Best Zen Rice Salad Recipes

MEDITERRANEAN RICE SALAD WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and pour enough cold water on top of the cooked rice to cover it. Stir to cool. Drain well; transfer rice into a bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with herb salt.
• Mix capers, parsley, and lemon zest in a small bowl; add to rice. Mix in zucchini, carrots, yellow bell pepper, and red bell pepper. Season with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.

WILD RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Place the wild rice in a medium pot with 4 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes, until the rice is very tender. Drain well and place the rice back in the pot. Cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes. While the rice is still warm, place it in a mixing bowl. Peel the oranges with a sharp knife, removing all the white pith. Cut between the membranes and add the orange sections to the bowl with the rice. Add the olive oil, orange juice, raspberry vinegar, grapes, pecans, cranberries, scallions, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper. Allow to sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Taste for seasonings and serve at room temperature.

COLD RICE SALAD

Steps:

• For the rice: Place the rice, 3 cups water, and a pinch of salt in a pot, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook on low until tender, about 20 minutes. Turn the rice out onto a sheet tray and let it cool completely. Next, combine the rice, peas, red bell pepper and red onion. Toss gently.
• For the dressing: In a small bowl, add the rice wine vinegar, a small pinch salt and a few turns of freshly ground pepper. Mix together and slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil and then the sesame oil.
• Pour the dressing over the rice and mix until the rice is thinly coated. Taste, and re-season if necessary.

ZEN RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Bring 1 1/4 cups rice and 2 1/2 cups water to the boil in a small saucepan. Add a dash of salt, lower heat to lowest setting, cover pot and cook rice for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to nearly room temperature, covered. Uncover and fluff with a fork (the arborio will not fluff like a pilaf does, but will have nice, toothsome chunks of sticky rice).
• Empty rice into a large bowl. Add beans, corn, tuna, parsley, onion, celery, dill pickles and raisins. Combine.
• Make dressing: Put all dressing ingredients in a mini-processor and whizz to emulsify. If you don't think it is tart enough, add more lime juice and/or balsamic. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Pour dressing over the salad and stir gently to coat all ingredients. Taste salad and adjust seasoning as it may need more salt and pepper, as per your preference.
• Chill for at least 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to blend.

THE WORLD OF RICE SALADS

Steps:

• Put the rice and all the vegetables in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and use two big forks to combine, fluffing the rice and tossing gently to separate the grains.
• Stir in the parsley, taste, and adjust the seasoning or moisten with a little more dressing. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for up to a day, bringing the salad back to room temperature before serving.
• Variations:
• Rice Salad, Japanese Style: Use brown or white short-grain rice. Halve the amount of celery and carrot and finely chop them or shred them on a grater. Add 1 cup cubed firm tofu (preferably baked). Instead of the vinaigrette, toss with 1/4 cup or so of Simple Miso Dipping Sauce (made by whisking together 6 tablespoons miso paste, 3/4 cup warm water or sake, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon mirin or honey, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar plus more to taste, and salt to taste). Instead of the parsley, crumble 2 sheets of nori over the rice salad and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons black or white sesame seeds.
• Rice Salad, Mexican Style: Long-grain or medium-grain, white or brown, all work well here. When blending the vinaigrette, add 1 tablespoon chili powder and 2 tablespoons Mexican crema or mayonnaise. Instead of celery and carrot, add 1 cup chopped fresh tomato. Substitute chopped fresh cilantro for the parsley and, at the same time, add 2 chopped hard-cooked eggs and chopped jalapeño chiles if you like. Serve with lime wedges.
• Rice Salad, Indian Style: Use brown or white basmati rice. When making the vinaigrette, use rice wine vinegar, replace the oil with coconut milk, and add 1 tablespoon curry powder, or more to taste. Instead of the bell pepper, celery, and carrot, add 1/2 cup each cubed cooked potato, cooked cauliflower florets, and green peas (cooked frozen are fine). Substitute cilantro for the parsley.
• Citrus Rice Salad: Use any rice. Instead of red wine vinegar, make the vinaigrette with freshly squeezed citrus juice-choose from lemon, lime, orange, blood orange, tangerine, pink grapefruit, or a combination. Whatever you use, add 2 tablespoons of the grated zest and 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey to the blender. Do not include the scallion or the vegetables. (You might want to use a little less dressing.) Instead of the parsley, use mint if you like. A handful of chopped almonds or pecans make a nice addition.
• Tomato Rice Salad: Use any kind of brown or white rice. When making the vinaigrette, eliminate the vinegar and add 1 medium tomato to the blender. Instead of the scallion and other vegetables, add 2 cups chopped fresh tomato (a mixture of heirloom varieties is nice).Instead of the parsley, use chopped fresh basil or mint, or 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives, chervil, dill, or about a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves.

MEDITERRANEAN BROWN RICE SALAD

Steps:

• 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!

LEMON RICE SALAD

Steps:

• For dressing, place first seven ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid; shake well. In a large bowl, toss long grain rice and wild rice with dressing. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. , Stir cucumbers, green onions, parsley, basil and pepper into rice mixture. Refrigerate, covered, 2 hours. Stir in pecans just before serving.

COLD WILD RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Discard seasoning packets from the rice and place rice in a large saucepan. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Spread rice on a baking sheet to cool.
• While the rice is cooling, toast pine nuts in a dry frying pan over low heat until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove to a large bowl.
• Add walnut oil to the same pan, then add walnuts. Toast until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add walnuts to the pine nuts.
• Add cooled rice to the nuts, along with bell peppers, celery, cranberries, and scallions; toss well.
• Blend rice vinegar, basil, Dijon, garlic, and pepper for dressing in a food processor. Slowly drizzle olive oil and walnut oil through the chute with the motor running until combined.
• Add dressing the the rice salad and toss well. Chill for 4 hours before serving.

TUSCAN RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Bring large saucepan of water to boil. Stir in rice and salt. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Drain rice well.
• Whisk vinegar and oil in large bowl. Add warm rice and toss to coat.
• Whisk egg and Parmesan cheese in small bowl to blend. Spray medium nonstick skillet with vegetable oil spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add egg mixture and stir constantly until scrambled and curds are set, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool. Cut egg into small pieces. Season to taste with pepper.
• Stir egg pieces, pork, peas, red onion and parsley into rice. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. Line shallow bowl with lettuce leaves. Spoon rice salad onto leaves. Surround with tomato wedges. Serve at room temperature.
• Serves 4.