Vegan cashew spinach artichoke dip
Hot, bubbly, and gone in four minutes. Nobody at the table asks whether it is vegan.
The BetterDay Kitchen2 min read
Spinach artichoke dip is usually a wall of cream cheese, sour cream and mayo. This one gets its body from blended cashews instead, and it comes out of the oven hot and bubbly and structurally identical to the one you remember.
The cashew base
Two hours of soaking softens the cashews enough to blend into something you would swear had dairy in it. The lemon juice matters as much as the cashews, because acid is what makes your brain read cream cheese rather than nut paste.
Squeeze the spinach, drain the artichokes
This is the difference between dip and soup. Fresh spinach releases a surprising amount of water once it hits the oven, and canned artichokes are packed in brine. Chop the spinach, drain the artichokes properly, and give both a press before they go in.
What to dip
- Toasted sourdough, cut thick
- Tortilla chips, the sturdy kind that will not snap
- Endive leaves or celery, if you want something fresh alongside
The recipe
Vegan Cashew Spinach Artichoke Dip
A baked dairy-free spinach artichoke dip made creamy with soaked cashews, almond milk and nutritional yeast.
Prep
15 min
Cook
25 min
Total
40 min
Makes
Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer
Ingredients
For the cashew cream
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked in water at least 2 hours
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
To fold in and serve
- 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- Toasted bread or tortilla chips, for serving
Method
- 1Soak the cashews in warm water for 2 hours, then drain. If you have a high-speed blender, 15 minutes in boiling water will do.
- 2Heat the oven to 350F.
- 3Add the drained cashews to a blender or food processor with the almond milk, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- 4Blend until completely smooth and creamy, with no grit left.
- 5Drain the artichoke hearts well and chop them. Roughly chop the spinach.
- 6In a mixing bowl, combine the cashew cream with the chopped artichokes and spinach.
- 7Transfer to a baking dish and smooth the top.
- 8Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until hot and bubbling at the edges. Serve straight away with toasted bread or chips.
Keeps
Up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat covered at 350F for 15 minutes.
Chef’s note
If you want a browned top, run it under the broiler for 90 seconds at the end. Stand there and watch it, because the cashew cream goes from golden to black quickly.
Rather not cook tonight
We make this kind of food every week.
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