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Home » Dips » Hot Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

Hot Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

September 12, 2018 By Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan 80 Comments

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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.

Overhead view of a ramekin of creamy vegan spinach artichoke dip with a nicely browned surface

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.

A pita chip being dipped into a skillet of dairy-free spinach artichoke dip

(I recently took new pictures of this, but I included one of the old pictures here, for nostalgia’s sake).

Overhead view of a small white ramekin of vegan spinach artichoke dip, next to some toasted slices of bread on a plate

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.

Close-up of a pita chip being dipped into vegan spinach artichoke dip with a creamy and gooey texture visible

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 | Yup, it's Vegan
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4.88 from 32 votes

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

A creamy and delicious baked vegan spinach artichoke dip, served warm from the oven and made from scratch with no processed substitutes.
Course Appetizer, dip
Cuisine gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian
Keyword dairy-free spinach artichoke dip, vegan spinach artichoke dip
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 3 cups
Calories 111kcal
Author Yup, it's Vegan

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

CASHEWS: Soak the cashews overnight, but if you forget, simply put them in a bowl with water and microwave for 90-120 seconds at a time or until very softened.
NUTRITIONAL YEAST: I think it is easy to go overboard with nooch and overpower the other flavors. But in this instance, just one tablespoon adds savory notes and balance to the dish; however, you can omit it if needed.
TAPIOCA STARCH: Tapioca starch is the same thing as tapioca flour and it's made by Bob's Red Mill as well as other brands. Look in the baking aisle or natural section of your grocery store, at almost any Whole Foods, or on Amazon.com!
As far as substitutes go, cornstarch or arrowroot starch may work to thicken the dip but tapioca starch is definitely the best at making it gooey and stretchy! Some readers have had success with potato starch - check the comments section for detail!
VARIATIONS: Use blanched kale or other greens instead of the spinach. Add jalapeno to the saute mixture for an extra kick.

Nutrition

Serving: 1half cup | Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 473mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 900IU | Vitamin C: 8.3mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1.1mg

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).

Filed Under: Appetizers, Dips, Popular Tagged With: cheese analogues, gluten-free, grain-free, greens, high-vegetable, nuts and seeds, paleo, refined sugar-free, soy-free, sweetener-free

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Comments

  1. julie says

    November 18, 2018 at 12:31

    can this be made and cooked the night before?..and reheated when ready to serve?

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      November 18, 2018 at 12:33

      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!

      Reply
  2. olioboard.com says

    October 18, 2018 at 01:53

    Awesome post.

    Reply
  3. nanners says

    October 7, 2018 at 20:52

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
  4. Kaitlin Weber says

    October 5, 2018 at 14:02

    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!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      October 7, 2018 at 15:40

      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!

      Reply
  5. Amanda says

    July 21, 2018 at 07:50

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
  6. Liz says

    June 23, 2018 at 22:55

    Do I need to adjust the recipe if I am not using the onions and garlic do to gerd?

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      June 24, 2018 at 07:21

      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.

      Reply
  7. Jose says

    June 10, 2018 at 21:15

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
  8. Ashley says

    February 15, 2018 at 20:54

    3 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      February 16, 2018 at 17:11

      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.

      Reply
  9. Andrea says

    January 6, 2018 at 10:20

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Andrea says

      January 6, 2018 at 10:20

      5 stars
      Pita pizzas …. Darn spell check 😕

      Reply
  10. Lorraine Taraskus says

    December 23, 2017 at 14:23

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
  11. Lindsay says

    December 4, 2017 at 13:20

    5 stars
    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

    Reply
  12. Aimee says

    October 28, 2017 at 18:14

    5 stars
    This was great. I doubled the recipe and added a little extra spinach. Topped with vegan buttered panko, smoked paprika and vegan parm. Thanks!

    Reply
  13. Leigh Warren says

    February 1, 2017 at 09:10

    Could I just use an 8×8 pan for the entire recipe?

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      February 1, 2017 at 09:15

      Certainly!

      Reply
  14. Shirin says

    September 7, 2016 at 20:40

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      September 8, 2016 at 08:07

      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!

      Reply
  15. Francesca says

    July 15, 2015 at 10:37

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
  16. Adam says

    July 9, 2015 at 14:23

    5 stars
    Substituted the tapioca starch for a couple tablespoons of rice flour… worked out perfect

    Reply
  17. Samara says

    March 19, 2015 at 04:36

    5 stars
    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      March 23, 2015 at 18:34

      Awesome! I hope you enjoyed the finished product! 🙂

      Reply
      • Samara says

        March 23, 2015 at 19:18

        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

        March 24, 2015 at 18:20

        Wow, I’m so glad to hear it! Yay 🙂

  18. Shonalika says

    January 31, 2015 at 16:22

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      February 2, 2015 at 09:55

      Glad to hear the flour substitution worked out and that you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 thanks for your comment!

      Reply
  19. J says

    December 11, 2014 at 22:56

    5 stars
    Very good recipe! The only thing: next time I will put less smoked paprika.. maybe 1/8 teaspoon 😉

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      December 20, 2014 at 07:42

      Glad you enjoyed it – thanks for your feedback!

      Reply
  20. maria says

    November 23, 2014 at 14:43

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      November 24, 2014 at 20:27

      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. 🙂

      Reply
  21. The Vegan 8 says

    November 23, 2014 at 02:43

    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!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      November 23, 2014 at 08:48

      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 🙂

      Reply
      • The Vegan 8 says

        November 28, 2014 at 00:20

        5 stars
        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

        November 28, 2014 at 00:22

        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

        November 28, 2014 at 15:16

        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

        November 29, 2014 at 10:33

        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.

  22. Julie says

    November 17, 2014 at 09:53

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      November 19, 2014 at 21:17

      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!

      Reply
  23. Heather says

    October 27, 2014 at 23:35

    5 stars
    This was amazing!! I’d been craving spinach artichoke dip but don’t do dairy, this really made my day 🙂

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      October 28, 2014 at 10:21

      So glad to hear it, Heather! Thanks for letting me know. This is one of my favorite recipes =]

      Reply
  24. Jude Barnes says

    October 10, 2014 at 23:19

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      October 11, 2014 at 06:15

      I am so thrilled to hear that!! Thank you for letting me know 🙂

      Reply
  25. Miri says

    August 16, 2014 at 18:25

    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.

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      August 16, 2014 at 19:17

      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. =/

      Reply
  26. Sandranista says

    April 21, 2014 at 21:47

    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!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      April 22, 2014 at 06:23

      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!

      Reply
  27. Lena says

    January 26, 2014 at 11:52

    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.

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Y-i-v says

      January 26, 2014 at 12:03

      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!

      Reply
  28. Trina says

    January 23, 2014 at 23:16

    Your recipe looks great!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Y-i-v says

      January 24, 2014 at 09:26

      Thanks, Trina!

      Reply
  29. Jess says

    January 23, 2014 at 19:23

    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!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Y-i-v says

      January 23, 2014 at 19:28

      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!

      Reply
  30. Laura @ This is Thirty says

    January 21, 2014 at 12:02

    This looks delicious! I want to watch the game at your house!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Y-i-v says

      January 23, 2014 at 19:28

      Thanks Laura!

      Reply
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I'm Shannon, founder of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. I create healthy plant-based recipes that everyone will love, using seasonal produce and global inspiration.
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