These Mini Vegan Spinach, Artichoke, and Sun-Dried Tomato Cups are a delicious appetizer. A rich, creamy filling meets the tangy sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes, all tucked into flaky crescent dough for a savory and satisfying bite.
Artichoke dip is always a hit, but when you bake it into a mini golden, crispy shell, suddenly, dipping bread becomes an afterthought.
If you’re searching for a crowd-pleasing vegan appetizer for a holiday party, game day, or any gathering year-round, these bite-sized cups are a fantastic option. They are easy to make and bring the classic flavors of the classic dip into a fun, portable treat everyone will love.
My original vegan spinach artichoke dip uses cashews, but this version? We’re taking the easy route with store-bought vegan sour cream and cream cheese. The result is a creamy, dreamy goodness in a flash. These products are so sneaky-good that no one will know they’re vegan. And bonus - most of the dough is “accidentally vegan,” even though the brands don’t brag about it!
For other appetizers, try Vegan Caprese Salad Skewers, Grilled Vegan Kebabs, or Easy Vegan Pizza Rolls.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Recipe Ingredients
- Ingredient Notes
- Are There Any Alternatives To Crescent Rolls?
- How To Make Mini Vegan Spinach Artichoke and Sund-Dred Tomato Cups
- Recipe Tips
- Serving Suggestions
- Variations and Additions
- Storage and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Vegan Appetizer Recipes You'll Love
- Recipe
- Craving More Nuts & Twigs?
- Comments
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect Party Appetizer: These bites are the ideal finger food for parties, potlucks, or gatherings. They’re easy to make, easy to eat, and always a crowd-pleaser.
- Vegan-Friendly: This recipe offers all the comforting, indulgent flavors of traditional spinach and artichoke dip in a vegan-friendly format, so everyone can enjoy.
- Creamy & Flavorful: The combination of spinach, artichoke, sun-dried tomatoes, and a vegan creamy filling bursts with flavor, all wrapped in flaky, golden crescent dough.
- Simple & Quick: This recipe comes together quickly and easily, using easy-to-use crescent rolls and a few more simple ingredients.
Recipe Ingredients
To make this easy and delicious vegan appetizer, you'll need the following ingredients. See the recipe card for quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Spinach - I use fresh or frozen. I've written the recipe with fresh spinach, but frozen spinach will work, too. Thaw and squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the frozen spinach to avoid soggy cups.
Crescent Rolls - Some brands contain dairy or eggs in the ingredients, so check out the label before purchasing. Pillsbury, Trader Joe's, Annies, and the Immaculate brand all have vegan crescent rolls, even though they are not labeled.
Vegan Sour Cream and Cream Cheese can be found in major grocery chains like Whole Foods. There are various brands that vary in flavor and texture, so make sure to try out the brands before including them in this recipe. For reference, I use the Violife sour cream and the Oatly cream cheese.
Are There Any Alternatives To Crescent Rolls?
I prefer the texture of the crescent rolls for these mini appetizers. They have
a light, bread-like texture with a slight flakiness, but alternatives exist. Each produces a unique and different texture in the cups than the recipe intended, but it can be used if you're in a pinch.
Pizza dough can be rolled thin and cut into squares for a much denser texture.
Pie crust gives a crumbly, buttery texture. It’s firm yet tender, offering a rich base that holds its shape well without overpowering the filling.
Finally, for a much crispier bite, wonton wrappers are easy to press into muffin trays and bake into crunchy cups.
I do not recommend using phyllo dough or puff pastry. When I use them in mini cups, they puff up too much, overshadowing the filling and causing the balance between the dough and the filling to be off.
How To Make Mini Vegan Spinach Artichoke and Sund-Dred Tomato Cups
This recipe comes together fast and is great for those last-minute guests. See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)
Step 1: In a large skillet, sauté onions in olive oil until soft and translucent. Then add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
Step 2: Add the fresh baby spinach and stir until well combined with the onions and garlic. Place a lid on the pan to wilt the spinach, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: Add the chopped artichokes and cook them until they have dried out well, about 5 minutes. We don't want too much moisture in the mix. Then add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another couple of minutes.
Step 4: In a medium-sized bowl, combine the vegan cream cheese, vegan sour cream, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix until smooth and well combined. Then add the spinach-artichoke mixture to the bowl and combine well. It should be creamy but not liquidy.
Step 5: Roll out the crescent rolls flat. Pinch together the perforated seams as well as you can. With a knife or pizza cutter, cut out 24 2-inch squares.
Step 6: Place the squares in the mini muffin tin. Nestle them in. There is no need to mold them in the holes; the filling will weigh them down a bit.
Step 7: Fill each with about a heaping teaspoon or so of the spinach mixture.
Step 8: Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown, then let them cool slightly for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack and serving.
Recipe Tips
- Ensure your artichokes are well-drained and dry to prevent a watery dip...we don't want soggy bottoms - it's not a good look in any situation, in cups or otherwise.
- Finely chop the artichokes and onions. This will help the filling stay compact and prevent it from spilling out of the dough. You can also chop the spinach since the stems sometimes stick out.
- Use a pizza slicer to cut the dough.
- Be careful not to overfill the dough squares. About a teaspoon of filling per square is usually enough.
- For an extra golden and crispy finish, lightly brush the tops of the bites with olive oil before baking. This is optional.
- You can prepare the filling and store it in the fridge until you can assemble and bake the cups.
- If you don’t have a mini muffin tray, you can cut the dough into 4-inch squares instead and use a regular muffin tray. Just bake them a bit longer, and you’ll end up with 12 larger servings rather than 24 mini bites.
- We want those bottoms golden and crispy, not soggy! After about 12 minutes, take a quick peek underneath to make sure they’re golden and cooked nicely.
Serving Suggestions
Arrange the bites on a platter with other appetizers, such as guacamole, mango habanero salsa, mango cucumber salsa, or vegan queso. Add a small bowl of marinara sauce, vegan ranch, or vegan aioli for dipping.
Variations and Additions
- Add vegan bacon bits to the mixture or as a topping on the cups.
- Top with vegan parmesan cheese when they are just out of the oven.
- Add cooked mushrooms, sautéed onions, or roasted peppers. Just make sure the mixture is not watery or liquidy to avoid the dreaded soggy bottoms.
Storage and Reheating
Storage:
- Refrigeration: Store any leftover bites in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay good for up to 1-2 days.
- Freezing: If you want to store them longer, you can freeze the bites. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer to freeze individually before transferring them to a freezer-safe container or bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Reheating:
- Oven: Reheat the bites in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes or until heated through and the pastry is crisp.
- Microwave: I do not recommend microwaving. They taste good, but their texture is soft and not fresh—not at their best.
- Toaster Oven or Air-Fryer: A toaster oven is a great option for reheating a few bites. Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for about 10 minutes. If using an air-fryer, reheat at 300°F (150°C) for about 5 minutes, depending on air fryer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Add ingredients like mushrooms, roasted red peppers, or vegan cheese shreds. Just be mindful of the moisture content of additional ingredients to avoid sogginess.
More Vegan Appetizer Recipes You'll Love
What did you think?
Got a minute? I'd love for you to dive into the comments and rate this Vegan Spinach, Artichoke, and Sun-Dried Tomato Cup recipe. Your feedback is invaluable—did you love it? Did you make any fun twists? Let me know how my directions worked for you so I can keep improving my recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
PrintRecipe
Mini Vegan Spinach, Artichoke, and Sun-Dried Tomato Cups
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Mini Vegan Spinach, Artichoke, and Sun-Dried Tomato Cups are a delicious appetizer. A rich, creamy filling meets the tangy sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes, all tucked into flaky crescent dough for a bite that’s both savory and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onions
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped (~5-ounce container)
- 1 cup canned or jarred artichoke hearts, drained, dried, and chopped
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (oil-packed, drained)
- ½ cup vegan cream cheese
- ¼ cup vegan sour cream
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 package crescent roll dough (vegan-friendly)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare the Filling: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and onions, sauté until soft and fragrant. Add chopped spinach and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add a lid to speed up the wilting. Stir in the chopped artichoke hearts and cook for about 5 minutes to dry out them out. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, combine vegan cream cheese, vegan sour cream, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Mix until smooth then add the the spinach-artichoke mixture and mix until well combined.
- Assemble the Bites: Unroll the crescent roll dough on a flat surface. Pinch the seams together as well as you can. Cut it into 2x2 inch squares using a knife or pizza cutter. Place each square into the individual cups of a mini muffin tray, gently pressing the dough down. There is no need to mold the dough to the cup; just lay it in it. Fill each dough cup with a heaping teaspoon of the dip mixture.
- Bake: Place the muffin tray in the preheated oven on the middle rack and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and puffy. Take a peek at the bottom of the cups to ensure they are as golden as the tops.
- Serve: Allow the bites to cool slightly before serving. They’re delicious served warm.
Equipment
Notes
I recommend using fresh spinach, but when using frozen spinach, you must remove excess water from the spinach. Wrap the thawed spinach in a few paper towels and give it a good squeeze to wring out the moisture.
Ensure the artichokes are well-drained—we don’t want soggy bottom cups.
Finely chop the artichokes and onions to keep the filling compact. You can do the same with spinach too so the stems don't stick out too much.
If you have a little extra mixture left over, it won't go to waste—it's delicious. Heat it, grab some pita chips, put on your favorite Netflix show, and enjoy your delicious dip.
Annie's, Immaculate Baking Company, Trader Joe's, and Pillsbury sell vegan crescent rolls even though they are not marked as such. However, not all crescent rolls are vegan, so always check the ingredients.
Bake the cups until the bottoms are golden and crispy. Check them at the 12-minute mark, and if they haven’t browned yet, give them a few more minutes to finish up.
Nutritional information is only an estimation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: appetizer
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 42
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 89 mg
- Fat: 3.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.6 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 4.9 mg
Susy says
I'm going to definitely make these soon, Reg!
Regi Pearce says
I hope you do! Let me know how it goes.