This is my go-to vegan dish to take as a guest (perfect for BBQs or potlucks) or as an easy side dish when entertaining. It’s convenient if you’re a guest and not sure if vegan food will be served, as it’s dense enough to be enjoyed as a main meal.
Humble in appearance but guaranteed WOW in flavor, you will get many compliments and no doubt recipe requests to anybody you serve this to!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crunchy and Nutty: The toasted sunflower seeds and cashews add a dense, filling aspect to the salad and a delicious bite.
- Flavorful Dressing: The soy sauce and garlic dressing infuses the salad with rich, savory flavors.
- Easy to Make: With just 15 minutes of prep time, this salad is quick to throw together. Keep the nuts and dressing separately until just before serving for the best texture.
Ingredients
Here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need to make Brown Rice Salad:
- Brown rice
- Currants
- Spring onions
- Green capsicum
- Red capsicum
- Sunflower seeds
- Raw cashews or almonds (or a mix)
- Sunflower oil (or mild olive oil)
- Garlic
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Soy sauce
You can find exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Brown Rice Salad
Step One: Toast the nuts and seeds in a dry pan until they are golden and fragrant. Set them aside in a large bowl.
Step Two: Prepare the salad by mixing cooked brown rice with peppers, green onions, currants and toasted nuts and seeds.
Step Three: Make the dressing by combining oil, minced garlic, fresh herbs, and soy sauce in a jar. Shake it well.
Step Two: Pour the salad over the dressing and toss well to combine. Serve immediately.
Expert Tip
Keep it Crunchy! To ensure the nuts and seeds stay firm, add them to the salad just before serving. Storing them separately from the rest of the salad helps maintain their texture and toasted flavor.
Storage
To keep your Brown Rice Salad fresh and crunchy, store the salad components separately if possible:
- Nuts and Seeds: Store the toasted sunflower seeds and cashews in an airtight container at room temperature. This will keep them crunchy for up to 1 week.
- Dressing: Store the dressing in a sealed jar in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days. Give it a good shake before using.
- Salad: Store the rice, vegetables, and currants in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The salad will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Substitutions and Variations
- Rice: Swap brown rice with white rice, wild rice, or quinoa for a different texture and flavor.
- Nuts and Seeds: I’ve made this recipes with almonds instead of cashews and it works well. A mix of the two nuts is also delicious.
- Dried Fruit: If you’re not a fan of currants, try using raisins, or dried cranberries.
- Vegetables: Feel free to mix in other veggies like cucumber, cherry tomatoes, or shredded carrots to add more color and crunch.
- Dressing: For a different flavor profile, substitute soy sauce with tamari, coconut aminos, or even balsamic vinegar.
- Herbs: If you don’t have parsley, try using fresh cilantro (coriander) instead.
- Extra Protein: For an even more filling meal, try adding some chickpeas to the salad.
FAQs
Yes, you can substitute brown rice with white rice, wild rice, or even quinoa for a different texture and flavor. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Absolutely! You can prepare the rice, chop the vegetables, and make the dressing in advance. Just keep the nuts and dressing separate until you’re ready to serve to maintain the salad’s crunchiness.
Yes, this salad is great for meal prep. Store the components separately in airtight containers and combine them when ready to eat. It makes for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner option throughout the week.
If you’re looking for a soy-free option, you can use tamari or coconut aminos as a substitute. Both will provide a similar savory flavor.
Store any leftovers in the fridge. Keep the nuts and dressing separate to ensure the salad stays fresh and crunchy. Assemble just before serving.
I hope you love this Brown Rice Salad recipe. It’s one of my favorites and whenever I make it, I am always asked for the recipe. If you enjoy this recipe, I’d love to know what you thought and if you made any variations. Please leave a star rating and comment below to share your thoughts, or tag me in your posts on Instagram – I’m @glowdiaries___ 🙂
Brown Rice Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 4 tbsp currants
- 5 spring onions
- 1 small green capsicum
- 1 small red capsicum
- 200 g sunflower seeds
- 200 g raw cashews or almonds (or a mix!)
Dressing
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil (or mild olive oil)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
- 6 tbsp soy sauce
Instructions
- Toast sunflower kernels in a dry pan over low heat, stirring constantly to ensure they don’t burn. Remove when they start to turn golden (usually around 3-4 minutes) and place in a large bowl.
- Toast cashews in the same pan over low-medium heat, stirring constantly. After a few minutes, when slightly browned, remove from heat and add to the bowl of sunflower kernels.
- Add all other salad ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine.
- Combine all dressing ingredients into a jar and shake. Pour over salad and stir through.
