Green, white and red like the Italian flag, this fresh and inviting Italian rice salad is easy to make and delicious as an accompaniment or as a main course salad.
Italian rice salad
This fresh, bright, vibrant Italian rice salad is so easy to make with fresh herbs and vegetables tossed through white rice, soaked in a delicious homemade Italian dressing.
See also
- Italian seasoning blend – my store cupboard staple for easily adding an Italian note to a dish
- Love big main meal salads? Try this Italian pasta salad
- Italian chicken thighs – perfectly cooked and flavoured chicken thighs
The punchy concentrated flavours of sun dried tomatoes and olives contrast with fresh herbs, crunchy peppers, juicy cucumber and fresh tomato, and toasted pine nuts, for a delicious Mediterranean-influenced treat that’s simple and full of flavour.
Easy to adapt to any taste, it’s great for using up whatever you have left in the salad drawer, and simple to scale up for a party buffet.
The best rice salads are generous with the addins – I like at least two thirds by volume to the rice, ideally the same quantity.
Naturally vegan, it makes a lovely light, refreshing meal that is perfect for summer and beyond.
Why make Italian rice salad
- refreshing and satisfying
- full of flavour
- adaptable recipe
- scalable and can be made a day ahead
Italian rice salad ingredients
- cooked rice – steamed, boiled or buy-in-a-bag microwave rice (though I always check for unwanted additives like processed seed oils in these). White long grain or Basmati will give you that Italian flag colour scheme, but you can use a brown rice if you prefer.
- tomatoes – both fresh and sun dried for flavour and texture
- peppers – I use green and red for the contrast in flavour and colour
- olives – use your favourite
- cucumber – a burst of freshness
- herbs – basil and parsley
- spring onion (scallion) – finely chopped
- pine nuts – toasted, for flavour and crunch
- Italian dressing – I make a big batch and keep the rest for salad for the rest of the week
How to cook white rice for a salad
The easiest way to cook rice is to work by volume. The ratio is 1 quantity of rice to 1.25 water by volume.
Before you cook, rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear. Give the sieve a good shake.
Put the wet rice in a medium saucepan. Pour the water in and put the lid on the pan.
Bring to a gentle simmer and then turn the heat right down, using a diffuser if necessary. Leave for 8 minutes. Do not remove the lid and peek, as this alters the rice to water ratio by letting steam escape..
Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for another 5 minutes.
How to make Italian rice salad – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – First, cook the rice and then transfer to a large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the rice and stir it in. Push the rice around the edge of the bowl to maximise the surface area for faster cooling. Cover and allow the rice to absorb the dressing as it cools.
As soon as the rice is at room temperature put it in the fridge.
While you wait for the rice to cool, toast the pine nuts over a medium heat until lightly browned. As soon as they start to colour keep stirring/shaking the pan. Do not take your eyes off them for a second as they go from perfectly toasted to burnt very fast!
Once done, remove from the pan and allow to cool in a small dish.
Helen’s Fuss Free Tip
If you don’t have a batch of Italian dressing made up, you can put all the ingredients for it in the bowl and mix with a mini whisk before adding the warm rice
Step Two – While the rice is cooling, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Quarter the fresh tomatoes, and chop the other vegetables into small pieces (about 1 cm). Finely chop the parsley.
Add the two types of tomato, spring onion, cucumber, pepper, chopped parsley to the rice and stir in.
The salad can be covered and kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours at this point,
Step Three – When you are ready to serve, add the olives and fluff the rice with a fork. Sprinkle the pine kernels over the top and garnish with sprigs of fresh basil.
Serving suggestion
Serve cold as a main meal for two or as part of a salad or barbecue buffet.
Variations
The sky is the limit with this flexible recipe so vary it anyway you like.
Vary the type of rice – brown, black, red will all work (but will need longer cooking time). I never recommend quick-cook type rice. It can have an unpleasant gummy texture because of the way it is prepared and I never find it significantly faster!
Change the vegetables – you really can add most vegetables to this salad. I’ve tried to keep it mostly red, white and green here – but you can let your imagination run wild.
- sweetcorn kernels or baby corn
- handful of rocket (arugula)
- petit pois/mange tout
- broad (fava)/edamame beans
- finely chopped red onion
- grated carrot
- chopped/grated courgette (zucchini)
- roasted aubergine (eggplant)
- avocado (add just before serving)
Add protein
- stir in a can of rinsed chickpeas or other white beans for extra protein
- add mini mozzarella balls
- add slices of salami, ham, Mortadella, bologna, prosciutto
- fold in chunks of tuna
- sprinkle with shavings of parmesan or other hard grana-style cheese
Storage
You can store this rice salad in the fridge for up to 24 hours before serving, but it is better to add the basil and pine kernels just before you serve.
Hints and tips
- Dressing the rice while it is still hot makes a huge difference, allowing the rice to absorb the flavour.
- Take the time to cut the vegetables into pieces of approximately the same size for best results.
- Add the pine nuts just before serving to keep them crunchy.
- All measurements are approximate except for the ratios for the rice, so use what you have.
FAQs
Keep it in a sealed container in the fridge for 24 hours. After that, the fresh salad vegetables will be less fresh and it can start to become soggy.
Obviously a rice salad is not as low in calories as a plain green salad, but that’s not the point. This is a whole meal and a fairly healthy one, with plenty of raw vegetables in the mix.
It certainly should be, but check your dressing if not using home made.
More salad recipes
- No mayo miso potato salad – deliciously summery
- Greek pasta salad – a more substantial twist on the Horiatiki salad
- The perfect French carrot salad – a fabulous classic
- Explore more salad ideas
Italian Rice Salad
Ingredients
- 75 g white rice
- 100 ml water
- 3 tbsp Italian dressing
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- 0.33 cup (50 g) red pepper (diced)
- 0.33 cup (50 g) green pepper (diced)
- 1 spring onion
- 2 tbsp sun dried tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 inches cucumber (diced)
- 1 bunch parsley
- 10 olives
- basil sprigs
For the Italian Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp Dijon mustard (smooth)
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp mixed dried herbs
- ¼ lemon, zest only
Instructions
- First, cook the rice in 100 ml water and then transfer to a large bowl.75 g white rice, 100 ml water
- Pour the dressing over the rice and stir it in. If you don't have a batch of Italian dressing made – see the notes belowPush the rice around the edge of the bowl to maximise the surface area for faster cooling. Cover and allow the rice to absorb the dressing as it cools. Then cover and transfer to the fridge.3 tbsp Italian dressing
- Toast the pine nuts in a pan over a medium heat until lightly browned. Set aside and allow to cool.2 tbsp pine nuts
- Quarter the fresh tomatoes and chop the other vegetables into small pieces. Finely chop the parsley. Add all of these to the cooled rice and stir in well. The salad can now be chilled for up to 24 hours.6 cherry tomatoes, 0.33 cup red pepper, 0.33 cup green pepper, 1 spring onion, 2 inches cucumber, 1 bunch parsley, 2 tbsp sun dried tomatoes
- Before serving, fluff the rice, stir in the olives and scatter with the pine nuts and basil.basil sprigs, 10 olives
To make the dressing
- Add the ingredients for the dressing to the bowl and mix with a mini whisk before adding the rice.2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, ¼ tsp Dijon mustard, ½ tsp sugar, ¼ tsp mixed dried herbs, ¼ lemon, zest only
Notes
Storage
You can store this rice salad in the fridge for up to 24 hours before serving, but it is better to add the basil and pine kernels just before you serve.Hints and tips
- Dressing the rice while it is still hot makes a huge difference, allowing the rice to absorb the flavour.
- Take the time to cut the vegetables into pieces of approximately the same size for best results.
- Add the pine nuts just before serving to keep them crunchy.
- All measurements are approximate except for the ratios for the rice, so use what you have.
veggie potluck
yum! i love salads with red and wild rices instead of boring old lettuce – just feels so simple and healthy… thanks for sharing!
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
I haven’t had red rice for ages, much see whether I have any in the cupboard. I like it as it reminds me of holidays in the Camargue. Very tasty looking salad.