Looking for a creamy dip without the dairy? Cashews to the rescue!
This warm and flavorful dip is perfect with flax crackers, homemade tortilla chips or raw veggies. A great side dish for parties, or, if you make a big batch, it keeps in the fridge and can be reheated for a quick snack.
Cashews bring more to this dish than creaminess, they’re also packed with nutrients. Like most nuts and seeds, an impressive amount of good stuff fills that small package.
Something else I’ve learned about nuts, they’re great for helping us to eat more fruits and veggies. For example, you’ll look forward to your apple-a-day if your apple slices are dipped in almond or peanut butter. You’ll pile your plate with roasted or steamed veggies when topping them with Sunflower Butter Dressing, East Tahini Sauce or Thai Peanut Sauce. Not only do you get the nutrients from the nuts, but the benefits of filling and nutritious veggies!
When shopping for nuts and seeds, be sure to choose raw. Roasted options often have added oil and many nutrients are lost during roasting. Be sure to only buy enough to last a couple of weeks, or store them in the freezer.
Artichokes are considered a veggie, but are technically a thistle (weird, right?). Like most veggies, artichokes are low in calories and packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals.
This yummy dip is a great way to incorporate artichokes, but it’s certainly not the only way. Chopped artichokes are great on pizza, added to roasted or stir-fried veggies or incorporated into salads.
You can find canned artichokes in the canned good section at most groceries. Simply drain and rinse before using.
Nutritional yeast is an important ingredient in this recipe. Hello cheesy flavor! If you’re not familiar, learn more from our Nutritional Yeast post.
We used this food processor to blend the cashews (Note this is an affiliate link).
Plant-Based Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews, raw soaked in warm water for 5 minutes
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 garlic cloves or 1 T minced garlic
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 12 oz frozen chopped spinach thawed
- 14 oz can whole artichokes chopped
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
- smoked paprika optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Drain soaked cashews. Add cashews, 1/2 cup water, garlic and lemon juice to a food processor. Process for 2-3 minutes, or until very smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
- Add all remaining ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Pour cashew mixture over ingredients and stir to combine.
- Pour mixture into an 8x8 inch baking dish and spread evenly throughout dish. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven, sprinkle with smoked paprika (if desired) and enjoy warm.
Notes
*We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We use the products and ingredients that we link to and recommend them because we believe they are the best choice for you.
