Fresh And Crunchy Italian Rice Salad Recipe
Rice is a brilliant all-rounder when it comes to dinnertime; simple and versatile, this humble kitchen staple is popular in signature rice dishes around the world, and is utilized in a mind-bogglingly wide variety of cuisines. Whether it is cooked up as a thick and creamy risotto, or served as a simple side dish next to a spicy curry, there's always a place at the table for rice. One simple yet delicious way to enjoy this much-loved grain is to make it into a salad, giving you a healthy and refreshing meal option that will leave you satisfied.
This fresh and crunchy Italian rice salad recipe, from the kitchen of recipe developer Jennine Rye, makes a perfect choice for a light and refreshing lunch option, and it works equally well as a side dish for a wide variety of mains. Packed full of Italian-inspired salad ingredients such as artichoke hearts and olives, and dressed with fresh herbs, olive oil, and toasted pine nuts, this rice salad is packed with flavor and crunch to give you a nutritious and filling meal option any time of year.
Gather the ingredients for this fresh and crunchy Italian rice salad recipe
To begin this fresh and crunchy Italian rice salad recipe, first, you will need to gather the ingredients. You will want brown rice, ham, a red bell pepper, red onion, diced tomatoes, artichoke hearts, corn, and sliced olives. To give the rice salad lots of flavor, you will additionally need fresh basil, fresh chives, olive oil, salt and pepper, and toasted pine nuts, to finish.
Step 1: Boil water
Boil salted water in a large saucepan.
Step 2: Cook the rice
Add the rice and cook for 22 to 25 minutes, or according to the packet instructions.
Step 3: Drain the rice
Drain the rice and leave to cool.
Step 4: Assemble the salad ingredients
Add the diced ham, red pepper, red onion, tomatoes, artichoke, corn, black olives, basil, and chives to a large bowl.
Step 5: Toss the salad
Drizzle with the oil, season well with salt and pepper, and toss everything.
Step 6: Add the rice
Add the cooled rice and mix everything again.
Step 7: Serve the salad
Top with pine nuts before serving.
- 1 cup brown rice, uncooked
- 1 cup diced cooked ham
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- ½ cup artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- ½ cup corn
- ⅓ cup sliced black olives
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- Boil salted water in a large saucepan.
- Add the rice and cook for 22 to 25 minutes, or according to the packet instructions.
- Drain the rice and leave to cool.
- Add the diced ham, red pepper, red onion, tomatoes, artichoke, corn, black olives, basil, and chives to a large bowl.
- Drizzle with the oil, season well with salt and pepper, and toss everything.
- Add the cooled rice and mix everything again.
- Top with pine nuts before serving.
How can this Italian rice salad be adapted?
This fresh and crunchy Italian rice salad recipe is easily adaptable according to your personal preferences and what you have in stock. To make the recipe vegetarian but still full of hearty protein, the diced ham can be substituted for beans such as Borlotti or black beans. If you happen to have some cooked lentils around, toss those in, too.
A variety of cheeses would also make an excellent addition to this dish, adding to the overall protein content of the salad as well as giving it a different texture and flavor. You will ideally want to choose cheeses that are hard enough that they can be diced or crumbled: feta, swiss cheese, and Gruyère all add their own delicious taste and pair well with other elements of the salad such as the olives and the artichoke.
The bell pepper, red onion, and tomatoes can easily be augmented by or substituted for other veggies depending on your preferences. Cucumbers, carrots, celery, radishes, and scallions would all add a refreshing crunch and flavor to the salad, along with their unique health benefits.
Can this Italian rice salad recipe be made in advance?
It's always worth keeping a note of recipes that can be made in advance, whether you are looking for meal prep ideas for the week ahead, food for a picnic, or a dish to take along to a bring-and-share dinner. This Italian rice salad recipe is one great, healthy option that can be made ahead of time. In fact, where some salads will quickly become sad and limp when mixed together and left for too long, the flavors in this salad actually improve when given a little time to meld together, whilst the ingredients themselves stay lovely and crisp. We recommend keeping this salad stored in the fridge in an airtight container once it has been assembled, and it should be consumed within 3 to 4 days.
This dish offers a great way to use up any leftover salad ingredients, so if you have any leftovers in the fridge why not add them in to save on prep time? If you have leftover rice in the fridge, you can skip the rice-cooking time and assemble this recipe even more quickly. Leftover rice can safely be consumed for four to six days after it was first cooked, giving you ample time to make and enjoy your rice salad whilst reducing food wastage.