Rice Salad
Servings: 6 - 8 people
FOR THE RICE SALAD
- 2 cups (400 grams) whole grain rice measured raw
- 1 can (15 oz) (230 grams) chickpeas or 1½ cups of cooked chickpeas (drained)
- 1½ cups (250 grams) cherry tomatoes
- 1½ cups (200 grams) cucumber
- 1½ cups (200 grams) yellow bell pepper
- ½ cup (60 grams) black olives
- ½ cup (80 grams) canned corn
- 1 small (50 grams) shallot
- ¼ cup (30 grams) pickled cucumber
- 1 cup (25 grams) fresh herbs parsley + chives
- ½ cup (80 grams) crumbled feta optional
FOR THE DRESSING
- ¼ cup (55 grams) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) lemon juice + ½ lemon to squeeze on rice
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) mustard
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Boil 2 cups whole grain rice in a large pot with 1 gallon (4 liters) of water and 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of salt. The rice should be al dente, with a slight bite. Cook it per package instructions and taste it to check for doneness.Drain the rice, then spread it out on a clean baking sheet to help cool it and squeeze the juice of half a lemon on it.
- Dressing: add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper to a small bowl.Whisk well until combined. Alternatively, you can add the ingredients to a small jar and shake it.
- To a large bowl, add boiled rice, 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (drained and rinsed), 1½ cups cherry tomatoes (quartered), 1½ cups cucumber (diced), 1½ cups yellow bell pepper (diced), ½ cup black olives (sliced), ½ cup canned corn (drained), ¼ cup pickled cucumber (diced), 1 small shallot (finely chopped), 1 cup fresh herbs (finely chopped).
- Drizzle the dressing over the rice salad, then toss until well combined.You can serve the salad immediately or store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Take it out from the refrigerator at least 15 minutes before serving.
- To make the variation with ½ cup crumbled feta, we recommend crumbling the feta on the rice salad rather than mixing it in.
Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 large serving of rice salad out of 6 servings, with feta cheese and dressing.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Whole grain brown rice: sub long grain white rice, barley, farro, couscous, buckwheat, pasta, steel cut oats, quinoa, Israeli couscous, and orzo.
Chickpeas: sub lentils, peas, beans, edamame beans.
Cherry tomatoes: sub plum, date, or Roma tomatoes.
Yellow bell pepper: sub green, red, or orange bell pepper.
Cucumber: sub zucchini.
Black olives: sub kalamata olives, taggiasche olives, green olives, marinated artichokes, or sun dried tomatoes.
Pickled cucumbers: sub other pickled veggies, or capers.
Shallot: sub red onion.
Parsley and chives: sub fresh basil, coriander, and dill.
Feta: sub non-dairy feta cheese, or another goat cheese.
MAKE AHEAD & STORAGE
Make Ahead: rice salad is an excellent recipe to make ahead and use for meal prep, potlucks, and picnics. It's best to make it one day ahead to allow the flavors to meld.
Refrigerator: keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 - 4 days. Take it out 15 - 30 minutes before serving to improve flavor.
Freezer: we don't recommend freezing this recipe.
