Who doesn’t love a one-pot meal that’s both nutrient-dense and flavorful? This rice salad is made with brown rice, fresh veggies and a vinegary, garlicky dressing with feta cheese—it’s basically the perfect lunch or dinner for those times when you want to be healthy but don’t want to eat something boring. Pair this salad with grilled chicken or a tuna steak if you want it to go a long way.
Ingredients for Rice Salad
- Long grain brown rice: The fiber in this brown rice helps you stay full for longer, but you could also substitute orzo or farro if you’d prefer.
- White vinegar: We love the tangy burst of flavor that white vinegar adds to this salad.
- Balsamic vinegar: Balsamic brings a distinctive acidity to rice salad, which helps to balance out the other flavors.
- Garlic: Mince garlic as finely as possible; this way the garlicky flavor will be more evenly distributed.
- Olive oil: If you have a bottle of high-quality olive oil you’ve been saving, now’s the time to use it. (It’s always best to reserve your nice olive oil for making vinaigrettes and dressings.)
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil adds a bright and aromatic flavor to this brown rice salad.
- Fresh baby spinach: Baby spinach is tender and mild in this recipe, but other greens, such as chopped kale, chard or arugula, also work well.
- Cherry tomatoes: If cherry tomatoes are in season, get them from a farmers market if you can. The juicy sweetness of farm-fresh tomatoes can’t be beat.
- Green onion: To tame green onion’s bite, saute the green onions in butter and salt before adding them to this dish.
- Crumbled feta cheese: Feta infuses this rice salad with salt, tang and some creaminess. It’s a non-negotiable ingredient.
Directions
Step 1: Cook the rice
In a saucepan, combine the rice and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed (about 35 to 40 minutes).
Step 2: Whisk the dressing
Meanwhile, place the vinegars, garlic, pepper and salt in a bowl and whisk together. While whisking, gradually add the oil in a steady stream. Stir in the basil.
Step 3: Combine the ingredients
Place the spinach in a large bowl; add the cooked rice. Stir in the tomatoes, green onion and dressing; toss until the spinach is wilted. Gently stir in the feta. Loosely cover and refrigerate for two hours or until cold.
Rice Salad Variations
- Get your protein fix: Shredded chicken or chickpeas would be tasty in this salad.
- Ramp up the veggies: Make this brown rice salad even more nutritious by adding shredded carrots, cabbage or celery.
How to Store Rice Salad
This rice salad will stay fresh in the fridge for at least two to three days if you seal it completely in an airtight container.
Can you make this rice salad ahead of time?
Rice salad is actually better if you make it a few hours in advance, as the flavors have time to marinate.
Rice Salad Tips
Is this salad suitable as a main dish?
Definitely! As we mentioned, you could also add pre-cooked shredded chicken or a can of chickpeas to this salad, though, if you want it to be as hearty as possible.
Can I double this recipe for rice salad?
We wouldn’t recommend doubling this recipe unless you make two separate batches of the original recipe. The flavor profile will likely be off if you put double the ingredients together, and this would also require an extra-large bowl.
What goes well with rice salad?
We’d love to see this rice salad served with grilled tuna steak (if you don’t add meat to it) and some simply dressed lemony greens.
