A dip to warm your (artichoke) heart!
One of my favorite dips is spinach artichoke dip. It’s creamy and I love the texture of the spinach and artichokes. But not eating dairy anymore made me think about how I can recreate those flavors in a healthier version. I was thrilled when I got to showcase this dip on a news segment about healthier Super Bowl snacks.
I also happen to be a lazy cook (for the most part). So my recipes have to be easy and quick.
I started out by using a can of Cannellini beans and pureeing them with a tablespoon of vegan mayonnaise (I used this one). The beans lend that creamy texture and add iron, fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B 6, and protein to my recipe, while the mayo gives a smoother texture.
Then, I sautéed half a small onion that I diced up. While the onion was browning, I chopped up two cloves of garlic. When the onion was caramel color, I added the garlic and sautéed it another three minutes. The key with garlic is to chop it and let it sit for five to ten minutes before cooking it. That’s when it releases all it’s anti-oxidants!
No wilted spinach here!
Instead of frozen spinach that is not very appetizing, I used fresh spinach and chopped it fairly small. Spinach is a nutrition powerhouse. It is high in vitamin C, vitamin K, anti-oxidants, folic acid, iron, minerals such as potassium and magnesium, and B vitamins.
I added that to my onion and garlic and sweated it down. (Hint: lots of spinach sweats down to very little.) After five minutes I was pretty happy with the consistency of my spinach. You can sautée it a bit longer if you prefer.
The heart of the matter….
Next, I opened a can of artichoke hearts in water and drained them. I only used half a can, so like 4 hearts, and that was plenty! I chopped them into small pieces and they were ready to go. Artichokes are high in potassium, magnesium, fiber, and vitamin C.
Finally, I grated some vegan parmesan cheese (I used this one).
Putting it all together.
In my Vitamix blender I combined the beans and mayonnaise until smooth, you may need a little water if the mixture is too thick to blend. You don’t want this to be watery, you just want it to be smooth. So be careful when adding water, just add one tablespoon at a time. Once it was a creamy consistency, I put it in a bowl and added my onion, garlic, and spinach mixture, the artichokes, and my grated parmesan cheese. That’s it!
You can pop this in the oven for five minutes to warm it up and melt some of the cheese if you prefer this dip warm.
Bon appetit!
Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Ingredients
- 1 14-oz can Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise
- ½ small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 cups fresh spinach finely chopped
- ½ can artichoke hearts in water chopped
- ⅛ cup vegan parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and drain beans, puree in blender with mayonnaise and small amounts of water if needed to blend to a creamy consistency. Place in a bowl.
- Saute diced onion in pan until caramel color, then add chopped garlic and saute a few minutes more.
- Add chopped spinach to the onion and garlic. Saute until spinach is wilted and cooked down.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine beans, spinach, artichokes, and grated cheese in a bowl.
- Warm in the oven if you prefer this dip warm.
