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Home ► Recipes ► American

Vegan Spinach Dip

Updated: 04.27.25 | Marc Matsumoto | 100 Comments

4.54 from 39 votes
Whether you're vegan or not, this spinach dip is just as addictive as the real thing, minus all the guilt.
Recipe

I'd be a liar and you'd never believe a thing I said if I told you that this vegan tofu spinach dip tastes exactly like the full fat, full cheese, full mayo version. But I'd be an equally big fibber if I neglected to convey just how ridiculously good this spinach dip is.

To help you get the picture, let me start by sharing my mental dialog as I devour a normal batch of spinach dip at a party:

Bite 1: "OMG!!! This is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!"

Bites 2-5: "Ohhh... I reaalllly shouldn't... but I can't help myself"

Bites 6-10: "Now I'm thirsty, let me wash it down with a giant red Solo cup of soda."

Bites 11-∞:"It's gone and I ate most of it... What have I done... How could I have been so weeeak..."

Perhaps you can relate? Well, here's the internal dialog I had with myself as I scarfed down this vegan spinach dip:

Bite 1: "hmm... not quite the same...."

Bite 2-5: " But... this is pretty damn good!"

Bites 6-10: "Wow! I can't {MUNCH}... stop...{DIP}...eating... {CHOMP}... it"

Bites 11-∞: " It's gone... but I just ate 189% of my daily Vitamin A, 94% of my Iron, 82% of my Calcium, 72% of my magnesium, 57% of my protein, 56% of my vitamin C, 50% of my fiber for the day..."

And while I can't promise you won't feel any guilt at all (especially if you hijack that part of the buffet and slap away hungry hands trying to get a taste), but I can tell you that you won't have to go to confession at your cardiologist's office.

So what makes this vegan spinach dip recipe so good? Well, first I use a combination of soft tofu with raw cashew nuts. The soft tofu brings a satiny smooth texture and creaminess like mayonnaise. The cashews mellow out the "soy" taste of the tofu while adding richness and just a hint of sweetness.

To get the cheese flavor, I add nutritional yeast. It may sound like a weird addition if you've never had it, but one taste and I promise even hardened carnivores will want some to sprinkle on their next steak. It's made by culturing a strain of yeast, which is harvested and sterilized before it's dried and packaged. The resulting yellow flakes have a cheesy, nutty flavor, that's bursting with umami producing amino acids.

Because real cheese undergoes lacto fermentation, it's always a little acidic. This is what gives cheddar it's "sharp" taste. To mimic this, I add a little apple cider vinegar. It not only makes it taste more like cheese, the hint of acidity helps lighten up the creaminess of the spinach dip ever so slightly. While you could use a ready-made vegan cheese product like many other vegan spinach dip recipes, I prefer using easy to find pantry items that will serve more than one purpose.

Together with fresh spinach, crispy water chestnuts and a little smoked paprika, you have yourself a luxuriously creamy, spinach dip with all the right textures and flavors, keeping you reaching back for more.... until it's gone. And if you can use more munchable vegan appetizer ideas, check out this article, Vegan Appetizer Recipes Everyone will Enjoy.

Other Cream Vegan Recipes

  • Vegan French Onion Dip
  • Vegan Parmesan "Cheese"
  • Better "Tunafish" Sandwich

📖 Recipe

Delicious hot Spinach Dip that's plant-based.

Vegan Spinach Dip

4.54 from 39 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Yield 6 servings

Units

Ingredients 

  • 400 grams soft tofu
  • 100 grams raw cashew nuts (¾ cup soaked in water overnight and drained)
  • 25 grams nutritional yeast (~¼ cup)
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 3 grams salt (~½ teaspoon)
  • 260 grams spinach (175 grams cooked and squeezed)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 175 grams onion (1 medium )
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 100 grams water chestnuts (diced)
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • paprika

Instructions

  • Add the tofu, soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, vinegar, and salt to the bowl of a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix) and blend until it forms a smooth puree. If the blender won't spin, try adding a little water (or coconut milk) at a time and use the tamper to help it along. The mixture should have the consistency of pudding.
  • Chop the roots off the spinach and put it into a large bowl. Wash the spinach under running water while agitating it with your fingers until the water is no longer muddy. Then, stop the water and give any remaining grit a chance to settle to the bottom of the water.
  • Lift the floating spinach off the top of the water, leaving any remaining sand at the bottom of the bowl.
    Thoroughly washing the spinach.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the spinach. Boil until the spinach is tender. 1-2 minutes.
  • Drain the spinach, rinse with cold water and then squeeze the excess water out of the spinach.
    Squeezing water out of spinach.
  • Chop the spinach into small pieces.
    Chopped cooked spinach
  • Add the oil, onions and garlic to a frying pan and sauté over medium-high heat until the onions are a caramel brown color and have reduced to about ¼ of their original volume.
  • Add the water chestnuts and spinach and, sauté to heat through.
    Cooking the spinach and vegetables.
  • Turn down the heat and add the tofu and cashew puree. Stir constantly until the spinach dip is heated through. Adjust salt to taste.
    Vegan Spinach Dip ready to serve
  • Drizzle with a little olive oil and then dust with paprika. Serve with vegetables and bread.
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Nutrition Facts

Calories • 196kcalCarbohydrates • 15gProtein • 10gFat • 11gSaturated Fat • 3gSodium • 236mgPotassium • 617mgFiber • 3gSugar • 3gVitamin A • 4065IUVitamin C • 14.9mgCalcium • 78mgIron • 3.3mg

Comments

    4.54 from 39 votes (31 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Caroline says

    February 20, 2024 at 1:10 pm

    Can this be served cold? Also if I don't want the cheese flavor should I leave out the nutritional yeast and the apple cider vinegar?

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      February 20, 2024 at 1:29 pm

      Hi Caroline, the nutritional yeast also adds umami to the dip. Without it it's going to taste pretty bland. If you're going to skip the nutritional yeast, I'd suggest going with this recipe: https://norecipes.com/vegan-french-onion-dip/ which gets a lot of umami from the caramelized onions and cashew nuts. As for the temperature it would be fine cold.

      Reply
  2. Connie says

    January 26, 2024 at 8:43 am

    5 stars
    My non-vegan guests are always impressed when I make this.

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      January 27, 2024 at 6:16 pm

      Thanks Connie, it's a party favorite around our household too!

      Reply
  3. Nadine says

    February 22, 2022 at 12:41 am

    5 stars
    SO good! Loving all the tips in the comments. Thanks for this recipe Marc.

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      February 22, 2022 at 10:46 am

      Thanks Nadine😀

      Reply
  4. Michelle says

    December 04, 2021 at 4:11 am

    5 stars
    Amazing. My boyfriend and I loved this recipe !

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      December 05, 2021 at 12:20 am

      I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting me know!

      Reply
  5. Ana says

    March 17, 2021 at 12:16 am

    5 stars
    I've never tried the original style of spinach dip, so I have nothing to compare it too, but this is divine!

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      March 17, 2021 at 9:13 am

      Glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for dropping by to let me know!

      Reply
  6. Beth says

    March 13, 2021 at 7:09 am

    5 stars
    This recipe kicks ass! We make it with chopped, frozen spinach (thawed) instead of fresh because it's just faster. And for the cashews, what I like to do is grind them in a coffee grinder (that I reserve only for flax seed and cashew grinding) and it goes in very fast and easy (no soaking!). I use an immersible blender (hand blender) and that way it never gets stuck, and I don't have to add any liquids. We also add chopped artichoke hearts (from a can, in water, no oil). We use it as a dip, or to make stuffed shells covered in tomato sauce, and even as a filler in lasagna! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this dip. It's AMAZING!

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      March 15, 2021 at 11:37 am

      Hi Beth I'm so glad to hear you've been enjoying this, and thanks so much for all the great suggestions! I'd never really thought of using this as a filling, but it totally makes sense. Have you tried my onion dip? https://norecipes.com/vegan-french-onion-dip/

      Reply
      • Beth says

        April 20, 2023 at 7:32 am

        5 stars
        The onion dip looks amazing. We'll definitely be trying it next. Thank you! I forgot to add that we've been sprinkling smoked paprika on the Spinach dip. It really adds a great flavor when it's smoked .. just when I thought this dish couldn't get any better!

        Reply
        • Marc Matsumoto says

          April 20, 2023 at 10:52 am

          Thanks Beth! Such a great idea to use smoked paprika, I bet it adds a nice meaty depth to the dip.

          Reply
  7. Beth says

    December 19, 2020 at 8:42 pm

    We absolutely LOVE this dip. We've made it as a dip, and also to stuff pasta shells (and then cover with tomato sauce). We add sliced artichoke hearts, and we use chopped frozen spinach instead of fresh for convenience (thawed and I squeeze out as much water as I can). We've had non-vegan guests ask for the recipe. It's AWESOME!

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      December 19, 2020 at 8:58 pm

      Hi Beth, I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying this, thanks so much for letting me know! I love your idea of stuffing it into pasta, I'm going to have to try that next time!

      Reply
  8. Melissa Frye says

    October 15, 2020 at 3:54 am

    5 stars
    I've made this several times and it is GREAT!! I've made it with frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry) and its just as good. As for substitutes for soy and nutritional yeast, I'd say find some other spinach dip recipe? This is just perfect for my dietary peculiarities!

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      October 15, 2020 at 10:18 pm

      Hi Melissa, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  9. Dorothy Gallardo says

    December 07, 2019 at 11:45 am

    Would it be ok to bake inside 1 tube of refrigerated pizza crust

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      December 09, 2019 at 12:50 pm

      Hi Dorothy, thanks a super interesting idea. I'd never really thought about it, but I guess it would end up kind of like a Calzone. Let me know how it goes if you try it out!

      Reply
  10. Tanvi says

    November 30, 2019 at 8:22 pm

    What is the use of nutritional yeast and apple cider vinegar in this recipe?

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      December 01, 2019 at 11:27 am

      Hi Tanvi, nutritional yeast has a taste similar to cheese and it contains loads of amino acids that give the dip an umami-rich taste. Cheese on the other hand is naturally acidic (that's what gives cheddar it's sharp taste), the cider vinegar mimics the tartness of cheese. I hope that helps.

      Reply
  11. Terry J says

    November 20, 2019 at 9:08 am

    Do you have to use Tofu? Any substitutes?

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      November 21, 2019 at 8:30 am

      Hi Terry, it's a core part of this recipe which lends creaminess and umami to the dish. You could create a new recipe using other ingredients, but I don't know of a 1:1 substitute.

      Reply
  12. Linda says

    December 07, 2016 at 2:19 pm

    This needed some work. More nutritional yeast, some of Myoko's farmhouse cheese, some lemon juice, chipotle and berbere spice. Really need more flavor.

    Reply
  13. Marc Matsumoto says

    November 22, 2016 at 12:15 am

    Hi Mary, I haven't tried to completely cool and reheat this so I'm not 100% sure, but I think someone left a comment once that they did this and it turned out okay.

    Reply
  14. Mary says

    November 21, 2016 at 7:15 pm

    Hi Marc, I am really looking forward to making this recipe! Can I make this a day ahead of time and then reheat it in the microwave?

    Reply
  15. Marc Matsumoto says

    November 09, 2016 at 2:26 pm

    Hi Yasmeen, thanks for the note. You could probably do this with soaked and pureed raw cashews.

    Reply
  16. Yasmeen Wilcox says

    November 09, 2016 at 3:43 am

    This looks amazing! My only question is, my sister does not eat soy, is there anything I could possibly substitute the tofu with?

    Reply
  17. Marc Matsumoto says

    August 03, 2016 at 3:39 am

    Glad to hear you enjoyed it Emma!

    Reply
  18. Emma says

    August 03, 2016 at 1:35 am

    It turned out amazing, Marc! I ended up using white beans instead of tofu and adding lemon juice and artichoke hearts. It freezes beautifully and was a huge hit. Thank you so much for the recipe and answering all my questions, I can't wait to browse more around your blog.

    Reply
  19. Emma says

    July 19, 2016 at 5:00 pm

    Thanks Marc! I might try substituting garbanzo beans and coconut milk, as suggested by a few folks in the comment thread, to help with the freezing issue. I need to be able to make stuff today to be thawed and reheated over the weekend for my birthday camping trip. I'll be sure to use the stove to reheat it, and let you know how it goes. I'm so excited to try this recipe!

    Reply
    • Marc Matsumoto says

      July 19, 2016 at 5:07 pm

      Good luck Emma, and Happy Birthday!

      --
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      Website: https://norecipes.com
      Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/norecipes/
      Twitter: https://twitter.com/norecipes
      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoRecipesSite/
      ---------------------------------------------------------------

      Reply
  20. Emma says

    July 19, 2016 at 4:50 pm

    Do you think I could freeze this, then thaw and reheat in a cast iron over a fire? Looking for ideas for a camping trip!

    Reply
  21. Marc Matsumoto says

    July 19, 2016 at 4:48 pm

    Hi Emma, there's a couple areas that would worry me. Tofu tends to separate when you freeze it, so the defrosted dip may end up "spongy" with pockets of water where the ice defrosts. Also I would not recommend reheating it over a campfire because the bottom will likely burn before the top was fully reheated.

    Reply
  22. Emma says

    July 19, 2016 at 4:41 pm

    Do you think I could freeze this and reheat it in a cast iron? I'm on the hunt for camping ideas!

    Reply
  23. Emma says

    July 19, 2016 at 4:41 pm

    Do you think I could freeze this, then thaw and reheat in a cast iron over a fire? Looking for ideas for a camping trip!

    Reply
  24. Marc Matsumoto says

    March 23, 2016 at 1:28 am

    Hi Peg, are you using the print button at the top right corner of the recipe? This should give you a printable version of the recipe. If so, can you please send me a more detailed account of what's happening as well as the web browser name and version so I can report it as a bug?

    Reply
  25. Peg Gardner says

    March 22, 2016 at 6:10 pm

    How come your recipes will not print out?.

    Reply
  26. Marc Matsumoto says

    February 12, 2016 at 2:04 am

    Hi Ina, cups are a volumetric unit (i.e. for liquids only), and grams/ounces/pounds/etc are a unit of mass (for everything that's not a liquid). You cannot accurately measure things like tofu and spinach in cups because they can't be poured into a measuring cup (there is air between the pieces of food). I know a lot of recipes in the US use cups for everything, but this is a sure way to have recipes go wrong because the amount of the ingredient you add will vary from time to time and from person to person. Please go and buy a cheap digital scale (they only cost about $10).

    Reply
  27. Ina says

    February 11, 2016 at 5:46 pm

    What's the grams to cups comparison for tofu and spinach?

    Reply
  28. Karl Keene says

    November 22, 2015 at 3:31 am

    A bit of white miso would impart a good flavor, or instead of apple cider vinegar, use the same amount of sauerkraut juice. It has lactic acid, which gives that twang of being cultured. My wife makes vegan cheese, and these are two ingredients she uses for culturing.

    Reply
  29. Kayla says

    August 27, 2015 at 11:27 am

    I made this last night. It was fantastic! I used a carton of firm silken tofu, doubled the fresh garlic, sauteed the veggies in a touch of water instead of oil, added 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, used about 1 tsp salt, fresh ground black pepper to taste, added around 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice, and I used a bag of frozen spinach which was around 230 grams after defrosting and squeezing the liquid out.

    My husband and I loved this recipe. Next time we will leave out the water chestnuts since we don't really care for the crunch factor. I made some homemade baguettes, steamed carrots and broccoli, and had some fresh honeydew melon for dessert. It was a tasty and light meal 🙂 Thanks for a great recipe inspiration!

    Reply
  30. Kayla says

    August 26, 2015 at 9:06 pm

    Does this recipe use refrigerated Tofu in water or the shelf-stable silken-tofu?

    Reply
  31. erica says

    May 06, 2015 at 12:43 pm

    This was delicious! My boyfriend and I aren't vegan, so we added a cup of sharp cheddar as well as tabasco. We also served it with garlic naan, which added some nice flavour.

    Reply
  32. Debbie says

    April 21, 2015 at 8:07 pm

    Thank you so much chef!! =) I will definitely try it! Everything that you made just look amazingly yummy!

    Reply
  33. Marc Matsumoto says

    April 21, 2015 at 7:15 pm

    Thanks Debbie! I have both Bob's Red Mill and Braggs in my pantry, don't really have a preference between the two.

    Reply
  34. Debbie says

    April 21, 2015 at 6:46 pm

    It looks amazing! Which brand of nutritional yeast do you use?

    Reply
  35. lumi lammas says

    March 27, 2015 at 1:10 am

    This is amazingly delicious! I added a can of artichoke hearts, and left out the garlic as it upsets my stomach. I made it the night before a party, and it was all I could do not to just eat it all up myself.

    Reply
  36. Marc Matsumoto says

    March 18, 2015 at 9:57 am

    Hi Brigette, they're there mostly for texture so any think crunchy/crispy will work like lotus root, jicama, or celery.

    Reply
  37. Brigette Liberty says

    March 18, 2015 at 6:17 am

    Anything to sub the water chestnuts, Marc?
    Really keen on trying this - looks cray-mazing!

    Reply
  38. Marc Matsumoto says

    March 08, 2015 at 10:37 am

    Hi Wen, if you're not vegan, why not make my regular spinach dip: https://norecipes.com/tofu-spinach-artichoke-dip/

    Reply
  39. Wen says

    March 07, 2015 at 12:03 am

    If I am not vegan, what's a good cheese to use as a substitute for the yeast?

    Reply
  40. Sarah says

    March 01, 2015 at 6:25 pm

    Thanks for the reply! That makes sense! I'll just wait until i get to the store to get the nutritional yeast 🙂

    Reply
  41. sara says

    February 26, 2015 at 12:53 pm

    White beans are what I use.

    Reply
  42. Marc Matsumoto says

    February 25, 2015 at 11:29 pm

    Hi Sarah, the purpose of the nutritional yeast is to give the dip a cheese flavor. Flax does not taste like cheese. I can't think of a vegan product that comes as close to tasting like cheese as nutritional yeast, but if you know of something I'd love to hear about it.

    Reply
  43. Sarah says

    February 25, 2015 at 9:02 pm

    Hi- what if i don't have nutritional yeast? Could Flax be substituted or something else? If so, same quantity?

    thanks~

    Reply
  44. Crystal says

    February 25, 2015 at 7:24 am

    Okay, thanks for replying!

    Reply
  45. Marc Matsumoto says

    February 25, 2015 at 12:12 am

    Hi Marilyn, you could in theory make this with mostly cashew nuts, but it's going to be extremely rich. You could increase the amount of spinach to offset some of this ,but it may not be quite as dippable.

    Reply
  46. Marilyn says

    February 24, 2015 at 5:18 pm

    My Dr has me off of soy, any substitutes?

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      February 26, 2021 at 7:38 am

      I just don’t like soy so I’m planning to use 200 grams of cashews and 300 grams of chick peas or white beans. I was also thinking of trying cauliflower as a sub for the tofu. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  47. Marc Matsumoto says

    February 21, 2015 at 11:18 pm

    Hi Crystal, I'm going to assume you're allergic to all tree-nuts? If so, you could substitute extra tofu for the cashews and increase the amount of nutritional yeast. It's not going to be quite as rich or creamy but should be pretty good none-the-less.

    Reply
  48. Crystal says

    February 21, 2015 at 9:34 pm

    I'm allergic to cashews is there an alternative?

    Reply
    • Henry says

      November 21, 2020 at 6:41 am

      Sunflower seeds! Soak and use exactly the sane way you would cashews

      Reply
  49. Darla DaSilva says

    February 20, 2015 at 3:42 am

    I've been on Pinterest for a while and I think you may be borderline genius

    Reply
  50. Marc Matsumoto says

    February 02, 2015 at 12:53 am

    Hi Sarah, glad to hear you enjoyed and great idea on the chipotle powder and lemon!

    Reply
  51. Sarah says

    February 01, 2015 at 8:50 pm

    I made this a couple weeks ago and it was a hit so I'm making it for a Super Bowl party tonight. I also added lemon and more paprika and a little chipotle powder. I just used baby spinach and did not pre-cook it at all. Worked out great! Can't wait to have this again tonight! Thanks so much for the recipe!!

    Reply
  52. Marc Matsumoto says

    January 31, 2015 at 3:33 am

    Hi Morgan, to be honest I don't know what will happen. It seems like a good idea in theory but there is definitely a possibility it will set. If you end up trying it let us know how it goes.

    Reply
  53. Morgan says

    January 30, 2015 at 10:10 pm

    I was thinking on making this for Super Bowl. Could I cook in an electric fondue pot so I can transport it warm to a party? Or if it sits in a warmer will it solidify? Thank you -Morgan

    Reply
  54. Jaye @willandjaye says

    January 26, 2015 at 1:39 pm

    I did. He's actually asked me to make it at least twice now!

    Reply
  55. Marc Matsumoto says

    January 18, 2015 at 11:51 pm

    Hahaha, glad to hear you enjoyed. Did you eventually tell him what he was eating?

    Reply
  56. Jaye @willandjaye says

    January 18, 2015 at 1:33 pm

    I just made a small batch of this dip to give it a shot. It was delicious and my husband didn't even realize it was vegan. Thank you!

    Reply
  57. Marc Matsumoto says

    January 06, 2015 at 9:32 am

    Hi Daisy, it's funny you mention baking this because I actually originally planned to bake it, but baking it solidifies the tofu so it ends up being like a quiche or frittata (still delicious, but not really a dip). Doing it on the stove allows you to heat it up without rendering it undipable.

    Reply
  58. Daisy says

    January 05, 2015 at 2:21 pm

    Anyone try baking this after mixing it all together? Love to use one of my pretty "hot dip" dishes. If so how did it work out and what was the temp/time?

    Reply
  59. Marc Matsumoto says

    January 05, 2015 at 6:05 am

    Hi Laura, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed this, love your additions and great call on the artichoke. I actually wanted to include artichoke, but they are very hard to find here in Japan and cost a fortune (like $15 for a small jar) which is why I skipped them.

    Reply
  60. Laura says

    January 05, 2015 at 2:14 am

    This was wonderful! I could not believe how easy it was. I would love to add artichoke to this, since my family is used to spinach artichoke dip. I did add some things.
    I added water to help thin it out a bit since it was very thick. I also added these flavor enhancers: extra paprika, extra garlic, lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon, a dash or so of cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.

    Reply
    • Clive Brown says

      May 30, 2019 at 3:16 am

      I am going to try the nutmeg. Good idea

      Reply
  61. Kirah Shaw says

    December 23, 2014 at 4:11 pm

    Made this and though it was gross.... or atleast not a good as i excepted. Debating on serving this to my non vegan guests. don't want to shy them away from veganism with this dish...

    Reply
  62. claudia says

    December 11, 2014 at 6:55 pm

    mmmmm...... absolutly easy and ..DELICIOUS! Thank you!

    Reply
  63. A says

    December 07, 2014 at 8:38 pm

    Try cauliflower purée!

    Reply
  64. SeaBean30 says

    November 30, 2014 at 9:48 pm

    Loved the inspiration this recipe gave me... I didn't have tofu so I used garbanzo beans instead of the tofu... and it is delicious!! I can only imagine what it would taste like if it was with the silken tofu instead but grateful for the garbanzo substitute!
    Thanks Marc!

    Reply
  65. Marc Matsumoto says

    November 22, 2014 at 4:23 am

    Hi Monica, tried this with a different type of tofu (the boxed kind as opposed to flat plastic cartons) yesterday and the blender wouldn't spin without more liquid. Good call on the coconut milk. I also added garlic to my batch yesterday and it was kind of awesome, so I'm updating the recipe.

    Reply
  66. Monica says

    November 22, 2014 at 12:55 am

    Made this, here are my thoughts:
    I had to add coconut milk to make it creamier.
    Needed some salt for sure.
    Next time I would add garlic.
    The smoked paprika totally made the dish!
    Overall it's pretty darn good. I recommend the roasted garlic triscuts for dipping.

    Reply
  67. Marc Matsumoto says

    November 20, 2014 at 2:47 am

    Hi Marie, nope, it's not necessary and is more for presentation. That said, please be sure to use a heavy bottomed pan as you want the pan to heat evenly so it does not burn.

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      December 22, 2021 at 3:11 am

      5 stars
      Would a glass dish work or is that to light?

      Reply
      • Marc Matsumoto says

        December 22, 2021 at 9:21 am

        Hi Ashley, you'd want to do the steps up to #9 in a pan, but you could transfer the mixture to an oven-safe glass dish and then heat it up in the oven.

        Reply
  68. Marie B. says

    November 19, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    Do you have to use a cast iron skillet?

    Reply
  69. Marc Matsumoto says

    November 12, 2014 at 1:12 am

    Hi Karina, you could prep the veggies ahead of time and the blended sauce ahead of time, but I wouldn't recommend combining and cooking until you are ready to serve it. Once combined it will be difficult to reheat. Also, the texture kind of solidifies as it cools so while it still tastes good, it turns into more of a spread than a dip.

    Reply
  70. Karina says

    November 11, 2014 at 2:24 pm

    Does this need to be served hot or is it ok to make a day ahead?

    Reply
  71. sdsds says

    November 10, 2014 at 8:36 am

    yummie!!!

    Reply
  72. Marc Matsumoto says

    November 04, 2014 at 11:42 pm

    HI Kerrie, you could make it with just tofu, but it will not be as rich.

    Reply
  73. Kerrie says

    November 04, 2014 at 5:45 pm

    Allergic to nuts....any replacements?

    Reply
  74. Katie says

    November 04, 2014 at 5:29 pm

    Great recipe, my non vegan family even enjoyed it. I would love to have the nutrition info per serving for this recipe if available. Thanks!

    Reply
  75. Marc Matsumoto says

    October 24, 2014 at 11:41 pm

    Hi Wendy, glad to hear you've been enjoying this! Hope your midterms went well:-)

    Reply
  76. Wendy says

    October 24, 2014 at 9:19 pm

    Dear Marc, you have done it again. Thank you for the amazing recipe! This was my fuel over midterms week when I was consumed with exams and had no time to cook; then I made it again this week because it is super delicious! I like that the recipe is nutritious yet doesn't compromise the flavor. And as always, I appreciate the fantastic expressions in your writing 🙂

    Reply
  77. Rebekah says

    October 22, 2014 at 8:58 pm

    Just made this. I substituted sunflower seeds for cashews. It was a little bland at first so I added about 2 Tbsp of lemon juice and lots more paprika. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS. Thanks, this one's a keeper!!

    Reply
  78. Marc Matsumoto says

    October 18, 2014 at 11:54 am

    Kinda tough to compare. They both have their merits. You can eat a lot of this one without feeling too guilty, but if you're asking if it tastes like a full cheese full mayo spinach dip, then no, not quite the same.

    Reply
  79. Herr Yamamoto says

    October 18, 2014 at 9:25 am

    Do you prefer the vegan or the other version?

    Reply
  80. Marc Matsumoto says

    October 08, 2014 at 12:55 am

    Hi Tata, waterchestnuts have almost no taste, but they have a crisp texture. The reason why they are added here are for texture, not taste. Leaving them out won't effect the taste, but I would recommend putting in something else crisp (like celery) for the texture.

    Reply
  81. tata says

    October 07, 2014 at 8:39 pm

    is water chestnuts a must have? can you omit it and still taste ok?

    Reply
Marc Matsumoto

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