This Baked Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip is a sensation. It's an exceptional and wholesome plant-based recipe, healthfully made with no oil, butter, mayonnaise, or additional cheeses, but still super creamy, filled with veggie goodness, and full of amazing flavours. It's a fantastic dip made to become your next favourite.

Summertime deserves to be celebrated and enjoyed with family and friends. Beautiful moments count, and you'll make it count even more when you bring out the best food on the table that everyone will remember.

This dip here, friends, is one dip made to be remembered. I promise you; it's exceptional.

Plant-based food is not boring, as I've said so many times before. It's all in the flavours you bring to your kitchen, and the technique you use to make them stand out. And, as always, it's best to produce a meal that is not only tasty but also nutritious.

I'm super excited to present this recipe here today. It's my very first plant-based creation that I attempted three years ago. The first trial was a big hit, but I didn't stop there. I've tested this recipe and repeatedly enjoyed it over the past few years, playing around with introducing and removing few ingredients. Finally, I've decided on the best version, this one here today.

I've kept this recipe up my sleeve but decided to bring it out in the world and have you make it and enjoy it as much as we do.

What are my tips for this recipe? Firstly, use fresh ingredients. As always, it's my recommendation, but if you'd like the best results, I suggest to follow through the steps precisely. Fresh spinach is the best. It does affect the texture of the dip, especially that the spinach leaves will end up cooked but not soggy.

The second tip is fresh organic garlic and not just a little bit. If you wonder why I decided to add ten garlic cloves to the recipe, you'll understand after testing it out. I started with five fairly medium sized garlic cloves, and I wasn't as satisfied with the overall result. So, I've doubled the amount, and sure enough, the flavours were perfection.

Third, the cooking method. Honestly, I've never made a vegan dip by following a recipe, so I'm not sure how others make it. There can't be a thousand ways of making this dip, so I'm aware there will be similarities with other vegan spinach-artichoke dips. Still, my primary strategy was to add fresh spinach and not frozen, and well-marinated artichoke hearts cut into small pieces but not very small. The final texture of the dip is part of the success of this recipe. The spinach is just perfect and still fresh looking. It's wilted due to the baking process but not entirely cooked through.

Fourth, the addition of roasted pine nuts. Yes, this step right here makes a massive difference in this recipe. In the beginning, I added nutritional yeast for that 'cheesy' taste, but later switching it for pine nuts was the best decision ever. Their subtle nuttiness enriches the flavours of this recipe.

And lastly, a kick of spice brings out the best. Sprinkling the baked dip with some beautiful chili flakes just before serving is perfection. Your taste buds will be dancing at the first bite of this delicious and wholesome dip.

The best part of this dip is that you can enjoy it while warm, and also cold. I'm not sure which one I prefer most, to be honest. While warm, it's best to be served with toasted bread or baguette, crackers or tortillas, and fresh veggie sticks. The serving option is entirely up to you. It doesn't matter how you serve it; this dip is going to be on your favourite appetizers list.

Please know that every recipe I'm posting on my blog is made with passion, love for cooking, and desire to use the best available produce. You can always switch ingredients around with what you have handy, but I recommend you go for fresh as long as possible instead of frozen or canned produce. 

 Don't forget to share this fantastic recipe with your loved ones, and let me know how you like it. Tag me on your posts on social media if you make it, or leave a comment below. I enjoy hearing your feedback.

Much love,

T