A creamy, savory artichoke dip with sautéed kale, white beans, and nutritional yeast for a cheesy kick. A protein-rich plant-based appetizer that requires just 10 ingredients!
Soak cashews for 1 hour in boiling hot water (uncovered). Then drain and set aside.
In the meantime, heat a large oven-safe metal or cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Once hot, add a third of the oil (1 Tbsp or 15 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and all of the garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minutes or until just golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Once cashews are soaked and drained, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
To a blender add soaked and drained cashews, sautéed garlic, vegan cream cheese, remaining olive oil (2 Tbsp or 30 ml as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), and almond milk. Purée to a cream.
Add lesser amount of nutritional yeast to start (4 Tbsp or 12 g as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), and 1/4 tsp each sea salt and pepper (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Blend once more.
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Dip should be cheesy in flavor and well-salted, so consider adding the remaining nutritional yeast (2 Tbsp or 6 g as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and another 1/4 tsp sea salt (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Set aside.
Heat the skillet you used earlier over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a bit more olive oil and the kale. Season with a pinch each salt and pepper and sauté, stirring frequently for 2 minutes, to wilt and soften.
Remove from heat and add artichokes, white beans, and all of the sauce. Stir to combine.
Sprinkle the top with vegan parmesan cheese (2 Tbsp or 10 g as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) for additional texture/flavor (optional but recommended for cheesy, crunchy top layer!). Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until bubbly and completely warmed through.
Serve hot with assorted vegetables, tortilla chips, crackers, or toasted baguette - tortilla chips being my favorite. If you prefer more cheesy flavor, garnish with more vegan parmesan cheese.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, though best when fresh.
Reheat in an oven-safe dish at 350 degree F (176 C) until warmed through (or in the microwave), adding more almond milk if dip dries out.
Notes
*This recipe is inspired by my Creamy Kale & Spinach Dip and roughly adapted from a dip in our upcoming print cookbook! *You can make the dip up to 2 days ahead of time by preparing up to the point of baking. Bake as instructed (cooking until completely hot and bubbly) and enjoy. *Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the vegan parmesan cheese and without sides.