Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

This is the BEST creamy vegan spinach artichoke dip out there! Made with all whole food ingredients (no store bought plant-based/fake cheeses needed!), it’s a decadent crowd-pleaser and incredibly simple to put together!

Serve the dip warm or at room temperature with your favorite crackers, chips or veggies and enjoy!

If you’re on the lookout for a party pleasing appetizer, this vegan spinach and artichoke dip is the answer!

I love a good dip and since going dairy free, I’ve mourned some of my favorites like this roasted garlic white bean dip and roasted eggplant dip. I thankfully can still enjoy this roasted red pepper dip though!

Until now.

I was determined to figure out a way to make a plant based dip that has all the creamy, decadent qualities of “normal” dips without the dairy.

This vegan spinach artichoke dip is the answer.

And the best part? You don’t need to buy any specialty vegan cheeses for it.

I’ve found a few good ones (like Miyokos mozzarella that I use in this baked cauliflower gnocchi skillet) but they cost an arm and a leg and I don’t normally have them on hand.

This dip is made with all real food ingredients, 12 of them to be exact, half of which are just spices.

Ready for this easy recipe?

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE VEGAN SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

Here’s a list of each ingredient used in the dip along with suggest substitutions should you need them.

• Cashews – plain cashews (not roasted!) are soaked then drained and rinsed as the creamy base for this dip. They replace traditional sour cream, cream cheese, mozzarella and all the other typical dairy ingredients in this vegan version. See the recipe note about soaking the cashews. You can do it overnight or quickly in just 10 minutes if needed.
  
• Spinach – frozen chopped spinach makes this recipe easy. Feel free to use a spinach/kale blend if you have that on hand. Make sure to thaw and squeeze out the excess water otherwise the dip will be very runny.
  
• Artichoke hearts – canned or jarred artichoke hearts in water are the easiest option here. Drain them and squeeze out the excess water in these too, they absorb a ton! Chop roughly for a nice chunky texture in the dip. If you only have marinated artichoke hearts those will also work.
  
• White miso paste – I love miso paste for umami flavor. It’s a sub in for nutritional yeast which you’ll often find in vegan dips or “cheese” recipes. I prefer miso as a vegan option in this vegan dip since many try to avoid nutritional yeast for other reasons.
  
• Unsweetened almond milk – you can use any plain nut milk or plant-based milk here. Cashew milk or oat milk would be extra creamy options. I don’t suggest coconut milk, however, as it will lend too much unwanted flavor to the dip.
  
• Lemon – alternatively, apple cider vinegar can be used as a stand in (use slightly less). The acid in either helps brighten the dip. If you ever feel like a savory dish is missing something, it’s usually acid!
  
• Seasonings – salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes and a spinach herb seasoning are all used to flavor the dip. If you don’t have a spinach herb seasoning, a bit of an Italian blend will work.

HOW TO MAKE VEGAN SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

Besides the simple ingredients, the best part of this vegan dip is how simply it comes together! There’s no need to sauté or precook any ingredients, the blender does all the work.

Start by preheating your oven to 400°F.

Combine all the ingredients except the spinach and artichokes in a blender.

Blend until smooth and creamy, this will take about a minute or two.

Place the spinach and artichokes in a baking dish and pour the mixture from the blender over top.

Mix everything together until well combined in the baking dish.

Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover, bake for another 10 minutes or until the edges and top start to turn golden brown and the dip looks bubbly.

Remove from the oven and serve.

HOW TO SERVE THIS HEALTHY VEGAN DIP

My personal preference it enjoying the dip hot out of the oven. It bakes up thick, creamy and the consistency is downright decadent.

It can also be served at room temperature though making it a great party dip you can prep ahead of time.

Serve with your favorite crackers (homemade almond pulp crackers maybe?), pita/pita chips, bread, fresh veggies, a few small plates and let people dig in!

You can also serve with eggplant chips or homemade snap pea crisps for some fun alternative options.

Besides serving as an appetizer, the spinach artichoke dip makes a great topping too.

A warmed scoop of it on top of chicken, pork, steak or even fish is a great way to liven up a meal and the perfect use for leftovers.

I added some on top of leftover baked wild sockeye salmon the other night and it was perfect!

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

Keep any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

It’s also freezer friendly and can be frozen in an air-tight container (either glass or silicone bags work best) for up to a couple of months. Let it thaw before reheating.

I like using the oven to reheat dip leftovers and usually just warm it up in there for 10 minutes with whatever else I’m cooking. 375-400°F is a good reheating temperature range.

The microwave can also be used just make sure to stir every 20-30 seconds as it warms up.

CAN THIS DIP BE MADE AHEAD?

Yes! Adding to its simplicity in prep, it’s also easy to make this dip ahead of time.

The whole thing can be made a day or two in advance and then kept in the refrigerator until needed (reheat in the oven as detailed above).

Or, you can prep the dip up until the point of baking, cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated.

When ready to serve, bake the dip off as detailed in the recipe instructions.

While I love salsa, hummus and guacamole (thank goodness for recipes like this mango habanero salsa lately!), it’s seriously exciting to have a creamy, luscious dip like this back in my life.

Nothing beats the “hot out of the oven” decadence of a good dip.

And now, the enduring classic – spinach and artichoke baked dip can be enjoyed in a healthy vegan way without any fancy prep required.

I’m here for it.

MORE VEGAN DIP RECIPES TO TRY:

Butternut squash hummus
Pineapple guacamole
Edamame dip

Or, give this vegan queso a try – it’s nut-free too!