Best Cool Rice And Cucumber Salad Recipes

COOL CUCUMBER AND RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; cook rice until tender, drain, and briefly rinse with cool water. Spread on a kitchen towel, cover with another towel, and gently pat dry.
• Meanwhile, put the cucumbers, parsley, dill and mint in a large bowl.
• Combine the onions, salt, vinegar and oil to make the dressing.
• While the rice is still warm, stir it into the cucumber mix, adding the dressing and the yogurt. Toss gently with a wide spatula. Taste for salt and pepper.
• Serve tepid or chilled on lettuce leaves.
• Note: I made this without the yogurt, as I had none, and it tasted great without it, too. You might want to stir yogurt to loosen it, to facilitate incorporating it into the salad. I think any number of herbs would taste good in this, so use what you have available. I added some lemon balm.

CUCUMBER SALAD I

Steps:

• Combine cucumbers and red onion in a salad bowl.
• In a small bowl, stir together water, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and seasoned salt. Pour over vegetables. Chill for 1 hour. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

RICE SALAD WITH TOMATOES, CUCUMBERS, AND FETA

Steps:

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high. Swirl in 2 tablespoons oil. Add onion, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Return saucepan to medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon oil and rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until nutty and golden in places, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir once, reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook until rice is tender and water has been absorbed, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
• Transfer rice to bowl with onion mixture; let cool about 20 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cucumbers, vinegar, and remaining 1/4 cup oil. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in cheese, parsley, and mint; serve.

RICE SALAD WITH CUCUMBER, LEMON AND SCALLION

Steps:

• Combine the lemon rind and lemon juice in a large salad bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and add the salt and pepper. Set aside. Cut the cucumbers into half-moon slices, 1/2 inch thick. Add the cucumber slices and scallions to the lemon vinaigrette. Toss.
• Cook the rice in water according to the directions on the package. When tender but still firm, remove from heat. Place in a colander and chill briefly under cold running water until the rice is at room temperature. Drain well. Add the rice to the salad bowl. Toss. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time.

PERSIAN CUCUMBER AND PURPLE RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Bring rice, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Spread rice evenly in a lightly oiled 4-sided sheet pan and cool completely. Coarsely smash coriander seeds with side of a large knife.
• Toss rice with coriander, remaining ingredients, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.

RICE, ASPARAGUS AND CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Bring 1 3/4 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff with fork; transfer to bowl. Cool to room temperature.
• Cook asparagus in large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well. Add asparagus, cucumber and green onions to rice.
• Combine Dijon mustard, sugar, vinegar and dry mustard in small bowl. Gradually mix in oil. Add chopped dill. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover salad and dressing separately; chill.) Mix dressing into salad. Season with salt and pepper. Line large bowl with lettuce. Mound salad in bowl. Garnish with dill sprigs.