Vegetable Rice Salad
Bright, refreshing, and packed with wholesome goodness, this Vegetable Rice Salad is the perfect blend of vibrant flavors and textures. Featuring fluffy basmati rice, crunchy diced vegetables like red bell peppers, cucumbers, and carrots, along with juicy cherry tomatoes and sweet corn, this colorful dish is as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate. Tossed in a zesty homemade dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and a touch of honey or maple syrup for a vegan option, this salad is elevated with the fresh, aromatic addition of parsley and mint. Ready in just 20 minutes of prep time, this versatile salad can be served chilled as a healthy side dish, a light main course, or a crowd-pleasing option for picnics and potlucks. Perfect for fans of easy, nutritious, and flavorful recipes, this gluten-free dish is sure to impress!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 3 cups Cooked basmati rice
- 1 Red bell pepper, diced
- 1 Cucumber, diced
- 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 Carrot, shredded
- 0.5 cup Sweet corn kernels (optional)
- 0.25 cup Red onion, finely chopped
- 0.25 cup Fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Fresh mint, chopped
- 3 tablespoons Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Honey (or maple syrup for vegan option)
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 0.25 teaspoon Black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
Cook the basmati rice according to the package instructions or use pre-cooked rice. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced red bell pepper, cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, shredded carrot, sweet corn, and finely chopped red onion.
Add the cooked, cooled rice to the bowl and gently toss to combine with the vegetables.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey (or maple syrup), minced garlic, salt, and black pepper to create the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the rice and vegetable mixture. Gently mix until everything is coated evenly with the dressing.
Sprinkle the chopped parsley and mint over the salad and fold them in gently.
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Refrigerate the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve chilled as a side dish or a light main course. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1218 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 46.3 g | 59% | |
| Saturated Fat | 7.3 g | 36% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 1322 mg | 57% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 183.7 g | 67% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 16.1 g | 58% | |
| Total Sugars | 32.5 g | ||
| Protein | 22.1 g | 44% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 308 mg | 24% | |
| Iron | 12.2 mg | 68% | |
| Potassium | 2263 mg | 48% | |
*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.
