This dairy-free spinach artichoke dip is rich, creamy and flavorful! Made with a mix of caramelized onions, artichoke hearts and dairy-free cream cheese, it’s sure to be a crowd favorite.

spinach artichoke dip in baking dish with chip for dipping


 

Hot artichoke dip has long been my favorite savory appetizer. I love the combination of flavors served hot with tortilla chips or sliced veggies.

This dairy-free version is creamy and full of flavor! Much like this magical dairy-free baked ziti casserole and this creamy dairy-free potato soup, you’ll have to taste it to see how delicious it is!

This vegan artichoke dip recipe is a delicious appetizer for football games, parties and so many other occasions!

You also might like this dairy-free buffalo chicken dip or 7-layer taco dip!

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

  • An easy dairy-free “parmesan” to top it off
  • Caramelized onions for extra flavor
  • A dariy-free cream cheese/mayo base
  • Zesty marinated artichoke hearts
  • Baked to perfection and served hot!

Ingredients You’ll Need

overhead shot of labeled collage of ingredients to make the dip

Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients. If you have any additional questions please leave me a comment below!

  • Thinly sliced yellow onions: You’ll caramelize the onions for maximum flavor.
  • Dairy-free cream cheese: One of the main ingredients in this vegan dip! My favorite brand is Kite Hill.
  • Mayonnaise: I prefer Hellmann’s mayonnaise. If you want this recipe to be egg-free as well, use a vegan mayonnaise.
  • Marinated artichoke hearts: These come in a jar by the canned food. Using marinated artichoke hearts rather than frozen or canned gives this dip great flavor.
  • Frozen Spinach: It’s important to squeeze out as much excess water as possible from the spinach. I find frozen spinach works better than fresh spinach for this recipe.

What is a dairy-free substitute for cream cheese?

There are many great brands of dairy-free cream cheese out there. Some are soy-based while others are almond-based. You can also make your own homemade cashew cream cheese if you like.

If you can eat dairy, this spinach artichoke dip is a healthier take on the classic.

How to Make It

Make Dairy-Free Parmesan

ingredients to make dairy-free parmesan cheese

You can skip this step if desired, but I love making dairy-free parmesan and keeping it on hand. Made from raw cashews, it’s delicious over pasta, pizza and more. It’s also great in this dip for a “cheesy flavor” ingredient. (The nutritional yeast and garlic powder give it that delicious taste!)

how to mix together the dairy-free parmesan in the food processor

To make it all you do is pulse together the ingredients in a food processor until very finely chopped. The parmesan will keep for a few weeks.

UPDATE: Lately I’ve been making this and topping it with vegan parmesan cheese from Trader Joe’s. It’s a delicious vegan cheese!

How to the Dairy-Free Artichoke Dip

step by step photos of how to mix together the dip
  • In a large pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, onion, 1 teaspoon salt and cayenne pepper. Saute for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to low.
  • Continue to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions and browned and caramelized. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, then set aside to cool.
  • Meanwhile, in the bowl of a hand or stand mixer, place the dairy-free cream cheese, mayonnaise, ½ cup cashew parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix until smooth.
  • Squeeze as much liquid out of the spinach as possible then coarsely shop. Add the chopped spinach vegan cream cheese mixture along with the artichoke hearts.
mixing the artichokes into the dip and smoothing into the baking dish
  • Mix to evenly combine. Stir in the onions.
  • Transfer the mixture to a 11×8 inch oval (or 9×13 rectangle) baking dish. Sprinkle with ½ cup of the cashew parmesan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling. Serve this easy vegan spinach artichoke dip warm with tortilla chips, bread or vegetables. Enjoy!
overhead shot of baked artichoke dip with chips on white background

What should I serve with this?

You can serve this dairy-free appetizer with tortilla chips, sliced vegetables (we love carrots and celery), toasted baguette slices (gluten-free if needed), and crackers.

Make-Ahead/Storage

  • Make-Ahead Tips: This creamy dip can be assembled up to 2 days in advance. You can bake it directly from the fridge until hot and bubbly.
  • Storage: Store any leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For best results, reheat the vegan spinach dip in the microwave for a minute or so before eating.
chip scooping up a bite of the dip with bowl of chips and dip in the background

More Dairy-Free Recipes

spinach artichoke dip in baking dish with chip for dipping
5 from 20 votes

Dairy-Free Spinach Artichoke Dip (Best Recipe!)

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 10 servings
This dairy-free spinach artichoke dip is rich, creamy and flavorful! Made with a mix of caramelized onions, artichoke hearts and dairy-free cream cheese, it's sure to be a crowd favorite.

Ingredients

For the Cashew Parmesan (Optional but delicious!):

  • 3/4 cup raw cashews
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Spinach Artichoke Dip:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
  • salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 ounces dairy-free cream cheese I use Kite Hill almond milk cream cheese
  • ½ cup mayonnaise preferably Hellmann’s
  • 1 12-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

Instructions 

MAKE THE CASHEW PARMESAN:

  • In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cashews, nutritional yeast, sea salt and garlic powder until finely ground. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for several weeks.

MAKE THE SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP:

  • Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, onion, 1 teaspoon salt and cayenne pepper. Saute for 10 minutes then reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions and browned and caramelized. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, then set aside to cool.
  • Meanwhile, in the bowl of a hand or stand mixer, place the dairy-free cream cheese, mayonnaise, ½ cup cashew parmesan cheese and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix until smooth.
  • Squeeze as much liquid out of the spinach as possible then add to the cream cheese mixture along with the artichoke hearts. Mix to evenly combine. Stir in the onions.
  • Transfer the mixture to a 11×8 inch oval (or 9×13 rectangle) baking dish. Sprinkle with ½ cup of the cashew parmesan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbling. Serve warm with tortilla chips, bread or vegetables. Enjoy!

Notes

UPDATE: Lately I’ve been making this and topping it with dairy-free parmesan from Trader Joe’s. It’s a delicious vegan cheese!
Ingredient Notes
  • Cashew Parmesan:You can skip the dairy-free parmesan if you like! It’s optional but delicious. 
  • Thinly sliced yellow onions: You’ll caramelize the onions for maximum flavor.
  • Dairy-free cream cheese: My favorite brand is Kite Hill.
  • Mayonnaise: I prefer Hellmann’s mayonnaise. If you want this recipe to be egg-free as well, use a vegan mayonnaise.
  • Marinated artichoke hearts: These come in a jar by the canned food. Using marinated artichoke hearts rather than frozen or canned gives this dip great flavor.
  • Frozen Spinach: It’s important to squeeze out as much liquid as possible from the spinach.
Make-Ahead/Storage
  • Make-Ahead: This whole dip can be assembled up to 2 days in advance. You can bake it directly from the fridge until hot and bubbly.
  • Storage: Store any leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat the dip in the microwave for a minute or so before eating.

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 305mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 28IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

 This post was originally published in January 2017. It was updated with new photos and instructions in January 2021.

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Hi, I’m Erin!

BS Food Science,

MS Nutrition

I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I’m here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was a hit for our Super Bowl watch group!! I did use really dairy in place of it and it worked beautifully, and it was so good!!

  2. 5 stars
    This is delicious. A little time consuming to wait on caramelizing the onions, but worth the time. My family loves it too!

  3. 5 stars
    Another fantastic dairy-free recipe from your site that we can add to our favorites! Thank you so much for making this both easy and delicious enough for our little guy to enjoy with everyone else. It means so much to us!

  4. Does this need to be served cold? If it is possible to heat this, how would you recommend doing that? Thank you! Looks tasty!!

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