Easy Baked Vegan Dip with Spinach & Artichokes is a creamy, cheesy, gluten-free, appetizer, or healthy snack made with protein-rich cashews and nutritional yeast.

And even though this dip tastes very much like the addictively gooey appetizer most of us have overindulged in at one point or another, this dip is nutritious!

But, why health-up a dish that’s meant to be over the top?

So, there are two essential reasons that instantly come to mind in response to that question: you and me.

Since I plan on living a long, long time, I want there to be plenty of healthy people close to my age to enjoy. So this recipe is for us, you and me, and it’s in sincere hope for our longevity!

A common thread woven throughout so many traditional, comforting, ooey-gooey favorite recipes is that they’re unhealthy. It’s not their fault that artery-clogging fat and empty calories are their entire vein of existence, but it’s true.

I say that because, believe it or not, there are wonderfully nutritious ingredients that bring the creamy without health challenging bad-for-you fats. 

By the way, a half of a pound of butter is not required to make something taste fabulously creamy!

And that leads me to a subject I love to explore, the nutrients you’ll gain when you enjoy Easy Baked Vegan Dip with Spinach & Artichokes.

two le creuset baking pans filled with a golden baked vegan dip made with creamy cashews

The Secret to Satisfying, Healthy, Gluten-Free Appetizers and Snacks 

Here’s a little backstory to set the stage. I’m a person who has food on my mind most of the time.  That’s not something that started when I began living a plant-based vegan lifestyle, either, it’s just how I’m drawn.

Long before I began sharing my vegan recipes with you, I read cookbooks of all types for pleasure. Yep. Sorry to burst your bubble – I’m that person. 

Hey, maybe that explains why I have a bit of a thing for rewriting familiar classic recipes to be healthier and plant-based; those recipes are in there (my mind), so I have to do something with that backlog of info – LOL!

Last winter, during the jolly season of dining, sipping, and indulgent snacking, I couldn’t help but notice a gap in vegan options at the appetizer buffet. That’s when I began thumbing through the mental list of favorite appetizers I’d ever eaten. I began reworking those faves and transforming them into gluten-free appetizers and snacks.  And that, by the way is how we got to this recipe for an easy baked vegan dip with spinach and artichokes!

Also, along with being sure these appetizer and snack remakes are gluten-free and vegan, I’m setting out to do something more. I want these new easy baked vegan dips, munchies, and spreadable bites to be totally satisfyingly; loaded with plant-based protein!

Why all of the fuss about incorporating a significant amount of protein into the party foods I remember?  To that I have but one question to ask.  

So, aren’t you tired of being hungry at parties? Are you ready to be done with surviving hours of smalltalk on nothing more than the overlooked stragglers on a veggie plate?

Mind you, it’s not that I don’t love a tasty dip and veggie tray. And by the way, if you’re ever thinking veggies and dip, there’s a dressing and dip or two below.

two small baking dishes filled with baked vegan dip with a yellow bowl of green beans and orange bowl of carrots for dipping

Protein-Rich Creamy Cashews: Go Ahead – They’re GOOD for You!

So with all of this finger food rethinking, I landed on the reality that we vegans spend a considerable portion of time feeling hungry at parties. And the reason we’re always hungry is that the only thing available to eat at said parties is a few carrot and celery sticks that nobody else wants.

There, I’ve said it – rant over. Now, for the solution!

Rather than standing around hungry at that next get together, bring a protein-loaded appetizer delicious and satisfying enough to raise the eyebrows of the harshest vegan food critic.  Bring with you, for example, a batch of this easy baked vegan dip with spinach and artichokes!

FYI: Your harshest vegan food critic isn’t just your kids or your partner in life that may or may not appreciate your plant-based lifestyle. The fiercest critics are those lifelong friends and extended family members watching every bite you take. On those rare occasions when you’re together, they secretly wage bets on how long you’ll last as a vegan. Yikes.

Sorry if that FYI sounds a bit bitter; this year has been a tough one. And if one lesson seems to trying to get across to me it’s this; change and differences make many folks uncomfortable.

So, if you’re over starving at dinner parties, potlucks, and cookouts, you’re going to love this!

And forget the horrible things you’ve heard about cashews being bad for you and all other nonsense regarding nuts and seeds. Cashews makes food taste creamy without adding a lick of unhealthy fat. And while they do have a bit of fat, it’s a good fat that helps your body fight off the problems caused by the bad stuff.

a yellow retro glass bowl of raw green beans a few yellow carrots and two pans of vegan plant based protein packed baked artichoke and spinach dip

More Good Stuff About Cashews

Cashews, though often called nuts, are seeds. And like most seeds, cashews are good for your overall health. Here are just a few positive takeaways regarding cashews.

Cashews:

  • may improve blood sugar control 
  • give you a healthier heart
  • are rich in nutrients
  • contribute to weight loss
  • are exceptionally rich in unsaturated fats
  • are low in sugar and high in fiber
  • provide multiple vitamins 
  • give us minerals such as copper, magnesium, and manganese (These minerals are necessary for energy production, brain health, a robust immune system, and healthy bones.)
  • are rich in a couple antioxidants known to decrease inflammation and reduce cell damage

One fact that stood out to me like no other when reading  this incredibly informative article about the pros and cons of creamy cashews is this: naturally creamy cashews are not as fattening as many of us may believe. And cashews are high in fiber, which helps you feel full longer. High fiber content is a desirable in regard to combating the battle of the bulge.

And on the flavor side of creamy cashew talk, they tend to taste a little cheesy, which brings me to another important ingredient in Easy Baked Vegan Dip with Spinach & Artichokes.

yellow mid century footed bowl of green beans and two others with snow pea pods sliced ridged carrots sitting on marble counter surface like a buffet for party

Cheesy Nutritional Yeast: Not as Scary as it Sounds

Cheesy nutritional yeast or “nooch,” as some call it, is not as odd as its name may sound. If it frightens you a little, I guess I’m in good company.

I’ll never forget the first time I came across cheesy nutritional yeast in a recipe ingredients list. I quickly flipped to the next page in the cookbook I was reading, and sure enough, that odd ingredient had made its way into that list, too. That’s when I decided to run to Debbie’s Health Foods, a neighborhood beacon of goodness on which I depend, to see what I could find about the weird sounding stuff promising the moon. Seriously, nooch has a reputation of tasting good on everything by adding a certain cheesiness without a drop of dairy.

So, after talking to a couple of folks, I found out a couple of important facts about the cheesy nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is either fortified or non-fortified.  

At first it’s a little confusing because it doesn’t turn out the way it sounds.

Fortified nutritional yeast has added vitamins and minerals, while non-fortified nooch only has what it has on its own.

You’d think that added nutrients could only be a good thing but as it turns out, that’s not the case with nooch.

Many fortified varieties are full of human-made synthetic vitamins to make the product appear naturally more nutritious. That’s extra sad since its extra nutrients are anything but natural.

Nutritional yeast is often a staple for vegans. So, it bugs me to learn that the nutrients in the fortified variety are not naturally occurring, but rather human-made.  It bugs me because my bet is that most folks may not be aware that what they are eating has synthetically added nutrients.

So, non-fortified nutritional yeast is a favorite of mine for its natural nutrients and lack of synthetic additives. 

And another thing that bothers me about the subject of nooch is the stories of its virtue or detriment that float around among the plant eaters. Here are some of the issues around the powdery cheesy stuff.

So, does non-fortified nutritional yeast cause troublesome yeast overgrowth? Nope, if fact, no varieties of nooch contain yeast that would cause that problem.

But doesn’t non-fortified nutritional yeast have MSG-like compounds that may cause you to want to eat it regularly? Nope, not at all. Those compounds that are similar to MSG are not, in fact, the same.

MSG is a human-made additive. But the amino acid in non-fortified cheesy nutritional yeast that some confuse with MSG, is naturally occurring.

I’m not going to kid you, all of the science talk is not my bag. But after years of being a plant-based vegan, I can tell you that I have found that I prefer to stay clear of human-made ingredients.

Also, nutritional yeast is a complete protein as it contains all nine essential amino acids that we human types must get from our food. Nutritional yeast is an easy way for vegans to add valuable protein to their meals.

So now you and I know a lot more about the non-fortified variety of cheesy nutritional yeast, or nooch.

In the recipe ingredients list below for Easy Baked Vegan Dip with Spinach and Artichokes, I share the brand of nooch we like the best.

a man's hand and a women's hand dipping into two lovely pans of easy baked vegan dip with artichokes and spinach with colorful small bowls of veggies surrounding the pans of dip

18 MORE Protein-Rich Party-Worthy Dishes

Here are a few protein-rich recipes sure to stand proud at any party! And the best part of these recipes is that they won’t leave the plant-eaters hungry!

Thank You for Joining Us for Easy Baked Vegan Dip with Spinach and Artichokes!

So, in closing, as always, Mike and I want you to know that we appreciate you taking the time to check out our recipes.

And if there is anything you’d like to see us tackle, drop us a line and we’ll see what we can cook up!

Happy Eating!

blue le creuset baking dish of an appetizer of easy baked vegan dip with spinach artichokes on blue tea towel with white heads of garlic glass jar of cheesy nutritional yeast in background
baking dish of easy baked vegan dip with spinach artichokes on blue tea towel with white heads of garlic in background

Easy Baked Vegan Dip with Spinach & Artichokes

  • 10
    Prep:
  • 30
    Cook Time:
  • Yield: 10 Servings
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You’ll never miss those fatty spinach and artichoke dips of your past once you try this easy to make, blended and baked, party-starting, plant-based wonder!  Served with your favorite corn chips, toasted bread, and colorful fresh vegetables, this is one baked dip that will give you terrific taste and body-fueling nutrients to satisfy hunger and energize those next groovy dance moves!

Ingredients

  • two cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 1 1/2 cups of raw cashews, soaked for at least 20 minutes or so
  • one can of chickpeas with its broth/aquafaba
  • 3 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • about 1 tsp of salt, or to taste - We enjoy cooking with this brand of Himalayan salt.
  • 1/2 cup of chickpea flour
  • 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast - See the note below for tasty alternatives.
  • two fists full of fresh spinach
  • one can of artichoke hearts, quartered (oil-free, in water)
  • about 1/4 cup of red onions, or another onion of choice, chopped

Instructions

  1. Begin by preheating your oven to 350º F and set out a small baking dish that's pretty enough to be used for serving since this is a hot dip.  In the photo shown, we used a smallish stoneware dish by Le Creuset, similar in capacity to this one.
  2. Then, in a running food processor, drop the peeled garlic to mince.  Stop the processor and add the drained cashews, chickpeas and their broth/aquafaba, lemon juice, chickpea flour, and salt to the chopped garlic and blend for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the mix is super smooth. Once it's smooth, add in the nutritional yeast and blend until it's incorporated into the mix and get ready for some glorious cheesiness.
  3. Now, in a mixing bowl, place the blended contents of the food processor and then fold to combine with the spinach, artichokes, and onion.  Scoop the mixture into your baking dish and spreading evenly with a spatula.
  4. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the dip has a slight golden glow on the top.  Serve this dip warm with chips, toasted bread or fresh vegetables - it tastes fabulous with just about anything!

Notes

  • Sub in finely ground cashew flour or a bit of chickpea miso if you prefer to skip the nutritional yeast.
  • And if you use nutritional yeast as often as we do, here is a terrific deal on a larger quantity of a brand we enjoy using.
  • We appreciate this bulk-buy deal on cashew bits and pieces and wanted to be sure to share it with you.

Nutrition

% DV

Calories Per Serving: 182
  • Total Fat 8.1 g 13 %
  • Saturated Fat 1.3 g 7 %
  • Cholesterol 0 mg 0 %
  • Sodium 232.3 mg 10 %
  • Carbohydrates 19.6 g 7 %
  • Fiber 5.8 g 23 %
  • Sugar 2.2 g ---
  • Protein 9.6 g 19 %
  • Vitamin A 10 %
  • Vitamin C 10 %
  • Iron 25 %
  • Calcium 5 %

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