Dairy-Free Spinach Artichoke Dip
A warm dairy-free spinach artichoke dip built on a creamy cashew base, dairy-free sour cream, and just enough dairy-free mozzarella to nail the classic party-appetizer texture.
Recipe by Non Dairy Dude
Spinach artichoke dip was one of those things I assumed was just off the table after cutting dairy. Every attempt I tried tasted flat, or the texture was wrong, or it had that nutritional yeast flavor front and center. Eventually I figured out the problem: cream cheese was doing a lot of structural work in the original, and swapping it one-for-one with something thinner just gives you a puddle.
The fix is all-purpose dairy-free cashew cream as the base. It's thick, genuinely neutral, and holds up in the oven the way cream cheese does. From there, dairy-free sour cream adds tang, mayo adds body, and white miso plus a small amount of nutritional yeast handles the savory depth without making the whole thing taste like a health food store. Dairy-free mozzarella goes in restrained amounts so the dip stays scoopable, not stretchy and gummy.
Serve it hot from a small baking dish with tortilla chips, crackers, or toasted bread. It also works well alongside dairy-free buffalo chicken dip if you're setting up a spread, since the two dips go in the oven at the same temperature and give people something to choose between.
This recipe uses: All-Purpose Dairy-Free Cashew Cream, Dairy-Free Sour Cream
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 10 ozFrozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 14 ozMarinated or water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
Aromatics
- 1 tbspOlive oil
- 4 clovesGarlic cloves, minced
Creamy Base
- 1 cupAll-purpose dairy-free cashew cream
- ½ cupDairy-free sour cream
- ¼ cupMayonnaise
Seasoning
- 1 tspWhite miso
- 1 tbspFresh lemon juice
- 1 tspDijon mustard
- 1 tbspNutritional yeast
- ½ tspOnion powder
- ½ tspFine salt
- ¼ tspFreshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ tspRed pepper flakes, optional
Cheese
- ¾ cupDairy-free mozzarella shreds, for the dip
- ¼ cupDairy-free mozzarella shreds, for the topping
- ¼ cupDairy-free parmesan-style grated topping, optional
Serving
- 1 batchTortilla chips, crackers, toasted bread, or vegetables, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 375 F. Lightly grease a 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish.
- 2
Place the thawed spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze very firmly until it is as dry as possible. Break up any dense clumps with your fingers.
- 3
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 to 45 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the squeezed spinach and chopped artichokes, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes to drive off extra moisture and wake up the garlic.
- 4
In a large bowl, whisk together the cashew cream, dairy-free sour cream, mayonnaise, white miso, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
- 5
Fold the warm spinach-artichoke mixture into the creamy base. Stir in the dairy-free mozzarella shreds for the dip and the dairy-free parmesan-style topping if using.
- 6
Spread the dip into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the remaining dairy-free mozzarella shreds over the top.
- 7
Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until hot, glossy, and bubbling around the edges. If you want more color on top, broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
- 8
Let the dip rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with tortilla chips, crackers, toasted bread, or vegetables.
How we make it dairy-free
- Cream cheese → All-purpose dairy-free cashew cream takes over the structural role cream cheese plays in the original. It's thick enough to hold the dip together and bakes without breaking.
- Sour cream → Dairy-free sour cream brings the tang. Most store-bought versions work fine here; the miso adds backup depth so any differences between brands don't matter much.
- Parmesan → A small amount of nutritional yeast plus white miso does what parmesan does in the background: adds salty, savory sharpness without a flavor you can pick out. Dairy-free parmesan-style topping is optional on top if you want a more finished look.
- Mozzarella → Dairy-free mozzarella shreds go in twice, once stirred into the dip and once scattered on top. Keep the amounts restrained: too much and the dip turns stringy instead of creamy.
Check your dairy-free mozzarella brand before buying. Some melt better than others, and a few don't melt at all.
Tips & Variations
Squeeze the spinach hard: Watery spinach is the fastest way to make this dip loose. After thawing, squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel until very little liquid comes out.
Cook off extra moisture: Briefly cooking the spinach and artichokes with garlic gives the dip better flavor and helps prevent a watery ring around the edges after baking.
Starting from scratch: The timing assumes your all-purpose dairy-free cashew cream is already made. If you need to make it first, add about 40 minutes for soaking and blending.
Marinated versus water-packed artichokes: Marinated artichokes bring more flavor, but drain them well so the oil does not make the dip greasy. Water-packed artichokes taste cleaner and let the garlic and lemon stand out.
Keep nutritional yeast restrained: One tablespoon adds background savoriness without making the dip taste aggressively nutritional-yeasty. The miso does a lot of the heavy lifting.
Use shreds carefully: Dairy-free mozzarella can thicken as it sits. The amount here is intentionally moderate so the dip stays scoopable.
Make ahead: Assemble the dip up to 1 day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Bake from cold at 375 F, adding 5 to 8 minutes, until bubbling at the edges.
Reheating: Reheat covered at 325 F until warm, then stir. If it tightens too much, loosen with a spoonful of unsweetened oat milk or water.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use fresh spinach instead of frozen?⌄
Yes. Use about 10 to 12 ounces of fresh baby spinach and wilt it in a pan with a little olive oil first. Let it cool, then squeeze out as much water as you can before adding it. Frozen spinach works a bit better here because it's already had the water pressed out, but fresh is fine if that's what you have.
Can I make this dip ahead of time?⌄
You can assemble it a day ahead and refrigerate it unbaked. Pull it out while the oven preheats and add a few minutes to the bake time since you're starting cold. The texture is best fresh out of the oven but it reheats reasonably well.
What artichoke hearts should I use: marinated or water-packed?⌄
Either works. Marinated artichoke hearts add a little more flavor from the herbs and vinegar in the jar, which can be a good thing. Water-packed are more neutral and let the other flavors lead. Drain and chop both types before adding.
Why does my dip turn out watery?⌄
Two usual culprits: spinach that wasn't wrung out well enough, and artichoke hearts that weren't drained thoroughly. With frozen spinach, squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel or press it in a fine mesh strainer until almost no liquid comes out. With artichoke hearts, drain and pat them dry before chopping.
Get new dairy-free comfort food recipes
New recipes, substitution tips, and classic dishes rebuilt without dairy.
