Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip

This post is sponsored by Mahatma Rice, but all opinions are my own.

Full of hidden veggies, this Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip is the ultimate snack. It’s perfect for movie night with the girls or a March Madness viewing party with your friends.

 Snack Night

I’m a total snackaholic. Sunday nights are usually snack night in my house. I like to put together a big cheese platter or a cook up a creamy dip to serve with cut vegetables while Dennis and I are watching Sunday night television. Recently, I wanted to change this up a little, as we’d had the same a snacks a few weeks in a row. I was craving something with spinach and cheese, and I had some Mahatma Jasmine Rice in the pantry, so I set about concocting something yummy. It may seem strange to put rice in a dip, but I recently discovered that it is indeed a thing! Think of it a savory rice pudding.

Mahatma Jasmine Rice

I’ve used Mahatma Jasmine Rice in my dip. I love that it cooks up quickly and is extremely versatile. It pairs well with Asian flavors, but it also works well in fusion dishes. It fills your kitchen with a delicate Jasmine aroma when cooking, and it has a deliciously delicate flavor. It’s moist and tender, and it remains soft when it’s chilled, so it’s a great choice for dips.

 Mahatma Jasmine Rice

• Is a long grain exotic rice imported from Thailand
• Is Non-GMO Project Verified
• Is Certified Gluten-Free
• Is all natural – there are no additives

Look for Mahatma Jasmine Rice at a store near you and try it for yourself!

Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip

No one will ever guess that this Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip is loaded with vegetables! To make it, I’ve boiled carrots, cauliflower, a sweet potato, and a little bit of sweet onion until they’re soft. I then blended them together with seasonings until it’s smooth, creamy, and cheese-like. The vegetables boil for the same amount of time that the rice takes to cook, so there is little time spent waiting around in the kitchen.

 Once the rice is cooked and the sauce is ready, they get folded together with defrosted frozen spinach. I’ve used frozen spinach because it’s easier to use in dips than fresh. If you do prefer fresh, give it a quick sauté before mixing into the dip. It all gets baked together until hot and bubbly.

Paired with crackers, tortilla chips, or cut vegetables Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip is a great snack, but it also makes a terrific light meal!

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Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip

Full of hidden veggies, this Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip is the ultimate snack. It’s perfect for movie night with girls or a March Madness viewing party with your friends.

Author Dianne

Ingredients

• 1 cup Mahatma Jasmine Rice
• 1½ cups water
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups chopped cauliflower
• ½ cup raw cashews
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 10- ounce package frozen spinach, thawed, well-drained, and chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Cook the Mahatma Jasmine Rice in the water according to the package instructions.
3. While the rice is cooking, place the carrots, onion, sweet potato, cauliflower and cashews in a large pot. Fill it with enough water to cover the vegetables plus about two inches.
4. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender.

5. Drain the vegetables and save the water. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly and then place them in a high-speed blender or food processor along with the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and cayenne. Add 2 cups of the reserved cooking water and blend until smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if the mixture is too thick. Keep in mind that it will thicken when it’s heated.

6. Poor the mixture into a small casserole dish. Gently fold in the cooked rice and the chopped spinach.
7. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Serve hot with crackers, tortilla chips, or cut vegetables.

If you enjoyed this Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip, you might also like:

• Buffalo Chickpea Dip
• Roasted Garlic Hummus
• Vegan Five Layer Dip