, pepper, and paprika and stir. Cook for another 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Give the reserved blender mixture another stir and then add it to the pan. Stir every few seconds, making sure to scrape around the bottom of the saucepan to keep from sticking. The mixture will start to get chunky in places; when you see this happening, start to stir constantly until the mixture smooths out again and becomes one cohesive, somewhat stretchy mass.
- Add the spinach and artichoke hearts to the pan and stir in as best you can. Continue to cook for about 2 minutes more or until the spinach pieces wilt a little bit.
- Taste the mixture for salt and add more if desired. Transfer to the prepared dish and smooth out. For improved browning, lightly spray or brush the top with additional olive oil. If you have a broiler, bake for 10 minutes and then broil on high for another 3-4 minutes, until nice and browned and bubbly on top. If you don’t have a broiler, bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until slightly crusty and light brown on top.
- Remove from the oven, let cool for a couple of minutes so that nobody burns their mouths, and then serve hot.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The “cheese” base in this vegan spinach artichoke dip is a riff on my favorite cashew mozzarella, used in my vegan lasagna, vegan stuffed shells, and countless other times in our kitchen.
(Originally published in 2014, updated in 2018).
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
julie says
can this be made and cooked the night before?..and reheated when ready to serve?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Yes! I’d recommend doing everything in advance except the part where you bake it in the oven. Do that part when you’re ready to serve it, and bake it a little longer if it’s starting out cold. Should turn out great!
olioboard.com says
Awesome post.
nanners says
I’m an idiot, so even though I read the recipe twice before making it, when the time came, I dumped the whole can of artichoke without draining or chopping. I went “Oops” right after the last drop hit the pot but it was too late. Needless to say, the finished product was not going to win any beauty contest. However, it was still delicious. A little briny and tangier than it probably is supposed to taste like, but still I lapped it up. The recipe was that good. Definitely will make it again.
Kaitlin Weber says
Hello! Is there a substitute for cashews? I love that this recipe does not have tofu and has less processed ingredients but being allergic to nuts, cashews are not an option. Any thoughts? Thanks!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I’ve tested this recipe before with pureed white beans and a little bit of extra added oil and a touch more liquid. It is not quite as creamy and rich but it’s good. Perhaps you can try out that option!
Amanda says
So glad I found this recipe! I made it last night and it was delicious! I chose this recipe because I wanted something healthier that didn’t call for things like mayo and prepackaged vegan cheeses. I used curly leaf kale instead of spinach. No blanching required. I just chopped and threw it in the skillet with the onions and garlic. With some fresh flax crackers and homemade tortilla chips it was amazing!! Would not hesitate to make for a gathering of omnivores as well.
Liz says
Do I need to adjust the recipe if I am not using the onions and garlic do to gerd?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
You will need to add something else for flavor. I would recommend maybe adding some miso and/or nutritional yeast. Good luck with the GERD. I’ve been there. Part of why I almost never eat fried food anymore.
Jose says
This was excellent. It wasn’t too much work to make and all of the flavors come together nicely. I agree that the nutritional yeast isn’t overpowering. The crushed red pepper adds a nice kick too. I really can’t think of anything that would make this better. The first couple of recipes I came across when looking for a dip used vegan cream cheese and vegan mayonnaise. I’m sure those are good too, but I like that this one uses cashew and plant milk and fewer processed items. Thanks for this recipe, I will definitely make it again.
Ashley says
Pretty good overall, but the “cheese” component was a little bland. If I made it again I might just make the first portion and mix it in with some vegan mayo and the nutritional yeast, paprika, salt, and pepper—or double up the nooch. That said, was really impressed by the consistency of the dish!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Thank you for the feedback! I remade this recently and I actually thought it was a little bland too 🙂 planning to update it in the near future.
Andrea says
Oh what brilliance !!! Last night I was in the mood for a quick pizza and this recipe piqued my taste buds. I made the dip as directed and used it to make puts pizzas. I added bits of sauteed jalopena on the pizza. Next time I will add them to the dip.
Making the pita pizzas, the dip was actually baked twice.
Many thanks.
Andrea says
Pita pizzas …. Darn spell check 😕
Lorraine Taraskus says
This is the best spinach artichoke recipe ever! Being in a ‘mixed marriage‘ (vegan & non- vegan), it so so difficult to please everyone during the holidays. This is the first time, ever, that my covered dish wasn’t scoffed at! I did not have tapioca starch on hand, I used Kuzu starch instead. It worked out perfectly. Also I used squeezed lemon juice in place of the apple cider vinegar.
Lindsay says
This was delicious!!! I LOVE spinach artichoke dip and have not been very successful at making vegan versions. THIS IS MY NEW FAVORITE THING. I’m serious. You just made my vegan-ess SO MUCH BETTER. <3 <3
Aimee says
This was great. I doubled the recipe and added a little extra spinach. Topped with vegan buttered panko, smoked paprika and vegan parm. Thanks!
Leigh Warren says
Could I just use an 8×8 pan for the entire recipe?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Certainly!
Shirin says
Hi,
I made this tonight and it’s good.
I ate about half of it already.
Only thing is I would definitely recommend against using soy milk. I don’t think it should say any non-dairy milk because soy milk has a distinctive taste and also reacts wired when blended a lot.
Other than that, I like it and next time I’ll try it with coconut or almond milk.
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Shirin, glad you liked the recipe! Thanks for the feedback. I haven’t had any issues using plain, unsweetened soy milk (with no additives) in this or my other cashew cheeses, but some people are more sensitive to the taste than others. I personally don’t like coconut milk here because of its strong flavor, but I think almond milk is great. Also, this recipe works just fine too if you use hot water instead of the nondairy milk. Cheers!
Francesca says
In case anyone reads through the comments, I tried this with potato starch (I didnt have tapioca) and it worked perfectly!! I suspect that the stretchiness happens with any high starch flour? Either way, this is a delicious recipe! Cant wait to make this for friends or family and see their reaction!
Adam says
Substituted the tapioca starch for a couple tablespoons of rice flour… worked out perfect
Samara says
I have just made these…they are cooking in the oven right now, and they smell so good. Serving with home-made garlic bread, and asparagus. My mouth is watering! I’ll let you know how they taste 🙂
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Awesome! I hope you enjoyed the finished product! 🙂
Samara says
We loved it…even the non vegan member of the family loved it, which is always a bonus. I had some left over and I used it like a pate the next day with toast thins, it was great. My husband and son asked that we add this to our rotation of regular recipies
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Wow, I’m so glad to hear it! Yay 🙂
Shonalika says
Made this for dinner just now and had it with roasted veg + toast – its just wonderful! Rich, creamy, and flavourful, not to mention waaaaaayy quicker and easier to make than I assumed a 3-step process would be. Subbed flour for the tapioca and it worked just fine – only change I’ll be making next time is to add more chilli:D Thanks for sharing!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Glad to hear the flour substitution worked out and that you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 thanks for your comment!
J says
Very good recipe! The only thing: next time I will put less smoked paprika.. maybe 1/8 teaspoon 😉
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Glad you enjoyed it – thanks for your feedback!
maria says
Made this last night and no one even knew it was vegan…I mean they guessed because I made it…lol but it was good! I also couldn’t get fresh spinach (what store is out of spinach?!?!) so I used frozen because i was too lazy to go to another store and it turned out great!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Haha, that’s weird about there being no spinach at the store! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it though and that the frozen spinach worked out just fine. 🙂
The Vegan 8 says
I have a whole list of own my recipes I’m making for Thanksgiving this coming week, but I have appointed my mom to help out and make another recipe and have been looking for a good one online to have her make. I love this! It looks SO delicious and easy too, which I’m all about. I have just sent her the link so she can make it and bring it over. I will let you know how it turns out!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi, thank you!! I’ve been reading your blog for a while – I cook whole foods/oil-free a lot of the time so I love your recipes. So happy you’re going to try this dip – I think you’ll love it! I’d suggest that your mom does all of the steps except baking it – it should keep in the fridge for a day like that – and then bake it right when you’re about to eat it, either that or reheat it in the oven. Let me know how it goes 🙂
The Vegan 8 says
Hi Shannon! Well, I’m happy to report that this dip was PERFECTION. I can’t tell you how picky I am and most recipes I try are so bland that I have to change them so much to suit my tastebuds. However, this was a smashing success, every single person loved it and most people at my house were not vegan! You would not know it’s vegan, impossible to detect. Our only regret was not having my mom double the recipe because we all scarfed it down so fast!! Amazing! I’m ready to make some tomorrow now! I’ll be sharing this on my Facebook page as well. Thanks again! I’m impressed and excited to try more of your recipes now
The Vegan 8 says
Oh and she made it all and then brought to my house and I baked it up there and it was perfect that way.
The Vegan 8 says
By the way, you have can for artichokes…I only have 2 small jars…about how much artichokes would you say I need…2 cups?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I’m SO happy to hear that you loved the dip!! Thanks very much for reporting back! It’s definitely one of my favorite recipes for surprising non-vegans :). As for the artichoke hearts, I used a 14 ounce can of water-packed artichokes. 2 scant cups (before chopping) is probably a good estimate.
Julie says
This recipe is awesome!! I made it because my mother is now dairy-free. I even pulled the wool over my dad’s 74 year old eyes;) Thank you for this excellent recipe. Also, I used a frozen pkg of spinach thawed and the water squeezed out like my non-vegan recipe.
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Julie, so happy to hear that you guys enjoyed it!! And very good to know that thawed/drained frozen spinach works well in the recipe – thanks!
Heather says
This was amazing!! I’d been craving spinach artichoke dip but don’t do dairy, this really made my day 🙂
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
So glad to hear it, Heather! Thanks for letting me know. This is one of my favorite recipes =]
Jude Barnes says
I have always loved spinach artichoke dip. I have been vegan for six years and missing it ever since. Despite working in various vegan kitchens, I’ve never found a recipe that hits the spot like this one. I followed it to a t and it was a huge hit at the kitchen staff banquet. Thanks!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I am so thrilled to hear that!! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Miri says
I made this today . The tapioca first made everything thick , but after a while everything became liquid and I
Had to add 2 T of cornstarch to make it thick again . That was weird , also I had to add some more spices and miso because the cashew cheese was very bland . If I make this again I will use a different recepie for the cashew cheese , it really needed more flavor . I also added some vegan mozzarella and breadcrumbs.
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Miri,
Thanks for your feedback – I really appreciate it! I make this cashew cheese almost every week and I’ve never had it turn to liquid before so I’m kind of scratching my head as to what went wrong. Did you change any of the measurements at all? Good to know you were able to fix it with the cornstarch.
As for the cashew cheese, it does have a pretty basic flavor profile, but I find that using the full 3/4 tsp. of salt does make it plenty salty. I’m glad you were able to make it more to your taste by adding other flavors. And I’m sorry for the difficulties that you had with the recipe; this is usually a big hit so I feel badly that it didn’t turn out well for you. =/
Sandranista says
I tried this with arrowroot powder instead of tapioca and it was so awesome to watch get gooey in the skillet. I am not baking it till tomorrow night so I won’t be able to fully report on the texture till then but so far this looks amazing. Happy to not be using tofu for this but I also added some cultured coconut milk to add some tanginess. When I don’t have that, I use white miso for the tang. Thanks so much!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Interesting, I wouldn’t have thought to use arrowroot powder but it sounds like it’s going well so far. I love miso in my vegan cheeses as well 🙂 I’d love to hear how the final product turns out with this tweak!
Lena says
I will absolutely have to try this fresh mozzarella and make pizza, but the artichoke dip also sounds really good. Now I only have to invite some friends over to make it for.
Shannon @ Y-i-v says
Thanks – it makes a great pizza! I have to admit that the two of us ate almost all of the dip together, but hey, vegetables!
Trina says
Your recipe looks great!
Shannon @ Y-i-v says
Thanks, Trina!
Jess says
This looks amazing! I’m still pretty new to cooking, so forgive me if this is a dumb question. Is there something else I could sub for tapioca flour? If not, where can I get it? Thank you!
Shannon @ Y-i-v says
Hi Jess! I am hesitant to recommend a substitute for the tapioca starch because it is the main component that gives the cashew cheese that ‘stretchiness’. If you absolutely can’t find it, it’s possible that potato starch might work, but I’m not totally sure. Would love to hear about the results if you try it.
Just so you know, tapioca starch is the same thing as tapioca flour. I will update the recipe to mention that! I would look in the baking aisle or natural section of your supermarket, or a Whole Foods should definitely have it. Bob’s Red Mill is the brand that I usually buy – it’s less than $4 for a container. (http://www.bobsredmill.com/tapioca-flour.html) Happy cooking!
Laura @ This is Thirty says
This looks delicious! I want to watch the game at your house!
Shannon @ Y-i-v says
Thanks Laura!