Festive Rice Salad
Brighten up your table with this vibrant and flavor-packed Festive Rice Salad! This colorful dish combines fluffy Basmati rice with a medley of crisp red bell peppers, cool cucumbers, sweet grated carrots, and the perfect pop of dried cranberries. Toasted sliced almonds add crunch, while fresh parsley and green onions bring a burst of freshness. A tangy-sweet dressing made with olive oil, lemon juice, and a touch of honey ties everything together in this light yet satisfying salad. Perfect for holiday gatherings, potlucks, or meal prep, this refreshing rice salad can be served chilled or at room temperature, making it as versatile as it is delicious. Easy to prepare in under 40 minutes, it’s an eye-catching crowd-pleaser that balances wholesome ingredients with irresistible taste!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Basmati rice
- 3 cups Water
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 medium, diced Red bell pepper
- 1 medium, diced Cucumber
- 1 large, grated Carrot
- 0.5 cup Dried cranberries
- 0.5 cup Sliced almonds
- 0.25 cup, chopped Fresh parsley
- 3 stalks, sliced thin Green onions
- 3 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- 0.25 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Rinse the Basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.
In a medium pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the rinsed rice.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the rice simmer for 12-15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.
Remove the pot from heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow it to cool completely.
While the rice is cooling, prepare the vegetables. Dice the red bell pepper and cucumber, grate the carrot, and slice the green onions thinly.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled rice, diced red bell pepper, cucumber, grated carrot, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, chopped parsley, and green onions.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, ground black pepper, and 0.5 teaspoon of salt to make the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the rice mixture and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed with additional salt or pepper.
Cover and refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Serve chilled or at room temperature as a side dish or light main course. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1496 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 78.2 g | 100% | |
| Saturated Fat | 9.3 g | 46% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 3657 mg | 159% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 175.5 g | 64% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 22.6 g | 81% | |
| Total Sugars | 67.3 g | ||
| Protein | 28.7 g | 57% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 402 mg | 31% | |
| Iron | 10.3 mg | 57% | |
| Potassium | 1667 mg | 35% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
