Healthy and easy vegan rice salad Mediterranean style. Contains 450 calories per serving, is all whole food plant based and a great meal prep option. This plant based rice salad is also gluten free and oil free.

You’ve got some cold rice leftovers. What could you make with it?

Sometimes, I like to use leftover rice to make rice pudding. But you can also use it to make some pretty delicious rice salad recipes.

The vegan rice salad is made with brown rice, tomatoes, cucumber, spinach, olives, and a creamy homemade hummus dressing. The hummus dressing combined with the cucumber, tomatoes, and olives give the recipe a Mediterranean taste.

You can choose other vegetables, too. Or take out the veggies you don’t like. You can also add more spices to increase flavor. In the recipe below, I added more garlic powder, salt, and dried oregano to the hummus dressing for a more intense taste.

It makes a light summer salad, can be used as a weight loss recipe, or simply serve it as a vegan potluck meal or side dish. The recipe is also oil free, whole food plant based, and gluten free.

Health Benefits and Nutrition Info

One serving of the vegan rice salad contains 457 calories, 87g carbohydrates, 8.4 g fiber, 7 g fat, and 12 g protein. To increase protein you can add chickpeas to the salad and substitute the rice with quinoa.

The rice salad is high in iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, B-vitamins, folate, vitamin C, and vitamin K. The spinach provides all the vitamin K you need for the day, but you won’t taste it much. Chop it and let it steam with the rice to wilt and you won’t notice it.

This recipe has a variety of vegetables and contains legumes and whole grains. The olives and the tahini in the dressing provide a whole food fat source. All in all, this meal is a balanced lunch or dinner option with lots of nutrients.

It will fill and fuel you without adding any processed or high caloric foods to your diet. This Mediterranean rice salad is also great for weight loss.

Recipe adjustments and options

Use different veggies: Try this salad with vegetables of your choice. Use up some leftover veggies or make it fancy and use BBQ veggies like roasted zucchini.

Increase protein: To increase protein, add chickpeas to the salad and additionally switch out rice with quinoa.

Speed up cooking:  Make this recipe in 20 minutes or less by using instant rice or quinoa.

Increase calories:  If you need more calories, simply eat 2 servings of the recipe!

How to make the Vegan Rice Salad

Cook the rice according to the package. While the rice cooks, dice the tomatoes and cucumber and add it into a large bowl. Make the hummus dressing and add it with the additional seasoning to the bowl.

Chop the spinach and add it 1-2 minutes before the rice is done cooking. Stir it into the cooking rice until wilted for about one minute. Then dump the rice-spinach mix into a strainer and rinse with cold water to cool down the rice.

Once the rice-spinach mix is cool and drained, add it to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and combine with a large spoon. Add more seasoning as desired.

Rice Salad Meal Prep

This recipe makes 8 cups of food. To get 4 servings, simply divide the meal into 4 equal parts. Each serving should be about 2 cups. Store the salad in a meal prep container for up to 5 days in the fridge. This salad is a perfect on the go lunch idea. Try storing your meals in glass meal prep containers.