Mediterranean Rice Salad – Really feel Good Foodie

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Being Lebanese, Mediterranean delicacies has a maintain on my coronary heart! I really like the straightforward however vibrant flavors and simply needed to had share my recipe for a Mediterranean Rice Salad. It’s full of veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, and crimson onion and has a briny kick from Kalamata olives. The most effective half? It’s all tossed along with a home made dressing that brings all of it collectively.

I began making this rice salad once I wanted one thing mild however filling for lunch or a fast dinner. Cooking up some basmati rice and mixing it with these Mediterranean staples is very easy, and the dressing is only a fast whisk away (pun meant!). It’s excellent for meal prep too—simply hold the dressing separate till you’re able to eat.

Recipe At a Look

Delicacies Inspiration: Mediterranean
Major Cooking Technique: Stovetop
Dietary Information: Vegan
Key Taste: Contemporary, tangy, and savory
Talent Stage: Straightforward

Abstract

• Contemporary and Flavorful: This Mediterranean Rice Salad is all about contemporary, daring flavors. I really like how the cucumbers, tomatoes, and Kalamata olives come along with the dressing. It’s simply so refreshing and excellent for a light-weight meal.
• Tremendous Straightforward to Make: This recipe is very easy to place collectively. I simply cook dinner up some basmati rice, chop the veggies, and whisk up the dressing.
• Nice for Meal Prep: I typically make a giant batch of this salad to have available for the week.
• Household-Pleasant: This can be a nice recipe to get everybody concerned. My children love serving to to cut the veggies and blend every thing collectively. It’s enjoyable to spend time collectively within the kitchen and get them enthusiastic about maintaining a healthy diet.

Substances to Make a Mediterranean Rice Salad

• Basmati Rice: I really like utilizing basmati rice for its mild, fluffy texture and delicate taste. It’s the proper base for absorbing all of the dressing and contemporary veggie flavors. For assist cooking basmati rice, you possibly can view my tutorial right here.
• Persian Cucumbers: These cucumbers are tremendous crunchy and have a gentle style. I prefer to cube them up finely so each chunk has a little bit of that crisp texture.
• Grape Tomatoes: Grape tomatoes are my go-to for this salad as a result of they’re candy and juicy.
• Crimson Onion: Crimson onion provides a pleasant sharpness and a little bit of crunch. I cube it finely so it’s evenly distributed all through the salad with out overpowering any bites.
• Kalamata Olives: These olives carry a tart, briny taste that pairs rather well with contemporary greens.
• Contemporary Parsley: Contemporary parsley provides colour and a contemporary, herby observe.
• Olive Oil: high quality olive oil is a should for making the dressing wealthy and flavorful.
• Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice offers the dressing a vibrant, tangy kick.
• Dijon Mustard: Dijon mustard provides a little bit of tang and taste to the dressing.
• Spices: Oregano, cumin, and naturally, salt and pepper. These are important for seasoning the salad and bringing out all of the flavors. I prefer to season the dressing properly and regulate to style as soon as every thing is blended.

Common Substitutions & Additions

• Swap Basmati Rice for Quinoa: When you’re in search of a bit extra protein or simply need to change issues up, quinoa is a good various. It has a stunning texture and provides a pleasant nutty taste.
• Add Some Protein: Generally I prefer to bulk up the salad by including grilled rooster tenders, lemon garlic shrimp, and even roasted chickpeas. It makes it extra filling and turns it into an entire meal.
• Use Totally different Veggies: Don’t have Persian cucumbers or grape tomatoes? No drawback! You should use common cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and even bell peppers. It’s all about utilizing what you could have available.
• Feta Cheese: I really like including a little bit of crumbled feta cheese for some additional creaminess and a salty kick. It pairs so properly with the opposite Mediterranean flavors.
• Herb Variations: When you don’t have parsley, contemporary basil, mint, or cilantro may work.
• Totally different Dressings: Whereas I really like the lemon-dijon dressing, I typically swap it up with a balsamic French dressing or tahini-based dressing. It modifications the flavour profile and retains issues fascinating.

The best way to Make a Mediterranean Rice Salad

Ideas for Making the Greatest Rice Salad

1. Fluff the rice after cooking. Whether or not you’re making the rice from scratch or utilizing the ready-to-heat variety, it’s necessary to fluff the rice after cooking by utilizing a fork to separate the grains
2. Use heat rice. Despite the fact that we regularly consider salads as chilly meals, there’s one thing very comforting in regards to the rice being served heat. It retains the rice moist, and blends extra equally into the salad.
3. Don’t use brief grain rice. When you’re cooking the rice from scratch, go for lengthy grain rice for the very best consistency. I discover that the brief grain rice finally ends up being too sticky when utilized in a salad.
4. Keep away from utilizing lettuce. Rice salads are typically extra hearty and are nice for leftovers. Together with lettuce within the salad, although, could create a soggy scenario the subsequent day. If you wish to use greens, go for spinach or kale that doesn’t launch an excessive amount of moisture.

What to Serve With Rice Salad

Often Requested Questions

This Mediterranean Rice Salad has shortly turn out to be a favourite in my kitchen. It’s contemporary, flavorful, and straightforward to make. Plus, with all the straightforward methods to customise it, you can also make it your personal based mostly on what you could have within the fridge.

Extra Mediterranean Salads

Extra Rice Recipes:

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This Mediterranean Rice Salad was initially printed on September 12, 2019, and has not too long ago been up to date with new pictures and step-by-step directions to make it higher. The recipe has been modified to take away chickpeas and feta cheese and makes use of basmati rice as an alternative of turmeric rice, however any rice will work! You could find the unique recipe within the recipe card Notes part under.

Often requested questions