It’s here! Our go-to recipe for easy, vegan spinach and artichoke dip! Let’s do this!
This 10-ingredient recipe comes together quickly and easily with foolproof methods.
Inspired by our White Bean & Kale Artichoke Dip, we simplified things even more and removed vegan cream cheese as an ingredient, as it can be difficult to find for some and often contains processed soy (an ingredient many try to avoid).
The base is instead made of a simple puréed cashew cream seasoned with nutritional yeast, sautéed shallot and garlic, salt, and pepper.
We went for fresh spinach, but you can always use frozen if that’s what you have on hand (just be sure to thaw and squeeze out excess liquid before use). And once the spinach and artichokes are combined with the sauce, simply bake for a few minutes until bubbly and hot. Then serve. Swoon!
We hope you LOVE this dip! It’s:
Creamy
Cheesy
Vegetable-Packed
Savory
Comforting
Versatile
& So delicious
This would make the perfect dip to go alongside fresh vegetables, pita chips, baguette, or flatbread! Our favorite is tortilla chips – something about the crunchy/salty factor just works.
If you’re into dips, also check out our Creamy Hummus from Scratch, Roasted Jalapeño Hummus, Easy Muhammara Dip, Mediterranean Lentil Dip, and Cheesy Jalapeño Corn Dip!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with. Cheers, friends!
Cheesy Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
DIP
- 1 1/4 cups raw cashews
- 2 Tbsp olive oil (sub water if avoiding oil)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 3/4 cup chopped shallot
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk (or unsweetened rice milk)
- 5 Tbsp nutritional yeast (adds cheesy flavor)
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more for spinach and artichokes)
- 4 cups loosely packed chopped fresh spinach (organic when possible)
- 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts (rinsed, drained, dried, and roughly chopped)
- 2 Tbsp vegan parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
FOR TOPPING / SERVING (optional)
- 2 Tbsp gluten-free vegan bread crumbs (we like Ian's brand)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flake
- Baguette, Pita Chips, or Vegetables
Instructions
- Soak cashews for 1 hour in very hot water (uncovered) or in cool water overnight. Then drain and set aside.
- In the meantime, heat a large oven-safe metal or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, garlic, and shallot. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Then lower heat to medium/low and sauté for 2-3 minutes more or until just golden brown and slightly caramelized. Set off the heat to cool.
- Once cashews are soaked and drained, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C). To a blender, add soaked and drained cashews, half of the sautéed garlic and shallot, almond milk, nutritional yeast, sea salt, and pepper and blend into a creamy purée, scraping down sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Dip should be cheesy in flavor and well salted, so consider adding more nutritional yeast for cheesiness or another pinch sea salt for saltiness. Set aside.
- Heat the skillet with the remaining shallot and garlic over medium-high heat and add spinach and chopped artichokes. Season with a pinch each salt and pepper and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, to wilt and soften spinach.
- Turn heat off and add all of the sauce. Stir to combine. Sprinkle the top with vegan parmesan cheese, bread crumbs (optional), and red pepper flake (optional).
- Bake for about 5-8 minutes or until the dip is hot enough to serve. Be careful not to over-bake or the cheese sauce can begin to dry out and lose its creamy texture. Serve hot with assorted vegetables, tortilla chips, crackers, or toasted baguette - tortilla chips being our favorite.
- Store leftover dip covered in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days. Reheat in an oven-safe dish at 350 degrees F (176 C) until warmed through (or in the microwave), adding more almond milk as needed if dip has dried out.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional or serving ingredients.
Wendy says
Delicious and it didn’t take much time 😍
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Wendy! Thanks so much for sharing!
Merry says
Just wondering if this would work as a cob loaf? And how you would go about baking it – beforehand, or once it is in the loaf?
Hi Merry, we’ve never tried that, so we’re not sure! Let us know if you give it a try!
Ava says
Can I use a bag of frozen artichokes ? I don’t have canned !
Hi Ava, we haven’t tried but think it should work! Let us know if you give it a go.
Diana says
I’d say yes, however, I’d advise thawing them first so they’re not as water-laden. I only have frozen artichoke on hand, and will be using the above mentioned method.
Samantha Garcia says
This recipe is so moreish. I made it with coconut cream (because that’s what I had in the cupboard) and added a little water to give it a milk consistency. I made it for my work colleagues and it was a hit! I would like to try adding bits of sundried tomato or mushroom to it also.
We’re so glad it turned out well! And those modifications sound lovely! Thanks for sharing, Samantha!
Sophie says
Very delicious and versatile recipe! I soaked the cashews for 20 mins instead of 1 hour which made the dip less creamy and chunkier (which we didn’t mind) and swapped out the spinach for kale (as that’s what I had in my fridge). Very close to the real thing (which I haven’t had for years due to recent lactose intolerance diagnosis)!
Had heaps of leftover (as it is quite a filling dip) and saw Andrea’s suggestion in the comments, so put the rest in a lasagna a few days later. Layered it with no-boil lasagna sheets, Minimalist Baker’s inspired Spicy Red Pasta Sauce with Lentils and quick bechamel – Nuttelex (vegetable oil spread), flour and oat milk and it was SO GOOD!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sophie! Love the creative use of leftovers! Thanks so much for sharing!
Fifi says
This was so delicious! I made it as a quarantine snack, and my non-vegan parents said it was the best spinach artichoke dip they’d ever had – vegan or non-vegan.
Whoop! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it, Fifi! Thanks for sharing!
Andrea says
This is one of the best vegan recipes ever! My sister made this for me at Christmas. I devoured it, and had to fight off the non vegans. It was so good. I decided to whip this up, and instead of adding bread crumbs and baking it, I put it into a lasagna, with no boil noodles, jar spaghetti sauce, and some roasted mushrooms. It was so good!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Andrea! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Amanda Lovgren says
Can I use any other milk other than almond or rice? I have only walnuts, oats, and Brazil nuts on hand please help!
Sure! We think oat milk might work. Let us know how it goes!
Mary says
I just made this (again) for some comfort food during this pandemic/quarantine/social distancing time. Thank you so much for a recipe that’s accessible, tasty, and nearly fool-proof to make. The only thing I omitted was the vegan park on top (I was out) so I used more nooch sprinkled on top. Delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mary! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Lauren Cronmiller says
I’ve made this before and it was sooooo amazing, smooth and flavorful. All my non-vegan friends are asking me to make it again, so I am! However, I want to make it ahead to bring to a cabin this weekend, if I make it, can I freeze it for a couple days and bake it there, or should I just refridgerate it or will neither do? Thanks!
Hi Lauren, we’re so glad you enjoy it! Unfortunately, this recipes does not freeze well. Store leftover dip covered in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days. Reheat in an oven-safe dish at 350 degrees F (176 C) until warmed through (or in the microwave), adding more almond milk as needed if dip has dried out.
Sarah M says
May be a silly question but can I bake it in glass instead? Want to bring it to a party but I’m walking there and think my cast iron would be too heavy!
We think that would work! Will just require dirtying 2 pans instead of 1 =) But if you don’t mind that, we don’t see any reason not to!
Ellen Rusten says
I like your recipes, but the number of ads you have on this site is over the top. I have to unsubscribe. I’ll probably pop back in occasionally, but I don’t want to be on your newsletter list any more. I know you have to make a living, yet I hope you’ll rethink the number of ads you have. All the bes.
Thanks for your support thus far, Ellen!
Jessica Nemeth says
Hi! First – I have made this many times – its my favorite!! I just finished making it – but its for a party tomorrow. Should I bake – then put in fridge? Or just put in fridge and bake tomorrow! Thank you!!
I’d say put in the fridge and bake tomorrow! Good luck :D
Diana says
I didn’t realize I needed raw cashews can I use the lightly salted cashews that I have on hand?
Hi Diana, we haven’t tried that, but it might work? Let us know if you try it!
Ivy Shelby says
Made this for the football playoffs. Did not use oil, vegan cheese, or topping. Super, super excellent. I thought also, if I thinned it out just a bit, I could turn it into a spinach artichoke soup. I doubled the garlic and tried it with adding a cup of water after the entire recipe was complete and it was just as excellent as a soup.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Gina says
This sounds delicious! Am I reading correctly that the vegan Parmesan is made with ingredients already in the recipe? Is it ok to skip that ingredient?
Hi Gina, it might be okay to skip, but it does add an extra boost of flavor. Let us know if you give it a try!
Anna says
Can oatmilk work instead of almond milk or rice milk? It’s just what I have.
We think so! Let us know how it goes!
Kaitlin says
I made this recently for a group of friends and it was a HIT! I pre-made the dish and then waited 3 hours before baking and it was totally fine!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kaitlin. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Brooklyn says
Do you think you do steps 1-6 and then take wait an hr or so to bake?
That should work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Els says
This recipe was absolutely delicious, I served it to a big vegan sceptic and he loved it! Creamy, salted and sweet at the same time, this is a real joy for the senses. I served it as a starter with garlic naan bread and we had difficulties putting it away to leave sone space for the main course.
That’s lovely! Thanks for sharing, Els!
Elizabeth Yates says
Hi there – just bought your cookbook and see that many of your recipes (like this one) call for nutritional yeast. Unfortunately, I cannot use nutritional yeast as it makes me sick.
What can I use as a substitute?
Thanks!
You can use some of the spices in this recipe to mock the flavor! Hope that helps.
Denise V says
This was pretty darn good. I’m not a fan of nutritional yeast so I used only two tablespoons. I replaced shallots with about a cup of red onion. When mixing the wet ingredients into the pan, I held back some and mixed it with flower to make the sauce a little thicker. I think next time I will add a dash of nutmeg to further disguise the taste of nooch. Oh I also added shredded carrots and extra spinach to increase veggies. I’m going to make pasta for dinner tonight and use some of the spinach dip as a sauce.
Thanks for sharing, Denise!
Tara Gallimore RD MSc @ Plantae Nutrition says
I just made this and it was DELICIOUS!!! I made a lot of substitutions because I had veggies to use up from my CSA basket: I used about 6 cups of beet greens + radish greens instead of 4 cups of spinach, and the white part of green onions + a tiny white onion instead of shallots. I used a little more salt (3/4 tsp), a little less nutritional yeast (1/4 cup), and 1 cup of the cashew soaking water instead of 1 1/2 cups of non-dairy milk because I wanted it to be a bit more creamy and didn’t want to use my small amount of non-dairy milk. Turned out perfectly. Thank you for an amazing recipe, Dana!
Thanks, Tara!
Ronica says
This was so yummy! Super comforting warm food, (getting cooler Here in Oz) perfect as dinner and lunch! I mixed white beans in and some vegan cream cheese, and served with Chili oil on top! Yum. Thank You.
Yum! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Ronica!
Neelofer Karimyar says
This is my go-to for parties! All my non-veg friends love this dish. One of my absolute favorites!
Tess says
I just made this and it was INCREDIBLE!
Tess says
I used artichoke bottoms because I couldn’t find artichoke hearts in the supermarket (I live in Israel and certain ingredients can be hard to find consistently) and it was still delicious. I cook vegan food for myself but am still hesitant to experiment when I’m entertaining or bringing a dish to potluck dinners, but I am excited to bring this dip to a dinner party tonight. Cut up some red peppers and toasted pita for dipping, can’t wait to see what people think.
Sheila says
You would never know it’s vegan! Delicious!
Amanda says
So yum!!! I made it exactly as written except didn’t want to dirty another dish so just heated it in the pot on the stove. It’s perfect! Had a friend over (who’s not vegan at all) and she loved it too! Tastes just like I remember it! Thank you for this simple, plant based version! :)
Amanda says
Oops actually did make some changes: used soy milk and onion in place of shallots. For anyone else who’s wondering about subs – it was still perfect!
Rich Simonelli says
I just made this and cannot stop eating came out great, I added a couple extra cloves of Garlic and it was amazing!
Rhonda Clark says
I made this recipe for a party to serve with fresh artisan bread. Yummy! Everybody (non-vegans) asked for the recipe. The one thing I did differently was that I stirred in a little bit (1/4 cup) of Vegenaise, just because I have too much Vegenaise in my fridge at the moment and it seemed like a good place to use it. Will definitely make this many more times.
Maddi says
This is so good just the way you wrote it. Will be making again, so easy!
Michelle says
This.Is.Awesome! I used onions instead of shallots and didn’t put any bread crumbs on, it was SO much better than I anticipated! I will absolutely make this again, and don’t have to feel the least bit guilty eating it!
Kim says
Could you perhaps use almond meal as a substitute for the blended cashews?
Elissa says
Hoping to make this as an appetizer for a family get together, but my oven schedule is already cram packed. Could this be made in the slow cooker or instant pot?
We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure, Elissa! Let us know if you experiment with it!
Karen Rodrigues says
I would like to know if I can make this ahead and serve it in a small crockpot as an appetizer. It looks great in the pan, but I think it would get cold, and I have a big meal to prep.
Thank you for your website. It is all delicious and very creative.
Karla McKinley Smith says
WOW, this was soooo good!!! We brought it to our vegan potluck and it disappeared very quickly!!
I used soy milk and 3 tbsp of the nutritional yeast since I make my own vegan parm with cashews, garlic powder and nooch so didn’t want it to be too strong. This is a keeper!
Thank you so much for your work!
Yay! We’re so glad to hear that, Karla!
Susan says
Can Macadamia milk be used in place of the Almond Milk? I always have that in stock since I get it by the case at Costco’s. I’m def going to try this out. Looks delicious.
Hmm, it will affect the flavor but it’s worth a shot! Let us know if you try it.
Kate says
I’m absolutely in love with this recipe! I cut the amount of garlic in half as I was worried that 5 cloves would be too much but in hindsight I think it would have been equally delicious. As an newcomer to vegan cooking, I was a little nervous about the cashew cream but, MB, you have officially altered my food universe! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful rendition of a comfort food classic without the animal products. I can’t wait to make it again!
Sarah says
Do you think this could be used in spanakopita??
We haven’t tried, but I think that could work! Let us know if you give it a try + good luck!
Pyper says
AMAZING RECIPE! I didn’t have nooch, but I did have vegan parmesan, garlic, and onion powder. I added those instead of the nutritional yeast, amounting to the same measurement. When tasting the mixture before fully cooking, I decided it needed a little more tanginess, so I added lemon juice to taste (i am unsure of how much I added but it was a decent amount). I also used soy instead of almond milk. This ended up tasting almost EXACTLY like the one my mum makes during the holidays — but VEGAN! Good for body, planet, and animals (in my opinion)!
I served this as a little dip type thing in a salad bowl with cold sushi rice (leftovers!), grape tomatoes, cucumber, and cooked sweet potato. AMAZING!
If you add ANY additional ingredient, I’d recommend the lemon juice — definitely elevated the flavour of the artichokes. I also think the lemon juice mimics the flavour of the sour cream used in many traditional recipes.
Thanks for sharing, so delicious!
Thanks for sharing, Pyper!
Lisa Weaver says
Can this be frozen before baking? I have to do most of my Thanksgiving stuff ahead of time.
Hi Lisa! Unfortunately, this recipes does not freeze well. Store leftover dip covered in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days. Reheat in an oven-safe dish at 350 degrees F (176 C) until warmed through (or in the microwave), adding more almond milk as needed if dip has dried out.
Jonah says
This was soooo delicious!! Was a hit at my friend’s dinner party! I baked it for 10mins at home and then lugged everything to their house and broiled for 4-7 mins in their oven before putting it out for everyone. Very very tasty!
Only additions I made was adding about a tablespoon and a half of tapioca starch to the blender mixture (helps with the gooey/stringy cheesy effect), I sprinkled smoked paprika on top with the red pepper and bread crumbs before baking, and I used 2 TBs of panko crumbs (instead of bread crumbs) since that’s all I had. I also omitted the vegan parmesan cheese.
Great job on this one. Thank you!!
Sherry Liptan says
Would oat milk work as a substitute for the almond milk?
Yes, that should work!
Shannon says
This turned out great! I added about 1Tbsp more nutritional yeast and another 1/2 tsp salt. Will try adding some lemon juice next time, too. Overall delicious!
Whoop! Glad to hear it, Shannon!
anaradred says
Yes, this is vegan, and it’s amazing! Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip tastes like the traditional dish but so much better. Soy, dairy, oil, and gluten free!
Shannon says
This was absolutely delicious–but–although it was cream-colored after coming out of the oven, it turned grey after sitting in the fridge overnight! And not just a little grey, truly a dark grey-brown color. I’m not sure what I did wrong; maybe added too much black pepper? The taste and consistency was not affected, so it was still delicious, it just didn’t look appetizing. Kind of a bummer as this would be a perfect “company” dish. If I try it again, maybe I’ll switch to white pepper instead of black.
Hmm that is indeed very odd, Shannon. For a more vibrant color, I’d recommend adding more nutritional yeast and if you added quite a bit of extra pepper, that may have affected it as well.
Nadine says
We’ve made this twice now and had the same problem – it just doesn’t look appetizing after its left for a bit. I defintiely didn’t petter too much, but I think its just a case of the colour of the artichokes (I don’t know where you buy yours, but the colour is so much nicer than the tins I buy!) mixed with the green spinach. Its not a huge deal as its still super tasty, but yep, it would definite be nice to have the more golden colour!
Emily L. says
This was so good!! I halved the recipe for my family, and it was quickly devoured. I missed spin dip and this was perfect!
Yay! Glad to hear that, Emily!
Bhumika says
Is it possible to use frozen artichokes?
We haven’t tried but I think it should work! Let us know if you give it a go.
Carmella says
We loved it! Eating whole foods like this instead of the original means you fill up faster and stay satisfied longer. My husband and I couldn’t eat dinner after having this on our picnic lunch! Such a delicious recipe, definitely a crowd pleaser! You must have been a dairy and meat eater because you’re able to get these recipes true to the original taste minus all the nasties! Thank you!!
Ha! Thanks for the kind words! Glad you enjoyed it, Carmella! xo
Margaret Hoekstra says
I just made this dip. It is amazing! My three granddaughters love it too. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Thanks for sharing, Margaret!
Chana says
It’s awesome! I used vegetable broth instead of oil. I didn’t have raw cashews, so I used roasted. I think it would be better with raw (less cashew taste) but it’s still yum!
Whoop! Thanks, Chana!
Mellie Mel says
HOLY CRAP. THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! I have to use all caps!!! In fact, it was so good that I just texted a picture of it to my mom, who doesn’t care about vegan cooking at all, just because i was so excited. She said, “Good! Eat the whole thing! You’re too skinny!” The only modification I made was that I only used 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast because I don’t care for the taste too much. But a small amount was perfect! Oh, I didn’t have shallots, but onions worked great. Thank you thank you! You’re a freaking chemist in the kitchen!
Mellie Mel says
PS, I also didn’t have any vegan parm, but it is delicious anyway!
Thanks for sharing! Yay!!
Hadass says
Soooooo good!
I added a splash of lemon (about 1 tsp).
I will definitely repeat.
Thanks, Hadass!
Hadass says
Sooooooo good!
I added a bit of lemon juice (about a teaspoon)
Thanks for sharing!
Francy Moll says
What is this ingredient? 5 Tbsp (adds cheesy flavor), the recipe doesn’t say? I’m thinking nutritional yeast but??
Yes, nutritional yeast!
Kathy lovett says
Oh my word just made this!!!
It is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!!
I literally cannot get enough, the only change I made was I didn’t have red pepper flakes so I added a few drops of Chipotle Chohula sauce
Thanks, Kathy!
Sara says
What else could I use instead of nutritional yeast? I avoid it as it is too acidic. I also read it supposedly is really bad as it ferments in digestion & produces toxins inside our bodies… sad!
Hmm, not sure about that. It is a key ingredient in the flavor. But you could just sub some miso paste and maybe up the garlic.
Colleen says
Miso paste. Thank you! Iam not a true vegan but I prefer most vegan recipes. However every time I see nutritional yeast as an ingredient, I walk away. I really don’t like the flavour. But now I know miso paste is an option I have a whole new world to explore. Thank you so much! One more step towards veganism.
Chelsea says
Omg I have to try this ASAP! I love spinach dip but am trying to cut dairy so this is perfect. Yummm thank you!
Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says
So excited this doesn’t use any cream cheese!! Simple ingredients I always have on hand…perfect!! :)
Lacey says
Do you think the cashew base used here could be swapped for the vegan cream cheese used in your jalapeño corn dip recipe (and have a similar taste)? Thanks!
I suppose, but we haven’t tried using just cream cheese. Let us know if you do!
Ashley A says
My son has allergy to just about all tree nuts, is there anything that I could substitute with?
Rachel says
Piggybacking on this comment! I would also love to know if there’s a nut substitute!
Katie says
I haven’t made this recipe but I’ve made another vegan spinach and artichoke dip that required cashews. I’m allergic to all tree nuts and peanuts too. I used sunflower seeds instead and it was delicious! Looking forward to trying this recipe with sunflower seeds. I wonder if hemp seeds would work too? Never tried it. But they seem to have more of a “nuttier” flavor.
Rachael says
I’ve tried both Sunflower and Hemp subs and I vastly prefer the sunflower to hemp when trying to make something ‘cheesy’. The hemp tastes a bit floral? its hard to describe but not very kid palatable
Camille says
To get the creamy factor I would suggest blending some steamed/boiled cauliflower. It gets REALLY creamy when blended at high speeds.
Thanks for sharing, Rachael! Such great info.
corinne says
Daya ‘s jalapeno Harvati style cheese is …delicious ! my favorite…always in the fridge. take this from a French person !
RaShell Martin says
maybe try subbing with white bean?
Peggy says
We have an allergy to cashews. Could soaked raw almonds work instead?
Allie Ash says
I prefer the taste (and price) of almonds and usually use them instead!
Peggy says
Thank you! I’ll try it! Also wondering about garbanzo beans – chickpeas as a nut substitute? Maybe it’ll lose the creaminess factor though?
Hayley Morrin says
YES I’m so glad you removed vegan cream cheese from this recipe! I can find it in my area but I just hate the taste of it… prefer the taste of natural foods in most of my meals (like the cashews and nutritional yeast). Can’t wait to try this :)
Shirley Berns says
Miyoko vegan cheese has a great cream cheese and butter.