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Super Stretchy Artichoke Cashew Dip
Course: Dips and spreads, Featured RecipesServings8
servingsPrep time15
minutesTotal time50
minutesCalories124
kcalI wanted to make a hot, “cheesy”, gooey, artichoke dip you can make to share. I needed something dairy-free, but felt cheesy. And it didn’t need to be nutritious per se, but I didn’t want anything mayo-based. After five times through the recipe creation machine (my face), we got it just right. Bring it to share anytime you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer that everyone can enjoy. Serve with sliced French bread for dipping and you’ll have a night of complements ahead of you. Just be sure to introduce it as “An Awesome Artichoke Dip” for best reception (instead of leading with its dietary benefits). “Here’s our vegan artichoke dip” won’t be as well liked no matter how good it is. And it is, quite good.
Ingredients
- Plant-Based “Cheese” Base
¾ cup (100g) raw cashews
2 cups (480ml) water
7 Tbsp (56g) tapioca starch/flour
2 Tbsp (15g) nutritional yeast
2 tsp (10ml) apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp (18g) salt
1 tsp (3g) garlic powder
- Dip Mixture
1½ cups (340g) marinated artichoke hearts
½ medium yellow onion (75g), chopped
5 cloves (15g) garlic, minced
2 cups (300g) frozen spinach
½ cup (120ml) unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp (6g) salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional), to taste
Directions
- Prep
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Drain and roughly chop the marinated artichoke hearts.
- Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic.
- Thaw the frozen spinach and squeeze out excess moisture.
- Make the “Cheese” Base
- Add all “cheese” ingredients to a high-powered blender.
- Blend on high for 2 minutes until completely smooth.
- Transfer mixture to a small pot and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- Remove from heat when the mixture becomes stretchy when pulled with a spoon.
- Assemble the Dip
- In an oven-safe baking dish, combine all “dip” ingredients.
- Pour the prepared “cheese” mixture over the dip ingredients.
- Stir until everything is evenly incorporated (mixture will be slightly lumpy, which is fine).
- Bake
- Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F (200°C).
- Remove from oven and stir to ensure even cooking.
- Return to oven and bake for another 15 minutes.
- Switch oven to broil setting and broil for 2-4 minutes until top is golden brown (watch closely to prevent burning).
- Serve
- Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving (important to prevent burns).
- Serve on a giant platter surrounded by vegetable crudités, bread slices, pita, or tortilla chips.
Notes
- Cashew Prep: For a smoother “cheese,” soak cashews in hot water for 30 minutes before blending if you don’t have a high-powered blender.
- Cheese Consistency: Stop cooking the “cheese” base when it has a stretchy, elastic consistency that pulls away from the spoon. This ensures it will mix properly with the other ingredients.
- Artichoke Choice: Marinated artichokes provide better flavor than plain canned artichokes. If using canned, add 1 tsp of lemon juice and ½ tsp of Italian herbs.
- Fresh vs. Frozen Spinach: Fresh spinach can be substituted but use 4-5 cups and sauté briefly to wilt and remove moisture before adding.
- Make It Spicy: For a kick, increase the red pepper flakes or add 1-2 finely chopped jalapeños.
- Freshness Matters: This dip is best enjoyed fresh. Freezing is not recommended as it can result in a slimy texture when thawed and reheated.
- Reheating: If you have leftovers, reheat in a 350°F oven until warm throughout rather than using a microwave for best texture.
20 responses to “Super Stretchy Artichoke Cashew Dip”
7 tablespoons of tapioca flour is 60grams
I want to make this ahead, put it in the fridge tonight, and heat it tomorrow. Will it work that way?
Yes!
Your instructions say marinated artichoke hearts. Do you drain them or use the liquid?
Yes! Drain the artichokes 🙂
Could you post the instructions for doing this in a crockpot? Going to a potluck and bringing it in the crockpot would be wonderful!
Follow all of the instructions for PREP, BLEND, and MIX. But instead of BAKE, put everything in the crock pot.
I’d put it on high for at least 60 minutes, give it a stir halfway through.
Please advise, I;m attempting to make your spinach dip and was unsure if the frozen spinach should be defrosted and all of the excess water should be removed or do I just out the frozen spinach in the vitamix as is? Thanks!!
Frozen spinach should stay frozen. But it doesn’t go in the Vitamix. You’re making the “cheese” in the Vitamix and then adding the artichokes, spinach, onions, etc to mix in by hand (you want big chunks).
Can I substitute chic peas for cashews?
Give it a try! That’s not something we’ve tried before.
My wife misses artichoke dip big time so I was excited to make this for her. Blew her mind, so good, no chance of freeze this since we killed it in one sitting. I thought about finding a substitute for the tapioca, having never used it before. Glad I didn’t though, there’s some magic going on there when it cooks on the stove.
We legit get excited when the mixture starts to come together on the stovetop. Felt the same way about investing in tapioca, but now this recipe is a staple and we go through it pretty quick!
So good! I made it for my dairy eating friends and they all loved it. Do you think it would hold up in a crock pot on warm?
That’s always the true test of a vegan recipe, do non-vegans like it! We’ve made it in the crock pot and it’s excellent 🙂
This is so good! Will definitely be making it again soon!
Yay! You know it’s a keeper when you want to make it again!
Mine is in the oven… I will stare at it until the oven beeps. Since I am “all in” Vitamix I chopped my onion in their too 🙂 Who needs to cry and dirty a knife? Once the cheese went into a pot, I chopped my onions, garlic and most of the artichokes in the Vitamix! 13 min left…
Go Lan! By the way, the only thing that makes this artichoke dip “unhealthy” is if you use bread or pita chips as your vehicle. Try with carrots or celery!
Downstairs neighbor “Neighbor Dan”, a classically trained chef and definitely not a vegan, just gave us this unsolicited feedback about this artichoke dip:
“That artichoke dip was fabulous. It was better than any artichoke dip I’ve ever gotten at a restaurant.”
Does that mean he’s made better on his own? Does it matter?
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