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Vegan spinach and artichoke dip

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Text overlay: Vegan & gluten-free spinach & artichoke dip. Hand dipping tortilla chip into casserole dish.

Vegan spinach artichoke dip is loaded with artichoke hearts and fresh spinach in a creamy cashew sauce. That classic warm dip gets a revamp with this decadent dairy-free & gluten-free version.

Hand dipping tortilla chip with vegan spinach artichoke dip.

If your go-to appetizer order back in the early 2000’s was spinach & artichoke dip, you’re going to be all over this baked vegan take on it.

It’s made with a base of cashews and carrots. But you’d never know it from the thick, rich, and indulgent body of this spread. It’s the perfect counterpart to salty tortilla chips or toasted baguette for dunking.

Warm and cozy vegan spinach artichoke dip is pure comfort food.

It’s dense and velvety with generous chunks of artichokes. The base is smooth and cheesy by way of nutritional yeast flakes & white miso paste. Handfuls of fresh spinach finish out the dip.

One bite and it’s hard to stop. It ticks all of the pleasure sensors.

Ingredients for vegan spinach artichoke dip on table.

What kind of artichoke hearts should I use?

For this recipe, I use water-packed jarred or canned artichoke hearts. Simply drain & cut them into quarters.

You can find canned & jarred artichoke hearts in the Mediterranean section of the grocery store. They’re usually near the olives.

I don’t recommend using oil-packed or fresh artichokes here. 

How to make vegan spinach artichoke dip

Boiled carrots in pot.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Boil cut carrots in water until fork tender (about five minutes). Then drain.

Vitamix blender with cashew & carrot sauce.

Add the following to a blender:

  • Soaked & drained raw cashews
  • Cooked & drained carrots
  • Water
  • Garlic
  • Nutritional yeast flakes
  • Granulated onion
  • Miso paste
  • Salt

Blend until smooth.

Cashew carrot sauce in blender.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cashew/carrot mixture with two big handfuls of baby spinach, quartered artichoke hearts, and diced onion.

Cashew carrot sauce in bowl with artichoke hearts, spinach, and onions.

Put the mixture into a 1-quart casserole dish & top with crushed tortilla chips.

Bake for 25 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips or toasted crostini.

Tortilla chips in bowl.

Can you make this dip oil-free?

Easily!

For an oil-free option, simply leave off the crushed tortilla chip topping. Then serve it with your preferred oil-free dipping device.

Is it soy-free?

This warm appetizer isn’t soy-free, because of the miso paste. The miso paste adds some cheesy, umami richness.

However, it’s not a must. So if you need/want a soy-free option, just leave it out.

Vegan spinach artichoke dip on plate with tortilla chips.

How to reheat

Leftover dip will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for about 4 days.

To reheat any leftovers, I tend to use the microwave. Note that the dip will continue to thicken in the refrigerator. So you’ll need to add a splash of water & stir before reheating. Then pop it in the microwave until warm.

After reheating, if it’s still too thick (especially around the edges), add another splash of water and stir until the sauce is smooth.

The leftovers aren’t going to be as pretty out of the microwave, but it will still taste great.

More artichoke recipes you’ll love

If you’re a fan of artichokes, you’re sure to enjoy these recipes:

  • Fried artichoke hearts (air fryer recipe)
  • Artichoke crostini with hummus & cashews
  • Vegan crab cakes
  • Vegan pesto pasta
  • Israeli couscous salad
  • Kalamata olive hummus

Hand dipping into spinach artichoke dip with tortilla chip.

Hand dipping tortilla chip with vegan spinach artichoke dip.

Vegan spinach artichoke dip

If you are a spinach and artichoke dip lover like me, you must make this. It’s dense and velvety with generous chunks of artichokes, smooth and cheesy. A terrific appetizer for parties and get-togethers!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Vegan
Keyword: dairy free, dip, party food
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 180kcal
Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw cashews soaked in water for 2 hours or overnight
  • 1 cup carrots chopped
  • 2/3 cup water Plus extra for boiling carrots
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1 teaspoon white miso paste omit for a soy-free version
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 big handfuls baby spinach
  • 1 cup quartered artichoke hearts about 8 hearts from a jar, drained
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion chopped small
  • Handful tortilla chips Plus extra for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Drain the cashews and set aside.
  • Put carrots in a small pot, cover them in water, and bring the water to a boil. Cook for five minutes or until they are fork tender. Then drain the carrots.
  • In a blender, add the soaked and drained raw cashews, cooked and drained carrots, 2/3 cup water, garlic, nutritional yeast flakes, granulated onion, miso paste, and salt. Blend until completely smooth. (Add extra splashes of water, if necessary, for blending.)
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the sauce from the blender, baby spinach, artichoke hearts, and onion.
  • Transfer the mixture to a 1 quart casserole dish. Smooth the top. Crunch a handful of tortilla chips in your hands to cover the top of the dip.
  • Place the dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
  • Serve immediately with tortilla chips for dipping.

Notes

If you don't have time to soak the cashews, here are some workarounds:
  1. Cover the raw cashews in boiling water for at least ten minutes (or as much time as you have). Pro tip: A microwave will work here! 
  2. Grind dry raw cashews in a coffee grinder until they're fine like a flour. Then add them to the blender and continue the recipe as written.
  3. If you have a high-speed blender, you can skip soaking the cashews. Although, you may want to add a splash more of water to help it blend easily, if necessary.
For an oil-free appetizer, leave off the crushed tortilla chips on the dip. Then serve with an oil-free dipping device.
For a soy-free dip, omit the miso paste.
If the dip doesn't have to be gluten-free, you can serve it with toasted crostini instead of or in addition to tortilla chips.
Recipe inspired by the Life-Affirming Warm Nacho Dip in The Oh She Glows Cookbook

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3895IU | Vitamin C: 9.6mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1.9mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!

Originally posted September 2014. Content updated January 15, 2021.

Vegan spinach & artichoke dip: Creamy, decadent, and delicious! You'll never believe it's made with cashews. Gluten-free & soy-free optional. | cadryskitchen.com

 

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Posted On: January 15, 2021
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Comments

  1. Caitlin says

    September 12, 2014 at 11:07 am

    this looks so yummy, cadry!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      September 17, 2014 at 8:01 am

      Thanks, Caitlin!

      Reply
  2. Becky says

    September 12, 2014 at 11:46 am

    Cadry, this looks so amazing! My mom used to make a super gooey artichoke dip when we were kids, and this looks like it has a similar rich, creamy texture. My sister and I would beg her to make a tray of the stuff basically constantly.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      September 17, 2014 at 8:02 am

      Thanks, Becky! What a sweet memory about your mom!

      Reply
  3. Susmitha - Veganosaurus says

    September 12, 2014 at 11:59 am

    OMG that dip looks and sounds soooooooo gooooood, Cadry!

    I’ve never tasted artichoke dip but I’ve heard so many people rave about it. I haven’t seen fresh artichokes being sold here, so I’ll have to hunt for the pickled kind and try this dip out.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      September 17, 2014 at 8:03 am

      Thanks, Susmitha! The canned or jarred kind work better for this recipe anyway. It would be a lot more work to start from raw artichokes. I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  4. Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says

    September 12, 2014 at 12:35 pm

    Oh man, this looks so so good! I might make it and eat is all myself : )

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      September 12, 2014 at 1:21 pm

      That’s a danger! I have certainly come close! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Liz says

    September 12, 2014 at 12:58 pm

    Must try this! I’d use some of the carrot cooking water in the dip, though. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      September 12, 2014 at 1:21 pm

      Good idea, Liz!

      Reply
  6. Amanda says

    September 12, 2014 at 4:17 pm

    Pinning this! I also have a sweet spot for spinach artichoke dip. 🙂

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      September 17, 2014 at 8:04 am

      Spinach artichoke lovers unite! 😀

      Reply
  7. Laura Black says

    September 12, 2014 at 7:16 pm

    I’ve always loved spinach and artichoke dip. I never imagined a vegan version. I can’t wait to try this! Thanks for the creative genius!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      September 17, 2014 at 8:04 am

      Aren’t you sweet? Thanks, Laura!

      Reply
  8. ameyfm says

    September 12, 2014 at 11:24 pm

    ooooooh! Genius! I love that Nacho Dip from Oh She Glows. One of my friends made it for a potluck and I just about ate the whole damned thing. What a great idea to use that recipe as an inspiration for your spinach and artichoke heart dip. Bookmarked!!!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      October 2, 2014 at 9:31 am

      Yes, that nacho dip is crazy good! I’ve made it several times. It may be my favorite recipe in that book.

      Reply
  9. Emma says

    September 13, 2014 at 7:02 am

    This looks so so delicious. I’ve actually never had spinach and artichoke dip. Maybe it’s an American thing? But I adore artichokes too and definitely want to try this recipe.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      October 2, 2014 at 9:32 am

      It might be an American thing. It was pretty omnipresent in the late 90’s/early 2000’s at chain restaurants. If you love artichokes, you should definitely try it out!

      Reply
  10. Hannah says

    September 13, 2014 at 7:06 pm

    I can’t even get over the picture of you and the cat. As in the joke “Why do high school girls go to the bathroom together in odd numbers? Because they can’t even.” I seriously can’t even. I wish our cats would let us do this!

    The dip also looks super delicious, and using cashews and carrots is so smart. But that picture is probably my favorite thing about this entire MoFo 🙂

    Reply
  11. Joey says

    September 14, 2014 at 1:50 pm

    I have no knowledge of TGI Fridays and I don’t think I’ve been in one, but funnily enough I’ve still heard of this legendary dip, everyone seems to rave about. I’m still not sure about artichokes, but I think that so many people have praised the dip, I’m totally making it.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      October 2, 2014 at 9:37 am

      You’ll have to let me know if you try it! But if you’re not interested in artichokes, you could always make the original nacho dip. It’s stellar!

      Reply
  12. veganbabette says

    September 14, 2014 at 3:13 pm

    I’m bookmarking this. I’ve never had artichoke dips, surprisingly, but I’ve always been tempted by the ones I see online. I even have cashews on hands. And I’m curious about those carrots.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      October 2, 2014 at 9:37 am

      Oh, great! I hope you enjoy it if you decide to make it!

      Reply
  13. acookinthemaking says

    September 15, 2014 at 9:34 am

    Ohhh that looks so amazing! I could definitely take that down as an entree all on my own…

    P.S. – Boo spambots! They are the worst.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      October 2, 2014 at 9:46 am

      Yes, when I’ve made this dip, I’ve just kind of decided that’s my dinner for the night. And with a base of carrots, spinach, artichoke hearts, and onions, why not?

      P.S. I agree! Spambots are the worst! 🙁

      Reply
  14. Jojo says

    September 17, 2014 at 3:00 am

    Oh yum, I’ve actually never had artichoke dip but it sounds super amazing and totally my kinda thing! I’ll have to try it sometime!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      October 2, 2014 at 9:46 am

      Yes, you’ll have to give it a go! I think you’d like it!

      Reply
  15. Claryn says

    September 18, 2014 at 7:53 am

    This is so inventive! I love that this recipe doesn’t rely on mayo or other processed stuff. Will definitely be giving this a try.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      October 2, 2014 at 9:47 am

      Thanks, Claryn!

      Reply
  16. caitlingu says

    September 24, 2014 at 10:19 am

    Oh my god, that looks AMAZING!! I love artichokes too. Somehow, I’ve never had spinach and artichoke dip but I think it’s time!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      October 2, 2014 at 9:48 am

      Thanks, Caitlin! Let me know if you try it! If you’re an artichoke fan like me, you’re sure to enjoy it. 🙂

      Reply
  17. Sarah says

    October 29, 2015 at 11:20 am

    This looks great! Unfortunately, we have nut allergies in our house, any substitution suggestions for the cashews?

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      October 29, 2015 at 2:45 pm

      I have never tried it, but I know some people use sunflower seeds instead of cashews in recipes. If the people in your household can handle seeds, it could be worth a shot. Isa from the PPK makes a mac and cheese with sunflower seeds that is very popular. Let me know if you try it and how it goes!

      Reply
      • Sarah says

        October 30, 2015 at 7:22 am

        Thank you for the suggestion! I’ll give it a try

        Reply
  18. Becky Striepe says

    January 8, 2016 at 11:06 am

    This looks so great! I love the addition of a crunchy topping.

    Reply
  19. Janis Ware says

    March 24, 2019 at 1:01 pm

    5 stars
    Oh. My. Goodness. We are big fans of creamy artichoke dip in this house, and this recipe did not disappoint. We may or may not have just used a spoon and taken some bites directly out of the serving dish to finish out the little bit that was left. Yum!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      March 27, 2019 at 2:04 pm

      Oh, I don’t blame you one bit. This dip is definitely eat-by-the-spoonful worthy. So glad you enjoyed it, Janis!

      Reply
  20. Bianca Phillips says

    May 20, 2019 at 5:02 pm

    YUMMMMM!! My fave local vegan restaurant has amazing spinach-artichoke dip! But it’s not as healthy as this one (mostly vegan mayo hahaha — good for a treat but not all the time). I’ll have to try this!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      May 25, 2019 at 9:02 am

      Awesome! I hope you love it, Bianca.

      Reply

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Welcome

Hi, I'm Cadry Nelson. I'm the recipe creator, writer, and photographer behind Cadry's Kitchen.

Cadry's Kitchen is a vegan food & travel blog. It features plant-based comfort food classics that are ready in about 30 minutes.

You can also find travelogues & recommendations on where to eat vegan while traveling - even in unlikely places!

Contact me at cadryskitchen@gmail.com.

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