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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Mushroom 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.
I’m always looking for new and unique appetizers to serve over the holidays — this dip is perfect! I love the use of cashews to make it nice and creamy, and nothing pairs better with creamy than mushrooms! Thank you!
Thanks Marieke! We’ll definitely be making it again a few times over the holidays!
Oh wow I’ve never had a mushroom dip before, how creative! My husband would absolutely love this. Lovely photos too!
Thanks so much Sasha!
This is an amazing combination of flavors. I love garlic, cashews, and mushrooms, so I was ready to try this the minute I saw the ingredient list. I was surprised that the flavor of the cashews isn’t really there. If I didn’t know that this was make with cashews, I would swear that there was cream in this recipe. It’s delicious, and goes together quickly. Definitely a good appetizer for the holidays, especially if you have vegans in your life.
Thanks so much Patti! I really love adding cashews to dips for added creaminess without the dairy!
What a gorgeous and delicious vegan dip option! I love how many nutrients are packed in, and how much flavor it has. This is SUCH a perfect idea for the holidays with many of my friends loving vegan options!
Thanks Sara! I hope you get to try it!
This dip looks so incredibly creamy I can’t believe it’s vegan! I will definitely have to try this!
Thanks Kate! Hope you like it!
This dip is packed with so many of my favorite things! It’s absolutely delicious. That cashew cream is TO DIE FOR. Seriously good. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks so much Rebecca!
Mushrooms are so underrated! I use them in so many things but have never made a dip with them before. My vegan friends will love me forever for sharing this with them too!
Thanks Jacqui! Hope your friends enjoy the dip!
I have a complicated relationship with mushrooms. I grew up loathing them, but discovered the diversity of them in my adult years and fell in love with many types other than button/crimini. Now I’m coming around and trying to embrace more mushrooms in my diet – but I often still struggle with texture. But this recipe is just all kinds of amazing, and the different flavours you’ve got going on here work so well with mushrooms. I’d personally be curious to try it blended up into a smooth dip – but then, maybe that’s just my childhood self talking (can’t pick out the mushrooms if they’re blended in, lol). In any case, you’ve got an awesome recipe here. Thanks for sharing it!
Thanks Sean! I like your idea of blending them up into a smooth dip. I’ll have to try that some time!
Oh yum – you had me at “cashew cream”! But then you sealed the deal with those cremini mushrooms and 3 cups (WOW – 3 cups!!) of spinach! So much nutrition, and so much wonderful flavor – this is such an exciting recipe idea! Perfect timing for the holidays, too – with so many naughty treats tempting us from every corner during the holidays, it’s always so nice to have some delicious options that you can actually feel good about! Thank you!
Thanks Shelley! I totally agree!
I was looking for a vegan dip to serve during the holidays, so I made this one to test it out… it’s perfect! Will definitely be making it again for guests this hoilday season!
Thanks Candice! So glad you liked it!
I’m so excited to try this. I love a good spinach dip, and I also LOVE mushrooms, so throwing the two together is exactly my kind of dish!
Hope you love it Kristen! Thank you!
I love mushroom dip but I haven’t made one since being dairy free. This looks so yummy with all the garlic and rosemary, Leanne. It would be perfect for the holidays!
Thank you Kim!
We are huge mushroom fans and this dip looks insanely delicious! I love everything about it, especially the addition of rosemary, which to me, is always perfect with mushrooms. Can’t wait to try. Pinning
Thank you! Hope you get to make it soon. And we’re huge mushroom fans too!
I see mushrooms and spinach, so I’m sold. I haven’t made a homemade dip like this in a long time.
Hope you get a chance to make it Ben!
We love mushrooms and this dip looks delicious!
Thanks Colleen!
Such a great way to use healthy mushrooms! Love that you’ve made it dairy-free! Perfect for entertaining for those of us (and our guests) with food sensitivities!
Thanks Elaine!
Absolutely great. Sharing ….. Enjoy your day !
Thanks!
This mushroom dip is all I need to make my boys happy! They love mushrooms and have been asking me to make something different than the curry I make. I will be making this soon. So delicious and simple to make as well. Thanks for the recipe!
That’s awesome that your boys love mushrooms. I hope they enjoy this dip! Thank you!