This dairy-free spinach artichoke dip is so creamy and indulgent. Thanks to one key ingredient, no one will even know it's dairy-free! It's also vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free.
The last time I made dairy-free spinach artichoke dip was when I lived in Australia six years ago. I remember how utterly (no pun intended, but maybe it should be?) divine it was that I ate the whole thing myself, but the details of what I used to make it are a bit fuzzy.
Unlike traditional spinach artichoke dip that's made with all the dairy things, this dip utilizes a key ingredient that gives it that same stretchy cheesy texture that can fool just about anyone.
Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Shallots.
- Garlic.
- Canned artichoke hearts - get the kind that is in water if you can.
- Fresh spinach - I prefer to use fresh spinach, but you can also use frozen spinach. You'll just need to let it thaw first and then wring out the excess water before adding it to the skillet.
- 1 batch of vegan mozzarella - follow only through step 5.
- Dairy-free milk of choice.
- Salt & pepper - to taste.
How To Make Dairy-Free Spinach Artichoke Dip
Make the cheese sauce. Follow the recipe for my vegan mozzarella, stopping after step 5. This means that you'll have a nice stretchy cheese glob (for lack of a better word, but very accurate).
Saute the veggies. You'll saute the shallots and garlic in olive oil to build the flavor of the dip before adding in the chopped artichoke hearts and spinach, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Mix & bake. In either an oven-safe skillet or an oven-safe dish, mix the milk, cooked vegetables, and cheese sauce together. It’ll be lumpy but will sort itself out in the oven. Bake uncovered, stirring halfway through.
Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this dairy-free spinach artichoke dip using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No spinach - sub lacinato kale or chard.
- No shallots? - use half of a red or yellow onion instead.
- No garlic? - you can use garlic granules or powder instead of fresh, but don't leave it out because it's an important flavor in this dip.
- No canned artichoke hearts? - if you can only find marinaded artichoke hearts, that's fine, too, just shake off any excess oil (you'll want about 6-8 hearts).
Equipment
The only special equipment you'll need for this recipe is a high-powered blender to make the vegan mozzarella. Other than that, you just need a few basic kitchen tools such as a chef knife, cutting board, saucepan, and an oven-safe skillet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch) in my vegan mozzarella recipe is a flavorless thickening agent that gets stretchy when heated and takes on the flavors of whatever you mix with it.
This dip is best when eaten warm, but you can serve it with toasted bread, chips, fresh vegetables, or even fruit such as pears or apples.
Top Tip
Typically, you can add spinach by the handful to whatever you're cooking because of how quickly it reduces in size. However, for this recipe, I recommend roughly chopping it. This helps it get more evenly distributed throughout the dip and also prevents you from getting any stringy spinach bites.
Storage
To reheat, just nuke it in the microwave or throw it back in the oven on a low setting to warm it through before enjoying. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Dairy-Free Dips
Dairy-Free Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 small shallots, diced about ½ cup
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 14 oz canned artichoke hearts, chopped into smaller pieces
- 4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 batch vegan mozzarella
- ½ cup dairy-free milk of choice
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Follow the recipe for my vegan mozzarella, stopping after step 5. This means that you'll have a nice stretchy cheese glob (for lack of a better word, but very accurate).
- In a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, saute the shallots in olive oil until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant before adding in the chopped artichoke hearts and spinach. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Add the dairy-free milk and vegan cheese into the skillet and mix to roughly combine. It’ll be lumpy but will sort itself out in the oven. Bake uncovered for 18 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add a little extra dairy-free milk to thin it out if necessary.
- Optional: place under the broiler for 2-4 minutes to lightly brown the top (watching carefully so it doesn't burn).
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