Are you looking for a new dinner side-dish or a lunch time meal? Try out this simple rice salad; it’s recently become a regular at our home. It is healthy, colorful, and easy to change it according to what you have in the fridge, thus keeping it from becoming boring. In addition, it doesn’t take long to make and the young ones can help with the preparations as well!
The main ingredients for this rice salad are as follows (but keep in mind you can change them to your liking):
- Basmati Rice, enough for your family
- 1 Bunch green onions or a red onion, diced
- 1-2 Fresh tomatoes, depending on their size, diced
- 4-6” Cucumber, diced into small pieces
- Red/Green/Yellow pepper or combination, approx 1, diced
Dressing
- 5TBSP Olive oil
- 1TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Strong Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to make your rice salad:
1) Cook the rice in a covered pot, covering it with water 1cm above the level of the rice. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. You will know when it is done when there are little holes in the top of the rice.
2) Immediately drain the rice well in a strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Leave the rice to cool further.
3) While the rice is cooking, prepare the dressing and vegetables
4) Mix the dressing ingredients together. After the rice has been rinsed and cooled, mix in half of this to the rice and let stand for a few minutes
5) Add the vegetables and the rest of the dressing and toss well to mix
6) Season with salt and pepper if desired
Try it with some safron added to the rice while it cooks, or a stock cube for extra flavour.
Enjoy!
Are you looking for another warm-weather snack? Try our Gold Medal Deviled Eggs.
Hot side-dish more to your liking? Try Champ or Colcannon!

TaMara says
This looks very good. I’ll have to try it! Thanks for linking up over at Food on Friday!
TaMara @ Tales of a Pee Dee Mama
Crystal McClean says
Thank you for hosting such a great linky, have a great weekend!
Lisa says
Looks yummy. I love rice salad
Crystal McClean says
My 5yo has been asking for it… I see a supper with purposely-made extra rice on tonight’s menu! I hope you enjoy it!
Jackie Higgins says
Looks yummy! That is all stuff my kids will eat so I’m going to try it.
Carolyn Wilhelm says
Wonderful! Your photos are so helpful. I am going to try this recipe, too! Thank you, Carolyn