This delicious and vibrant Mediterranean Rice Salad has it all! It is so easy to make and the perfect addition to a BBQ or summer dinner party. A chopped brown rice salad mixed with plenty of beans and vegetables (for protein and fiber) and a light and fresh dressing. This is a healthy salad, but filling too and great for weekly meal prep!
This is one of our favourite ways to use rice as it makes for really filling salad, but it's so nutritious with the beans and the salad ingredients. You can either serve this rice salad as a main dish, as it has a little bit of everything, or as a side. It can be prepared in advance (it's often part of our weekly meal prep) and it's the perfect summer dish.
If you think salads are boring, then this rice salad recipe is going to prove you wrong. It's got a little bit of everything, and it's so easy to adapt with whatever you have in your fridge that needs using up.
This cold rice salad is so easy to put together. It takes a little bit of time to chop everything up (although, see our tip for making that easier), but that can be done whilst the rice is cooking and then you just mix everything together.
If you are looking for for some other rice recipes to try, then why not try our creamy Rice Pudding, delicious Easy Greek Rice or easily the best Spanish Rice?
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Rice - This is the star of the dish. We have used brown rice for some added fiber and we like the nuttiness of it. However, you can use long or short grain rice for this too. Why not use our Brown Rice and Quinoa mix for some added protein.
- Salad items - We used bell peppers, cucumber, tomatoes and sweetcorn. We also added spinach for a green boost.
- Onion - We used red onion, however you could use shallots which would have sweeter flavour or spring onions (scallions)
- Butter beans - We wanted to add some extra protein to this rice salad, to make it a little more filling. Other beans would work though like cannellini beans, black beans or chickpeas.
- Olives - An easy way to add some Mediterranean flavour. You can use stuffed olives for extra flavour.
- Cheese - We sprinkled some feta on just before serving, but you could use parmesan.
- Pine nuts - These add a nice crunch, but any nut or seed would work.
- Dill - You can swap this for basil or parsley if you prefer.
- Dressing - Oil; use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. Vinegar; we used apple cider for a nice tartness. Honey; for a little sweetness. Garlic and lemon are added too.
Rice Salad Variations
- Rice - We have used brown rice for extra fibre and nuttiness, however other rice works well too. We like to use wild rice as it still has that nuttiness and adds some extra colour. You can just use long grain rice though. Remember, use one cup of rice to one and a quarter cups of water. Bring to the boil then reduce to the lowest heat. Cook with a lid on for 10 minutes and then turn heat off and allow to stand, still covered, for 10 minutes. Brown rice will take longer. You can make this recipe for rice salad with other grains like couscous, faro and pearl barley too.
- Vegetables - The great thing about this rice and salad recipe is that it is so adaptable. Feel free to add you favourite vegetables, or whatever you have that needs using up. Other salad vegetables that go well in this rice salad recipe are courgettes, carrot, radish, beetroot, rocket (arugula), spring onions, peas, green beans, asparagus, kale or Roasted Broccoli.
- Dressing - We made a simple lemon and honey vinaigrette. However, you can add your favourite salad dressing to this. Personally we wouldn't go for something creamy like ranch, as it will be too overpowering. Try to keep it nice and light.
- Cheese - We love the creamy addition of feta. However, you could leave that out and then grill some halloumi and serve that on top. The added saltiness is delicious.
- Protein - We added some butter beans for protein, but you could use chickpeas or lentils instead. If you wanted to add some meat (not that it is missing it), then chopped cooked bacon, or leftover shredded chicken work well. You could also add canned tuna or salmon for a fishy addition.
- Toppings - We added some pine nuts for crunch, but you could also add some crushed pecans or walnuts or flaked almonds. Sunflower seeds are a good addition too.
Healthy Swap
To make this rice salad a little lighter, make cauliflower or broccoli rice and do half and half with the brown rice. This will make it lower in carbs and add an extra vegetable.
How to Make Mediterranean Rice Salad - Step by Step
- Step 1: Cook the rice according to the packet instructions. Once cooked put into a large serving dish.
- Step 2: Add the bell peppers, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sweetcorn, red onion, butter beans, and spinach.
- Step 3: Add the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, feta, pine nuts and dill.
- Step 4: Finish with the olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon juice.
- Step 5: Mix well to combine everything.
What to Serve with Rice Salad
This is such a versatile dish, that it goes with almost anything. We would happily eat it as a main meal, but it also makes a delicious side. Here are some of our favourite meals to serve it with:
- Moroccan Chicken Flatbreads
- Air Fryer Steak
- Crispy Chicken Goujons
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Sausages Cooked in the Oven
- Lamb Shish Kebab
Extra Tips
- To make a quicker version of this rice salad, you could make
microwave rice and then mix it together with all the salad ingredients. - Another way to speed up this recipe is to use a Multi Chopper to chop all the salad ingredients to mix in with the rice.
- For a creamy addition, add some chopped avocado.
- Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil, as it makes up a big part of the dressing and flavour.
- Cook the rice so it is a little al dente. You still want it to have some bite to it.
- I wouldn't recommend using lettuce in this chilled rice salad, as it stores well and lettuce tends to go soggy quickly.
- Cool the rice straight away, so it doesn't continue cooking and get mushy. Don't rinse it under cold water, as that will lose a lot of flavour. Spread it on a large baking tray to allow it to cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover Mediterranean rice salad in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Before serving, add some lemon juice and give it a good mix up. We don't recommend freezing this because there are too many delicate ingredients that just won't defrost very well.
You don't have to, but it does remove some of the starch.
Yes, it can - making it a great recipe for a BBQ. It actually tastes better the next day as it allows all the flavours to come together.
Yes, as long as you make sure there is no cross contamination, then this can be a gluten free salad.
More Mediterranean Recipes
If you’ve tried this Mediterranean Rice Salad, then let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - You can also use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Mediterranean Rice Salad
Ingredients
- 200 g (1 cups) Brown rice
- 2 Bell peppers - diced
- 0.5 Cucumber - diced
- 200 g (1.33 cups) Cherry tomatoes - quartered
- 100 g (0.66 cups) Sweetcorn
- 1 Red onion - diced
- 235 g (1.25 cups) Butter beans - canned; drained weight
- 50 g (1.66 cups) Spinach - chopped
- 50 g (0.5 cups) Sun-dried tomatoes - drained and chopped
- 100 g (0.75 cups) Mixed olives - chopped
- 40 g (0.25 cups) Feta - crumbled
- 30 g (0.25 cups) Pine nuts
- 6 g (0.25 cups) Fresh dill - finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 2 Garlic clove - crushed
- 2 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1 Lemon - juice only
Instructions
- Cook 200 g Brown rice according to the packet instructions.
- Add the cooked rice to a large serving dish.
- Add 2 Bell peppers, 0.5 Cucumber, 200 g Cherry tomatoes, 100 g Sweetcorn, 1 Red onion, 235 g Butter beans, and 50 g Spinach.
- Add 50 g Sun-dried tomatoes, 100 g Mixed olives, 40 g Feta, 30 g Pine nuts and 6 g Fresh dill.
- Finish with 3 tablespoon Olive oil, 2 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon Honey, 2 Garlic clove, 2 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper and the juice of 1 Lemon.
- Mix well to combine everything.
Recipe Tips
- To make a quicker version of this rice salad, you could make microwave rice and then mix it together with all the salad ingredients.
- For a creamy addition, add some chopped avocado.
- Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil, as it makes up a big part of the dressing and flavour.
- Cook the rice so it is a little al dente. You still want it to have some bite to it.
- I wouldn't recommend using lettuce in this chilled rice salad, as it stores well and lettuce tends to go soggy quickly.
- Cool the rice straight away, so it doesn't continue cooking and get mushy. Don't rinse it under cold water, as that will lose a lot of flavour. Spread it on a large baking tray to allow it to cool.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
C Gibson says
This salad is sooo good! I substituted some shredded chicken for the butter beans (to satisfy my meat-loving husband) and it was great. So crunchy, tiny and satisfying. Thank you for sharing it!
C Gibson says
*tangy!*
Dannii Martin says
So glad you enjoyed it! Chicken sounds like a delicious substitution.