Parties are my favorite excuse to get in the kitchen. Sometimes, I invite people over just because I want to try out a new recipe or to have the excuse to buy some fancy vegan cheese. My house is kind of place where people come hungry because they know I’m making something- even if I say it’s a low-key simple event. I’ll always at least make a dip.
This dip recipe is easy and (aside from the soaking of the cashews) comes together in minutes. Cashews are a great vegan alternative to creamy and cheesy ingredients. I have found about a million uses for cashews over the last year, and they are perfect in this dip.
I also love to make my own tortilla chips for a homemade dip like this; it really adds the final touch to a great appetizer. Of course, you can buy chips, but when it’s seriously this easy to make them, it’s worth the extra minute. Chop up some corn tortillas into triangles, toss in a little oil and your favorite seasonings, then bake in a 375ºF oven for about 12 minutes, flipping once. Done. Wasn’t that easy?!
I made this dip on Superbowl Sunday to enjoy while we didn’t watch the game. Ha! We pigged out on game day snacks while catching up on our Netflix and Hulu shows. While I love to eat this dip fresh, the best idea I had was to use the leftovers as a base to a homemade pizza the next day. SO GOOD. I recommend showing slight self control and saving some, or just make a double batch.
Spinach Dip
- 1 cup cashews, soaked in water overnight (alternatively, you can boil the cashews for 15 minutes)
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- juice of half of a large lemon
- 2 bunches of fresh spinach, about 6 cups, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup vegan mayo
- salt and pepper
- vegan parmesan, optional
- Put first 5 ingredients into a high powdered blender. Blitz together until smooth, this may take a couple minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Wilt spinach in a large pot or deep pan over medium heat for two minutes. Add mayo and cashew mixture to spinach. Stir and keep over heat until bubbly and hot, about 6 minutes. Taste and add salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, or more lemon juice if needed.
- Top with vegan parm if desired. You can stop here and it’s ready to eat! Or, you can put everything into an oven safe dish and bake at 375ºF for 12-15 minutes to brown the top. Serve with homemade tortilla chips (quick recipe above), pretzels, or carrots.
tofu for dinner 