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This Brown Rice Salad is loaded with fresh herbs, sauteed onions, nuts and a homemade vinaigrette dressing. It’s perfect for meal prep, picnics, potlucks, or a light and flavorful lunch.
This Brown Rice Salad is one of those dishes looks ordinary, but then you take a bit and it is fresh, wholesome, and incredibly satisfying. It’s filled with sauteed onions, brown rice, both peanuts and cashews and a homemade vinaigrette dressing that ties everything together.
Recently on vacation we were on an all day excursion that had a picnic lunch included. There was this brown rice salad that all of us immediately went crazy for. Once we got back to the resort, I had to ask the chef how he made the salad. And it has been on repeat since we have been home. It holds up well in the fridge, so it is great for packing into lunches or serving at gatherings where you want something fresh and crowd-friendly.
Ingredients Needed
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Brown Rice
- Red Onion
- Cashews
- Peanuts
- Parsley
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Soy Sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Lemon Juice
- Garlic
- Salt & Pepper
How To Make Brown Rice Salad
- Cook Rice. Cook the brown rice in water like, following the package directions. You can use a rice cooker if you have one.
- Make Vinaigrette. In a small jar add all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette. Cover and shake well until it comes together.
- Sauté Onions. Add a little oil to a skillet, heat over medium heat. Sauté the onions for 7-8 minutes until they are soft.
- Toss. Add the cooked rice, onions, cashews and peanuts to a bowl. Mix until well combine. Top with dressing and parsley and mix until combined.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Mix-Ins. You really can get creative and add in tomatoes, olives and feta to turn it a little more Mediterranean. Or add chickpeas or grilled chicken. It is a relatively versatile salad and dressing you can make your own.
- Make Ahead. You can make the rice and dressing ahead and just toss together when you are ready to serve. Or you can mix everything together and serve the next day.
- Rice Cooker. I absolutely love my rice cook and think it makes a huge difference in cooking rice. You can get inexpensive ones that do an amazing job.
- Serving. This brown rice salad can be served luke warm to room temperature, or it can be served cold. For leftovers I like to let it sit out for a little bit so it isn’t super cold when served.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Mix well before serving. Rice freezes really well, but with the dressing I don’t recommend it. The texture changes and it isn’t the same after frozen.
More Easy Side Dish Recipes
Brown Rice Salad
Ingredients
Vinaigrette Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once hot add the onions and sauté for 7-8 minutes until the onions are soft.1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/3 cup red onion
- Meanwhile, add all of the ingredients for the dressing into a small jar with a tight fitting lid. Shake for about a minute until is completely comes together.1/4 cup olive oil, 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, salt & pepper to taste
- Once the onions are soft mix together cooked rice, cashews, peanuts, and the onions.3 cups cooked brown rice, 1/4 cup cashews, 1/4 cup peanuts
- Pour the dressing over the rice and mix to combine. Add in the parsley and mix well.½ cup parsley
- Serve immediately or cover and place in the fridge.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
