vegan spinach dip
This is a classic spinach dip just like you remember but now made vegan - and way healthier - with a couple of swaps!
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- 10 oz / 300g frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained of excess water (about 1 packed cup)
- 8 oz / 225g medium-firm tofu, drained & pressed of excess moisture (about 1 cup crumbled)
- 1 zucchini, peeled & roughly chopped (about 1 heaping cup)
- 2 onions, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ C unsweetened nondairy milk
- 2 tablespoon dehydrated minced onion
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
- 1 round loaf of pumpernickel or sourdough bread
- carrot sticks
- celery sticks
- red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Instructions
- To drain the thawed spinach of excess water squeeze it in a fine mesh sieve then break up by hand into a large mixing bowl.
- To drain the tofu of excess moisture squeeze it through a nut milk bag. You could also use a fine mesh sieve, double layer of cheesecloth, or tofu press. Then add it to a high-powered blender.
- In a pan over medium heat sauté zucchini with vegetable oil, onions, and garlic cloves for 12 to 14 minutes until everything is softened and lightly caramelized and golden brown. Lower heat as necessary so nothing burns. Let this mixture cool down so it's not so hot going in the blender.
- Once cooled, add the sautéed veg to the blender with tofu, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, onion powder, garlic powder, ground pepper, and non-dairy milk. Blend on high until completely smooth.
- Pour this into the mixing bowl with the spinach and add dehydrated minced onion, fresh dill, chives, and parsley and stir to combine well.
- When ready to serve, prepare the bread bowl by cutting a circle out of the top of the loaf on an angle. Remove the top and use your hands to remove the bread inside creating a bowl. Cut the excess pieces into large chunks for dipping.
- Add more salt to taste to the dip, if desired, once chilled. Add the dip inside the bread bowl and serve immediately with the extra bread and veggie sticks of your choice for dipping.
Notes
Depending on how warm the dip feels after you blend it, you can refrigerate it for at least 1 hour before serving. You might like it right out of the blender also, or make it the night before serving to really develop flavors.
