Vegan Artichoke Dip (Dairy-Free + Paleo Approved)

Vegan Artichoke Dip – Our vegan spinach artichoke dip is warm, cozy, and delicious. It’s a perfect holiday or party appetizer and goes great with crackers, sliced baguettes, and more! (Dairy-Free, Paleo)

The first time I ate spinach artichoke dip, I accidentally almost ate the entire batch.

It was one of my first Christmases at my in-laws’ house, and my mother-in-law’s recipe was so good I kept going back again, and again, and again just for “one more taste.”

97 tastes later, I knew I could never go back.

Now that we’re dairy-free, my recipe looks a little different, but it still gives me all those gooey, warm, savory, delicious vibes as the original. My vegan artichoke dip recipe is so good, I feel confident sharing it at parties and get-togethers, but I also love making a batch for myself to enjoy all on my own.

Here’s What Goes Into Our Vegan Artichoke Dip Recipe:

• SOAKED CASHEWS. Soaking cashews makes them easier to digest and easier to blend, making them a great dairy-free substitute for the cream cheese + other dairy products that often make up the base of artichoke dip. They get lusciously creamy and delicious!
• ALMOND OR CASHEW MILK + LEMON JUICE. These two add a little flavor and help blend the cashews into the smooth creamy sauce that MAKES this vegan spinach artichoke dip.
• TAPIOCA STARCH + GARLIC + NUTRITIONAL YEAST + SALT. This little team of flavor boosters adds a cheesy flavor to the vegan artichoke dip without a speck of dairy. I love the subtle brightness of the lemon–it really lightens up the flavor without overpowering anything. (Nutritional yeast might sound crazy if you’ve never bought it, but beyond its cheesy flavor, it’s actually got a lot of health benefits and is pretty easy to find these days!)
• CAYENNE PEPPER + GREEN SALSA. Yes, you read that right! I know lots of folks who add canned green chiles to their spinach artichoke dip, but I think that adding a tiny pinch of cayenne and a few tablespoons of mild or medium salsa verde gives MUCH more flavor. It also won’t make this dip super spicy, though you can use a spicy salsa and add more cayenne if you like more heat!
• ARTICHOKES. I don’t recommend artichokes packed in oil for this recipe. You want artichokes packed in water or brine.
• FROZEN SPINACH. Frozen spinach is convenient and already wilted, so it saves you a step. (Plus, it’s nutritionally essentially identical to fresh!). All you need to do is thaw the spinach and squeeze out all the excess liquid so you don’t water down the artichoke dip. Easy-peasy!
• OPTIONAL: BREADCRUMBS. If you want a crunchy finish on top, you can absolutely top this spinach artichoke dip with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs (gluten-free as needed). I sometimes add them and sometimes don’t, but the crunch can be nice next to the creaminess of the dip!

Let’s Talk Dippers! Here Are Some Of Our Favorite Things To Dip Into Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip:

CRACKERS. Crackers are the easiest, fuss-free option for serving with vegan spinach artichoke dip. We’re gluten-free, so we opt for gluten-free crackers. Some of our favorites are:

• Schar Entertainment Crackers (pictured–these are like GF Ritz crackers!)
• Mary’s Real Thins (so good–kind of like GF wheat thins)
• Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers
• HuKitchen Paleo Crackers
• Gluten-Free Pretzel Crisps

TOASTED BAGUETTE SLICES. My absolute favorite. I actually ate leftovers from this photoshoot on slices of toast for lunch for a few days. The crunch of the toast with the creamy dip is amazing. Sliced baguettes (or gluten-free baguettes) can be a great way to go!

CHIPS. Some people serve tortilla chips or pita chips with their artichoke dip. It’s easy and they are made for dipping! Go with grain-free tortilla chips (like Siete brand) for paleo.

VEGGIES. Another option can be to serve your vegan artichoke dip with veggies. Little baby bell peppers, endive leaves, carrot chips, etc. can be nice!

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Vegan Artichoke Dip:

DON’T FORGET TO SQUEEZE YOUR SPINACH! Squeezing the liquid out of your thawed spinach is one of the most important steps in making delicious vegan artichoke dip. I recommend squeezing out as much as you possibly can. (I use clean hands and squeeze the spinach over a bowl.) If you don’t squeeze the spinach, you run the risk of watering down the artichoke dip and changing the texture.

DO I REALLY HAVE TO SOAK THE CASHEWS? I really recommend it. Soaking the cashews makes them more easily digestible and softens them so they blend easier and more smoothly for this dip. If you remember to do it in adv

A SOAKING SHORTCUT. If you forgot to soak your cashews or don’t have time to let them soak for hours (been there!), you can speed things up with boiling water. Place your cashews in a heat-proof bowl or container and cover with boiling water. Soak at least 30 minutes if you can. Or, if you’re in a CRAZY time crunch, you can add cashews to the water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and soak 10-15 minutes.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE THE CASHEWS WITH SOMETHING ELSE? Not really for this recipe. My recipe was specifically developed for use with cashews, so I don’t recommend swapping in other nuts or vegan cream cheese or anything else as it will impact both flavor and texture.

CAN I USE FRESH SPINACH INSTEAD? Yes! Fresh spinach works beautifully in our dairy-free spinach artichoke dip. You just need to follow the same principles as using frozen spinach: get out as much moisture as possible! Steam the spinach for a few minutes till wilted (or “saute” with a tablespoon or two of water in a pan), then let the spinach cool (an ice bath can speed this up1) and squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the spinach.

MAKE-AHEAD TIPS. If you’d like to make this vegan spinach artichoke dip ahead of time, you totally can! For best results, I recommend assembling but not baking the dish up to 1 day in advance. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Then, bake as directed. (You may need to add just a few minutes to the bake to make up for the chilled temperature of the dip.)

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