Another month is about to bite the dust, we’re closer to summer, spending more time outdoors, enjoying meals in our backyards, patios and even taking the odd picnic.
Today’s dish is a wonderful option if you’re looking for something to bring to a party, potluck or picnic. You can use leftover rice or cook up a batch just for the recipe. Either way, this recipe is worthy of making.
When I first saw this dish in the pages of Gastronomos, the colours immediatetly drew me into it. The ingredients required here are usually found in my fridge and flavour combo certainly caught my interest.
The recipe calls for 1 cup of rice but I urge you to resist the temptation to cook more. When all of the ingredients are tossed in the bowl, this recipe increases in size and I would say it’s more than enough for a family of 4-6 or more than suffice as an offering at a get-together.
The flavours I remember here are the nuttyness of the rice, the sweetness from the carrots and peas, the rich flavour of the pepper, the briny presence of Kalamata olives and the refreshing finish of citrus, parsley and fresh dill.
This dish works well as a side for a BBQ, pair it with some spicy ribs or chicken (like I did) and you’ll surely be armed with a new dish to bring out during the warm summer months.
Rice Salad 
(serves 6)
1 cup of rice (boiled or try my baked rice method)
1 carrot, peeled and passed through a box grater
1/2 cup green bell pepper, fine dice
1/2 cup red pepper, fine dice
1 cup of frozen (thawed) or fresh peas
1/2 cup of Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
3-4 scallions, chopped
1/2 extra-virgin olive oil
juice and zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
- After you have baked off your rice, allow to cool a bit but your intent is to toss all the other ingredients while the rice is still warm (rice will absorb more flavours).
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl (except the herbs) and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Add and toss the parsley and dill just before serving so they retain their colours and you get the maximum flavour of the fresh herbs.
Sounds excellent Peter. Love all the ingredients, especially the fresh citrus component, and dill garnish looks very pretty. Definitely a good pair with barbecue!
LL
Oh Peter, there are so many of the things that I’ve bookmarked since my last visit. You really represent your food heritage well and make me shine in the kitchen when I cook. So, thank you! :)
What a great combination of flavors!
Looks like a great summer salad. I’ve been working on a collection, and this will be perfect.
Peter, another great post! The brilliant colors of this salad surely makes it very tempting and the flavors make it just perfect!! Kudos!!
Perfect — I have some rice left over from a Malaysian dish I made a few nights ago. I love the addition of olives in this salad, and the colors are spectacular!
What a wonderfully colorful and tasty looking salad Peter!
Prettiest summer salad! love the flavors & colors. Your header image is making me want to run away:-)
Oooh yum but this is spooky! Having just woken up here in the UK – I was just thinking about peppers and spring onions (scallions to you)! that I have in my fridge and going along the lines of a rice dish they sell where I work.
Then, I log on here to find this! It is very nearly what I was going to do today!!
No dill in mine though – but much the same otherwise.
Yours looks so good Peter! Love the pictures too.
Loogs nice and fresh. I love salads with rice! Bravo sou.
Señor Kalofagas, this is the kind of salad I love to eat during Summer hot days. Rice is so versatile. It looks delicious :D chico!
Buen fin de semana!
Awesome. I just yesterday saved an Insalata di Riso I saw on Serious Eats and now your version! It’s such a great recipe, a recipe idea really, because you can play with quantities or types of herbs and vegetables to easily make it your own. This looks beautiful, Peter!
I am sure bookmarking this.
Here when we do a cold plate in summer , this is going to be really good.Love the voolours too, as true show stopper.
I’m not usually a fan of rice salads, but this one looks so good I may change my mind!
The colors drew me in immediately as well as the fresh herbs tossed at the end. I love ‘colors’ and I love ‘finishing touches’.
Your salad sounds perfect Peter!!
Full of colours and flavors!!
I make a rice salad with tuna or chicken, I’ll try also yours!!
I like the advice of not making more rice than 1 cup. In the last few weeks, my husband has made a barley salad and a rice salad and each time he has questioned himself about making only 3/4 cup of the grain. But, when you add the veggies it really does turn into a sizeable salad.
This one looks very good; would be good in his bento too.
yes, the colors definitely catch the eye! is every hue of the rainbow represented? wowza, it’s a fabulous dish. :)
Colourful, flavoursome and EASY! I have actually never used rice in a salad before, but next time I will have some leftover I will try this approach. It is much healthier than Chinese fried rice!
It has all my favourite ingredients in here. I would love this as a light main dish.
Oh, I love rice salads! This looks great and perfect for those outdoor BBQ get-togethers that will be starting up. Added bonus … unlike pasta salads, this is gluten free, too! YUM!
Lovely salad Peter. I make a rice salad as well, using ham and mayo sause which is really tasty but yours is much highter. Next time I’ll try this version.
The Italian version appears to be with orzo. This looks refreshing and wonderful!
What a colourful salad! Certainly a dish to impress vegetarians :)
That looks like the perfect salad to enjoy in the garden in the sun :)
mmm. that sounds so light and fresh. i love it!
Well, isn’t that just gorgeous?
Bet the sweet peas are the perfect foil for the briny olives… yum!
Woo hoo! Another awesome rice recipe from the master. I adore rice salads, so this is going to be a winner for sure.
Perfect for summer BBQs and potlucks. Great recipe.
Oh, this sounds great! Sorry of this is a dumb question, but 1 cup of cooked rice, or 1 cup of rice that is then cooked?
It is always problematic for me to look at one of your recipes for salad when it is snowing around here, BUT I have found that your recipes(at least some of them) taste good..hot or cold and that is amazing!!!I’m thinking of a cold soup that I found on your site and then turned it into a hot soup!!Thx for always inspiring!!!
Peter – rice is always my side dish of choice. I really like this combination. Did you use some lemon zest too?
I love the look of this salad Peter!!! Can’t wait to try it on my peeps!!!
This looks so tasty! I love the colors in this dish, too. I am always making grain salads in the spring and summer so I will have to give this recipe a shot.
Sorry to come in late on this! But this dish screams “summer” and sunshine! So colourful and flavoursome. This could easily be made for our cooler climate at the moment too!
This herby rice does look like the perfect addition to a picnic! I’ll try the baked rice method, liek you suggest to see the texture differences
Thanks!
Peter I feel healthier just looking at that gorgeously colorful salad. It like something I MUST make immediately.
Bookmarked. I’ve never had rice salad before but I know I would love it with all these wonderful ingredients.
Such a beautiful colourful rice salad Peter. I am bookmarking this one to try!
That looks perfect for summer.
This is on our list for the rehearsal party – you’ve added a couple of things we didn’t but I like your version better. Thanks for this…love it.
Great! All the fresh dill is so bright and springy.
Peter that would be perfect at my next potluck party. I am bookmarking this recipe. :)
I love the colors here and your flavor combinations are just perfect for a great grilling side.
Thanks Peter!
I love all the bright, vibrant colors in this dish. It looks like the perfect addition to any backyard barbecue!
I love everything in this, so I already know there’s no way it could be bad. It looks wonderful and refreshing!
I’m dropping by, I’m savouring, I’m commenting & I’m enjoying.
This is summer on a plate! Truly one of the prettiest dishes I’ve seen in a long time. I need to get some parsley and dill, and, then I will make this.
This looks yummy! I’ll buy the ingredients next time I’ll go to the farmer’s market!
I love rice salads like this! This looks great with the olives and dill.
I love rice salads but the addition of dill really perked up my taste buds! This would be perfect for a summer evening al fresco dinner. I am bookmarking this one!
Hi Peter, does this salad hold up well if made a day or two before use?
Toni, yes! I’d say it becomes even better!
I want to try this recipe! Is there a way to get a printer-friendly copy of this recipe? Thank you.
Sonya, all recipes have a print option at the bottom of the page.