Tomato Rice Salad Recipes

BROWN-RICE SALAD WITH SPINACH AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, dill, garlic, and sugar. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add rice, cucumber, spinach, and tomatoes; toss to combine.

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.

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.

ROASTED TOMATO & CHEDDAR RICE WITH GARDEN SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spread the tomatoes on a baking tray and roast for 15 mins, then remove. Heat grill to High.
• Meanwhile, soften the onion and oregano in the oil, stir in the rice and stock, and boil for 15 mins, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked.
• Mix the avocados, herbs, shredded lettuce and lemon juice.
• Stir most of the cheese and tomatoes into the rice, tip into an ovenproof dish, scatter remaining cheese and tomatoes on top with some more oregano and flash under the grill to brown. Spoon onto plates with the salad served on the side.

GREEK RICE SALAD

Steps:

• Bring the brown rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes; remove from heat and allow to cool, fluffing occasionally with a fork.
• Toss the avocado and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, feta, olives, mint, olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, salt, and pepper to the bowl; lightly toss the mixture until evenly combined. Fold the cooled rice gently into the mixture. Serve immediately or chill up to 1 hour; the salad does not last well for more than a day as the tomato and cucumber begin to release their juices and the salad becomes watery.