Recipe video above. This Brown Rice Salad looks way too healthy to taste as good as it does! The fresh dill and coriander/cilantro with the bright lemon dressing totally makes it. The perfectly cooked, nutty brown rice helps. Everything else is customisable.Serves 6 to 8 as a side, 4 as a meal. Keeps for 3 days. Exellent work lunch option, and serving for lunch with friends.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Course: Side Dish, Side Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Western
Keyword: brown rice recipe, brown rice salad, rice salad, rice side dish
Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well to combine.
Place Salad ingredients in a big bowl. Drizzle over Dressing, toss well.
Transfer to serving bowl. If using Halloumi, pile on top.
Serve!
Notes
1. Salad veg - customisable with other raw or cooked veg (sautéed in a little oil, garlic, salt & pepper, or roasted).2. Fresh herbs - this is one of my favourite fresh herb combinations for salads, they go together brilliantly and it really makes this salad something special. But if you don't have them / have an aversion to coriander/cilantro, try one of these:
parsley or chives and dill
chives and parsley
just coriander/cilantro or dill (double up)
2 1/2 tsp oregano (add to dressing - will taste like a Greek Salad!)
2 tsp dried mixed herbs, or other dried herbs of choice
3. Dijon mustard - sub yellow mustard, or omit. Makes the dressing a wee bit thicker which is great for fine-grain type salads because it helps coat better.4. Nut option suggestions - flaked almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, cashews, sunflower seeds, pepitas. I feel like peanuts would be odd, but someone may prove me wrong.5. Storage - keeps for 3 days, though the tomato does looks perky juiciness the next day. I also like to either hold back some dressing to give it a fresh drizzle just before serving, or even a squeeze of fresh lemon and drizzle of olive oil will do the trick.Most importantly though, SERVE AT ROOM TEMP. Cold rice is hard and not pleasant. If need be, give it 3 x 10 second zaps in the microwave to take the chill out of it.LEFTOVER HALOUMI- pro tip: refrigerate cooked halloumi, then chop it into small batons and reheat in microwave. Toss through salad. So good!6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 8 servings. Excellent veg+starch side dish for meals.