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Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip

March 12, 2018 By Dianne 14 Comments

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Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip overhead with text overlay

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

Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip (dairy-free and gluten-free)  data-src=

Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip

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.

No one will ever guess that this cheesy spinach dip is loaded with vegetables! Paired with crackers, tortilla chips, or cut vegetables it’s a great snack, but because it’s so nutritious, you can also serve it as a light meal!

bowl of Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip with bag of Mahatama rice, carrot sticks, and celery 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 Mahatma Jasmine Rice is:

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

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

Mahatma rice with bowl of dip

Bowl of dip overhead with chips, carrot sticks, and celery How to Make Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip

This dip is easy to make! 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.

  • First you boil carrots, cauliflower, a sweet potato, and a little bit of sweet onion until they’re soft.
  • While the vegetables are boiling, you cook the rice according the package’s instructions.
  • Then you blend them together with seasonings until it’s smooth, creamy, and cheese-like. 
  • Once the rice is cooked and the sauce is ready, you just fold them together with the spinach.
  • Finally, you pour the mixture into a baking dish and bake it for half an hour in a 400° oven until it’s hot and bubbly.

Then just serve and snack!

Dipping a chip into Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip

I’ve used frozen spinach in this recipe because it’s easier to use in dips than fresh. Defrost it in your fridge overnight and squeeze as much water out of it as possible. I like to use my TofuXpress to drain my spinach. You can also place it in a colander and place something heavy on top of it/ If you do prefer fresh spinach, give it a quick sauté before mixing into the dip. 

close up of bowl of dip with chips

Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip
Print

Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip

Full of hidden veggies, this Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip is the ultimate snack. Serve it hot with chips or carrot sticks

Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword rice and spinach dip, spinach dip, vegan spinach dip
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Yields 10 servings
Calories 176 kcal
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.

Dip in baking dish overhead with carrots and celery More dip recipes you might enjoy include:

  • Buffalo Chickpea Dip
  • Spinach Artichoke Dip
  • Everything but the Bagel Dip
  • Roasted Garlic Hummus
  • Vegan Five Layer Dip

Vegan Cheesy Rice and Spinach Dip with chips - square

 

Filed Under: Vegan Appetizers and Snacks, Vegan Recipes Tagged With: carrots, cashews, cauliflower, gluten-free, rice, spinach, sweet potato, vegan cheese

About Dianne

Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

Previous Post: « Vegan Shepherd’s Pie Baked Potatoes
Next Post: Vegan Irish Stew »

Reader Interactions

   

Comments

  1. Becky Striepe says

    March 12, 2018 at 10:42 AM

    Oh what a great idea to add rice to spinach dip. I bet it gives it a really cool texture.

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      March 12, 2018 at 10:45 AM

      Thank you, Becky!

      Reply
  2. Sarah De la Cruz says

    March 12, 2018 at 5:15 PM

    Ooh, I love the way you explained that it’s a savory rice pudding. Super cool! I am with you—I love snacking, though I usually skew sweet! This will be a good one for my savory husband! I’m going to keep an eye out for that brand of rice! Love that it is non GMO!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      March 13, 2018 at 9:22 AM

      Thank you, Sarah! I hope your husband likes it!

      Reply
  3. Susan says

    March 12, 2018 at 10:53 PM

    Oh wow, this looks like it would be SO GOOD! I have never seen rice in a dip before, I don’t think, but it makes sense. Definitely putting this on the list!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      March 13, 2018 at 9:21 AM

      Thank you, Susan! I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  4. Sarah says

    March 14, 2018 at 12:01 PM

    I love how veggie-packed this is. Looks incredible!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      March 14, 2018 at 6:46 PM

      Thank you, Sarah!

      Reply
  5. Cadry says

    March 16, 2018 at 8:09 AM

    I love snacky meals like this too! Why wait for a party to have all of the best food, right?

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      March 16, 2018 at 10:40 AM

      Exactly!

      Reply
  6. KB says

    April 4, 2018 at 11:10 AM

    Love this! Can’t wait to make it!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 4, 2018 at 2:07 PM

      Thank you, KB! I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  7. Kristin says

    April 9, 2018 at 1:10 PM

    yum! i feel like i’d just want to eat this straight up as a meal!

    Reply
    • Dianne says

      April 10, 2018 at 10:11 AM

      Thank you, Kristin! I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

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Dianne Wenz

Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz and I am a Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, Plant-Based Chef, and cookbook author. I offer group and individual nutrition and lifestyle coaching programs to people across the U.S., and I teach cooking classes in Northern New Jersey. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

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