This vegan spinach and artichoke dip is packed with flavor and so easy to throw together! Bake it for a slightly caramelized final product or leave it creamy and smooth for unadulterated snacking. No mayonnaise or sour cream required!
My aunt introduced me to this vegan version of spinach and artichoke dip one Thanksgiving. I’ve never been a big fan of creamy white dips with a lot of mayonnaise, cream cheese or sour cream, so I was thrilled to find a dip without any of these ingredients!
The base builds flavor through a sautéed onion, some garlic, nutritional yeast, spinach and artichokes. The key seasoning is nutritional yeast, which is what some people refer to as the vegan cheese substitute. Nutritional yeast does NOT taste like gooey, stretchy, melty cheese (it comes in flakes), but it does, give a deliciously umami, savory, cheese-like hint to whatever you add it to.
Here are two other recipes I absolutely LOVE that use nutritional yeast.
Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 10 ounces frozen spinach defrosted
- 1 14- ounce package soft tofu drained
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- 14 ounces artichoke hearts drained (canned or frozen)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F; lightly grease an oven-proof dish. I used a 7×11″ pan, but you could use a lot of different sizes; it’ll just vary the thickness of your dip and you can adjust the baking time accordingly.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil, then the onions. Saute for a minute, then lower the heat to medium. Saute for another 4-5 minutes, until soft and lightly browned (keep an eye on them and add water if they are on the verge of burning). Add garlic and cook for a few more minutes, then add spinach. Cover and let steam until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.
- Blend together the tofu, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, basil, salt and pepper until smooth. Add artichokes and spinach mixture and pulse until the vegetables are finely chopped.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Let cool a few minutes before serving. You can also serve this warm from the blender, but the oven helps brown the top and caramelize the flavors a bit more.
Simply called food
I’m definitely making this at Christmas! Thanks!
Katie (The Muffin Myth)
Amazing! I’m straight up addicted to nutritional yeast – I put it on my popcorn, and even sprinkle it on steamed broccoli. Yum! I love spinach and artichoke dip, but it’s so heavy and greasy usually. This version looks so good! I’m going to have to try it out and see for myself. Thanks for the recipe!
erika
Oh yumm. What a great addiction! So much better than, say, cookies (ahem, me). Okay if you love nutritional yeast I’m pretty sure you’ll like this. Tofu’s easy to find in Sweden right??
Rika
The multigrain chips are my favorite, too! Good vegan chips, too! The vegan spinach & artichoke dip looks creamy and tasty – love mashed up marinated artichoke hearts.
erika
Oh, I didn’t even realize they’re vegan but they’re so good! I have three more bags so I’m thinking I’m going to have to make more of this dip to go with them 😉
Kelly
I like spinach and artichoke dip but don’t have or make it very often since it tends to feel heavy. I love your vegan version with soft tofu and nutritional yeast – it sounds awesome Erika!
Medha
Tofu in Artichoke Dip! What a brilliant idea:) I love it! Such a healthy spin on traditional comfort food. We finally got our first snow today in Vancouver and I am already dreaming about spring now:)
Mary Frances @ The Sweet {Tooth} Life
I am the same way – I want to be cozy and so I have my two pillows and three blankets and down comforter – basically make it impossible for myself to get out of bed:) Honestly, I think I would get out of bed to eat this for breakfast, no joke. I LOVE spinach artichoke dip (it is my favorite!) and I have always wanted to try nutritional yeast. You are amazing Erika! Pinning!
Two Red Bowls
Girl, I’ll be honest — the only time I ever eat vegan is when I do it by accident (or I make cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, because, let’s be real, those are even better than non-vegan cupcakes). But if anybody other than Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Romero could entice me to go vegan for something it’d be you!! It’s no easy feat, let me tell you. This dip looks incredible, and love that it’s so ridiculously healthy (and really healthy, not just comparatively healthy or, healthy if you only have half a bite, or.. healthy if you only look at it.) Thanks so much for sharing!
erika
Hahaa I had a good giggle at “comparatively healthy or, healthy if you only have half a bite”…aka a lot of what I try to justify as being healthy. So true. But anyway thank you!! Such a compliment. I thought my vegan eating ways were actually over for awhile when I started LiveFit because I was eating egg whites and fish like there was no tomorrow. But food like this reminds me why vegan food is amazinggg.
Two Red Bowls
(P.S. Are we IKEA tea towel twins?)
janet @ the taste space
Erika, this looks great. I haven’t been into dips and such either, but with all my recent potlucking, appys have been fun to explore. I like the look of this one because it would be protein-packed! I will have to think how I could serve this fresh from the oven, though, for my next potluck experience. 😉
erika
Yes, that’s one of my favorite things about this too! You can get your protein fix instead of just carbing up on appetizers like I usually do 🙂 Honestly, you could probably skip the baking and just microwave it when you get to your potluck–the baking just gets it nice and warm. I’ve been eating it cold straight from the fridge too though and I think it’s fine either way 🙂
Joanne
I’ve heard of so many people doing Vegan Before 6 and having so much success with it! I’m usually not that into spinach and artichoke chip because it’s a bit overly creamy but I love healthified versions of it. This sounds awesome!
erika
Yeah my aunt loves it and is looking really fit! It seems like a really good program. And I’m like you–traditional spinach + artichoke dips are SO HEAVY and filled with gooky stuff I’m not a fan of! I was a big fan of this though 🙂
The vegan 8
Oh man this looks so delicious Erika!! I’m loving those chips with it too. I have been meaning to make a vegan spinach artichoke dip forever because it’s one of my favorite dishes, but it’s on my mile long list of recipes to do! It has me salivating and I can just smell it!!
erika
Ooh I’d love to see your spin on spinach artichoke dip! I know you don’t eat tofu, but I’ve seen a bunch with cashew cream and that sounds intriguing too!
Kristi @ My San Francisco Kitchen
I feel you girl!! I am hating this freezing weather 🙁 Lovely dip!
erika
I know…I said I wasn’t going to complain, but my toes are complaining. So cold! Thanks Kristi!
Natasha @ The Cake Merchant
This looks awesome! I love spinach artichoke dip, but rarely make it since it’s so unhealthy, so I’ll definitely have to try this. I also found the sweet potato surprise recipe on your Pinterest board and have made it several times. Stay warm!
erika
Ooh hope you like it! I LOVE that sweet potato surprise…I usually leave out the noodles and sub in squash or sliced sweet potatoes instead. So. Yum. You too! Idk what the weather’s like in Dallas but I’m sure it’s not tropical!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
This looks wonderful, and what a GREAT way to use tofu!!!
erika
Thanks Susan! This is possibly my new favorite use for tofu 🙂
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
whoa, that’s amazing! I can’t believe you veganized spinach/artichoke dip! Yumminess for all!
and omg the cold…ugh it sucks
erika
Oh gosh poor child…can’t even imagine how cold it is in NYC! Yikess. Good thing you’re moving to the even colder (?) Midwest soon! Ha :p
yummychunklet
Great healthy alternative!