Name: Dairy-Free Spinach and Artichoke Dip (Gluten-Free)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: ½ cup cashews (soaked in boiling water for at least 30 minutes); ½ cup mayonnaise (sub vegan mayo to make recipe vegan); ⅛ cup water; 2 tsp lemon juice; 2 tsp nutritional yeast; ¼ tsp apple cider vinegar; 150 g frozen spinach (thawed and drained); 7 oz artichoke hearts (half can) (drained and chopped, ensure they're not "marinated" in the can); ½ can water chestnuts (about 100g, roughly chopped); ¼ cup white or yellow onion (diced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); ¼ tsp salt; ¼ tsp pepper

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This dairy-free spinach and artichoke dip is warm and creamy with all the flavours of your favourite appetizer. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free with an easy vegan option.

This dairy-free spinach and artichoke dip is the perfect appetizer for thanksgiving, Christmas, a dinner party, or football Sunday.

It's super creamy with a "cheezy" tang and a little crunch from a secret ingredient. This dip has all the flavours of the favourite appetizer you remember - just without the gluten or dairy. This recipe is also easily vegan - allowing you to share (should you choose) with all your friends and family.

Keep reading to learn how easy it is to make!

Ingredients you need

The ingredients in this recipe are a combination of the classic spinach and artichoke dip flavours mixed with dairy-free pantry staples you probably already have. Here's what you need:

Cashews: These serve as the "cream" in this dairy-free spinach dip. Soak the cashews prior to prep for at least 30 minutes in boiling water. If you have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, this should be long enough. If you don't have a high powered blender, you may need to let them soak for several hours to achieve maximum creaminess.

(Vegan) Mayonnaise: If you're just trying to keep this dairy-free, feel free to use regular mayonnaise. I recommend one made with avocado oil for the most health benefits. If you would like this recipe to be vegan, simply use a vegan mayo alternative.

Lemon juice: A little bit of lemon juice goes a long way! The first time I tested this recipe, I didn't use any lemon and it was so... flat. There was no flavour kick and I knew it was missing something. As soon as I added some lemon juice, the rest of the flavours sang. Don't skip this.

Nutritional yeast: Another small but key component! The first time I tested the recipe, I felt like the nutritional yeast lended too much of a "cheddar" flavour that didn't really go with the dip - but combined with the lemon and apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast lends the perfect "cheesy" note.

Apple cider vinegar: This adds a key note of tang to the dip. Don't skip it! You won't taste the vinegar in the final product, I promise.

Frozen spinach: I like to use frozen because again - easy! No need to cook down the spinach to wilt, simple defrost in the microwave, strain in a paper towel and squeeze out the excess moisture, then you're good to go. Frozen spinach is also super budget-friendly.

Canned artichoke hearts, in water: It's important that your artichoke hearts are canned in water and not "marinated". I found that nearly every single one at the store was marinated, so watch out!

Canned water chestnuts, in water: These are, in my opinion, the best thing you could add to any spinach and artichoke dip. Water chestnuts provide a nice crunch that is a welcomed textural element in this dip. They have a mild flavour and I highly recommend adding them. I found them in the canned vegetable aisle at my grocery store!

Onion: For more flavour and crunch. I like to use a crisp white or yellow onion.

Garlic: For extra flavour! Feel free to adjust the quantity if you like more or less.

Salt & pepper: For optimal seasoning and to make the other ingredients sing!

Chips, crackers, vegetables: For serving! Choose your favourite vessel and dip away! I like to use corn tortilla chips and these Schar gluten-free breadsticks.

How to make dairy-free spinach and artichoke dip

The great thing about this dairy-free spinach and artichoke dip is that all you have to do is combine the ingredients and bake. No need to watch over the stove stirring and melting cheese for an hour because there is no cheese here! Continue reading to learn the super simple process.

The first thing you want to do is preheat your oven (if you're making it to eat immediately. See the note later on preparing ahead of time). This will come together fast!

Ensure that your cashews have been soaked for at least 30 minutes in boiling water. If you don't have a high-powered blender, more time would be preferable. This is the one that I use!

Drain and add the cashews, mayo, some water, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and apple cider vinegar to a blender. Blend for 1-2 minutes until super smooth and silky. It will feel like a long time, but trust me, you need to blend for this long to ensure the cashew forms a "creamy" base.

Pour the blended mixture into a medium sized mixing bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, chopped. Stir together with a spatula and fill an oven-safe dish with the dip. This recipe quantity filled 2 french onion soup bowls for me.

You can stop here and refrigerate the covered dish(es) to be baked later or the next day. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes to warm through, then serve immediately with crackers, chips, breadsticks, or veggies! Perfect for a holiday appetizer, dinner party, or game day! Leftovers (not that there will be any) can be covered and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Enjoy!

This spinach and artichoke dip is creamy, hearty, and the ultimate appetizer for a holiday, dinner party, or game day! Not to mention it is gluten-free, dairy-free, and easily vegan. Perfect to serve all your friends and family!

Have you made this dairy-free spinach and artichoke dip? Be sure to leave a comment telling me how much you loved it, and tag me on instagram @livglutenfree! I hope you enjoy as much as I do!