I’m terrible about cooking animal-free meals. Seriously, even my family’s special green beans recipe has crumbled bacon in it. Determined not to be the jerk who invites vegan friends over and has nothing to serve them, I set out to find a recipe that felt a little more thoughtful than my go-to (hummus and carrot sticks).
Though this recipe isn’t cheap to make (so many specialty ingredients), it makes a heaping batch that serves 1o easily. Even the meat eaters in my group raved about this dish, and I’m more used to hearing them dissect ‘rabbit food’ for all the ways it’s not as good as the real thing. That said (err, typed?), the vinegar in this dip makes it taste a little tangier than the chain restaurant version most people are used to, and forget about getting that soy “cheese” on top to melt into a golden brown, bubbly crust — 30 minutes in the oven and 5 more on “broil” did nothing to it. Once stirred, it combined into a smooth, gooey delight, but alas, no crisp-yet-stringy topper.
Baked Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Adapted from PETA’s Baked Artichoke Dip Recipe
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup cooked & mashed red or Yukon gold potatoes
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup soy milk
- 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 3 tablespoons fresh, flat-leaf parsley
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 5 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- 1/4 cup Vegan mozzarella cheese
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), add mashed potatoes, lemon juice, vinegar, and garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix it all together until it forms a paste. Add 1/4 cup soy milk and beat on medium until smooth. Add the remaining milk, 3 tablespoonfuls of the oil, and the parsley. Blend until well combined (mixture should be smooth, not chunky), scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary.
- Lightly mix in the artichoke, basil, and spinach so everything is combined, but it isn’t a smooth puree.
- Pour into a 24- to 36-ounce baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 tablespoonful of oil and bread crumbs. Mix well and sprinkle evenly over the dip. Top with vegan cheese.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes. Stir everything together for a cheesy, melty bowl of goodness.