Mushroom Spinach Dip is thick and creamy with sautéed mushrooms, onions and spinach, lots of garlic and a hint of rosemary. It’s all covered in a rich cashew cream that’s dairy-free and vegan and sure to be a hit at your game day or holiday party!
What’s the one item that’s always on your grocery list?
For us, it’s mushrooms. Okay, there are a few other staples on the list too. But I pick up mushrooms every time I go to the grocery store.
We go through A LOT of mushrooms. It’s one of the veggies my husband enjoys eating and I love their versatility. They’re great raw or cooked and go well in so many recipes.
And since we’re quickly approaching the holiday season, I thought I would get started a little early and share this easy warm mushroom dip with you. It’s rich and garlicky, and works as an appetizer for a dinner party or as a snack with some holiday cocktails.
This dip is also on the healthier side. It’s made with one pound of cremini mushrooms and three cups of spinach! So, it’s not only tasty but loaded with ‘good-for-you’ ingredients!
What are cremini mushrooms?
Cremini mushrooms (also spelled crimini) are brown in colour and have a similar shape to white mushrooms, but they have a firmer and meatier texture with an earthy flavour.
Adding cremini mushrooms (or any mushrooms) to your recipes is a great way to add fibre and nutrients such as vitamin D and minerals.
One of my favourite ways to use cremini mushrooms is to pair them with walnuts to create a vegetarian ‘ground meat’ that can be added to nachos and chilis.
And now I have another favourite way to use them – in this Mushroom Spinach Dip. It’s thick and creamy without dairy and comes together in just 30 minutes!
What you’ll need to make this Vegan Mushroom Spinach Dip:
- Cremini mushrooms
- Cashews and cashew milk
- Yellow onion
- Spinach
- Garlic
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut sugar
- Fresh rosemary
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
How to make this vegan cashew dip with mushrooms and spinach:
- Start by soaking your cashews in hot water for about 20-25 minutes. This will soften them a bit and make them easier to blend into a cream. While they’re soaking you can get started on the rest of the dip.
- Prep your mushrooms by gently rubbing the dirt off them with a paper towel. You can also wash them in cold water and pat them dry, but don’t do this too far in advance as the mushrooms will discolour.
- Slice your mushrooms into thick slices (about 1/2-inch thick). You should also take this time to slice your onion and mince or chop your garlic cloves.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and onions and stir them around to get some oil on them. The skillet will be full, but don’t worry, the mushrooms and onions will cook down. Cover and let cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms and onions have softened. The mixture will be a bit watery.
- Stir in the garlic, vinegar, sugar and rosemary. Increase the heat and sauté the mixture for a few minutes, or until the garlic has softened and the liquid in the pan has burned off. Stir frequently and be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Remove from heat, stir in the spinach and cover for a few minutes to let the spinach wilt.
- Meanwhile, drain your cashews and add them to a blender with some cashew milk, garlic and salt. Blend on high until thick and creamy.
- Once the spinach has wilted, add the cashew cream to the skillet and stir to combine. Serve and enjoy!
How to serve this creamy mushroom dip?
This mushroom dip is best served warm. You can either serve it straight from the skillet or you can scoop it out into a bowl or serving dish.
We love it with tortilla chips, crackers and pretzels, but you can also serve it with warm pitas, veggie sticks or bread.
I’ve also enjoyed this dip for lunch on a slice of toast!
How long will this mushroom spinach dip last? How should it be stored?
This mushroom spinach dip is best served warm, so I highly recommend serving it immediately.
If you have some leftover, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy it within a day or two. If a little liquid forms on the top of the dip, which often happens with homemade cashew dips, just give it a stir.
This dip doesn’t have the same texture when re-heated so any leftovers are best enjoyed cold.
Additional tips for making this Vegan Mushroom Dip:
- If you don’t have cremini mushrooms, you can use white mushrooms instead.
- This dip is thick and chunky. If you prefer it less chunky, you can chop your mushrooms and onions into smaller pieces. You can also use more cashew milk to thin out the cashew cream.
- I went a little heavy on the garlic in this dip, but if it’s too strong for you, just leave out a clove or two.
- If you don’t have fresh rosemary, you can substitute dried rosemary. Just reduce the amount to one-third as dried herbs are usually more potent than fresh.
- This recipe makes about three cups of dip and should serve about six people. So, if you’re making it for fewer people, you may wish to half the recipe.
- To keep this recipe vegan, make sure your balsamic vinegar is vegan. Some have added ingredients such as caramel and gelatin.
Pin this Mushroom Spinach Dip to make for your next party!
If you make this Mushroom Spinach Dip, I would love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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PrintMushroom Spinach Dip (Vegan Cashew Dip)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Canadian, American
Description
Mushroom Spinach Dip is thick and creamy with sautéed mushrooms, onions and spinach, lots of garlic and a hint of rosemary. It’s all covered in a rich cashew cream that’s dairy-free and vegan and sure to be a hit at your game day or holiday party!
Ingredients
For the cashew cream:
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 1 1/2 cups hot water
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cashew milk (or almond milk)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the mushroom mixture:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (1/2-inch thick)
- 1 medium-sized yellow onion, sliced or chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- 3 cups packed fresh spinach
Instructions
- Add the cashews and hot water to a glass dish or jar. Cover and let soak for 20-25 minutes. While you wait, start making the mushroom mixture.
- Add the oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and onions and reduce heat. The skillet will be full but the mushrooms and onions will cook down. Cover and let cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms and onions have softened. The mixture will be a bit watery.
- Stir in the garlic, sugar, vinegar and rosemary. Increase the heat to medium-high and sauté for a few minutes, or until the garlic has softened and the liquid in the skillet has burned off. Stir frequently and be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Remove from heat and stir in the spinach. Cover and let the spinach wilt for a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, drain your cashews and make the cashew cream. Add the cashews to a blender with the cashew milk, garlic and salt. Blend on high until thick and creamy.
- Once the spinach has wilted, add the cashew cream to the skillet and stir to combine. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have cremini mushrooms, you can use white mushrooms.
- This dip is thick and chunky. If you prefer it less chunky, chop your mushrooms and onions into smaller pieces and/or use more cashew milk when blending up the cashew cream.
- This dip is also very garlicky. If you’re not a fan of a lot of garlic, just leave out a clove or two.
- If you don’t have fresh rosemary, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary.
- To keep this recipe vegan, make sure your balsamic vinegar is vegan. Some have added ingredients such as caramel and gelatin.
- This recipe makes about three cups and will serve around 6 people. You may wish to half the recipe if you’re making it for fewer people.
- This dip is best served fresh and warm, so I don’t recommend making it ahead and re-heating it. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy cold within a day or two.
Yvonne Langen says
I used to absolutely loathe mushrooms but have slowly conditioned myself into liking them. A big part of the journey was discovering all the different types of mushrooms and all the different preparations. This mushroom spinach dip definitely makes mushrooms worthy of my love! Delicious Leanne.
Leanne says
Thanks Yvonne! There are so many delicious ways to prepare mushrooms!