Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
I feel like I’m starting off so many of my posts by saying that I’m addicted to something, but in reality the things I’m addicted to are sugar and cheese. These are both scientifically proven to be as addictive as drugs–they give you an opiate response in your brain! Even though I know this logically, it’s still SO HARD to stop eating cheese and sugar. Am I right? I mean, give me a pizza and wash it down with a root beer float with chocolate ice cream, and I’m one happy camper. For about five minutes, until my stomach starts protesting and making me promise I’ll only ever eat kale from now on.
But look, that’s not a healthy way to live. Eating salad for every meal is way too extreme for me. And I personally would end up hungry and sad, and missing the whole experience of eating food. Yes, it is nourishment, but for me it’s also about enjoying my meal. So why can’t I have both? Well, here’s how: cashew cream spinach dip!
I used to LOVE me some spinach and artichoke dip as a kid. It’s creamy and so satisfying. But of course, like all the best foods, it made me pretty sick with all of its dairy cheesy goodness. So I made a vegan spinach artichoke dip that’s just as creamy, gooey, and satisfying, but it’s ALSO soy free. ARE YOU EXCITED YET? By the way, it takes like ten minutes to make (because if you know me, you know I’m just about the laziest person ever).
This one uses a really simple 3 ingredient cashew cream that gets super thick and creamy as it bakes in the oven. It takes only 10 minutes to prep, 20 minutes to bake, and five seconds to eat the whole thing.
Spinach artichoke dip is always a crowd-pleaser, and it’s a perfect appetizer for your next party…or as a snack for your post-party late night munchies. Or lunch, or dinner. HEY, it’s got green vegetables in it, so in my book that means it’s all good.
Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
1 bag of fresh regular or baby spinach leaves, your choice
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 cup cashew cream: 1 cup cashews, 1/2 cup water, pinch of sea salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350F.
Wilt the spinach by steaming with a few teaspoons of water in a microwave safe dish for 3-4 minutes on high, or by sauteeing in a large pan with a bit of olive oil.
Drain and rinse the artichoke hearts, then cut into small pieces using a sharp knife. Put the chopped artichoke hearts into a medium-sized casserole dish, and add the spinach, vegan mayo, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and sea salt.
Place the cashews, water, and a pinch of sea salt into a blender and process for 30 seconds until smooth. Pour the cashew cream into the casserole dish.
Stir everything together until completely incorporated.
Bake the dip for 20 minutes at 350, then remove and serve warm with your favorite chips.