Mexican Rice Salad

Mexican rice salad is hearty, healthy, colorful and affordable. From recipe contributor Ruth Bianchi of Apple Valley, Minnesota, this side dish is perfect as-is—spicy, lemony and crunchy with plenty of vegetables and beans. But it’s so adaptable, you could make it a thousand times and never have the same dish twice.

Try stirring in whichever veggies are hanging out in the crisper drawer, or change up the beans. You can add chicken, swap the rice for a whole grain like quinoa, sub in red wine vinaigrette, or shower the bowl with fresh herbs. Any way you toss it, this salad recipe is a template for a tasty, protein-packed lunch or picnic-friendly rice side dish.

Ingredients for Mexican Rice Salad

• Long-grain rice: We like long-grain rice for salads because the grains hold their shape well and are pleasantly chewy. Other types of rice you can use include brown or jasmine.
• Veggies: Assorted fresh vegetables—including green peppers, red onions, carrots and plum tomatoes—add sweetness, crunch and color to the bowl.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds just enough aromatic bite without being overpowering. You can use the jarred stuff to save time, but fresh garlic usually tastes best.
• Canola oil: Canola is our favorite neutral cooking oil because it won’t mask the other flavors. You’ll use a very small amount to saute the vegetables. Olive oil is fine to use if you prefer.
• Frozen corn: Defrosted corn is a sweet accompaniment to the fresh vegetables. Thaw and drain it well before adding it to the salad.
• Black beans: Rinsing canned beans before using them can banish any metallic flavor that might come from the can. (It also makes them easier to digest.)
• Peanuts: Crunchy peanuts bulk up the rice salad with some protein. We like the taste of salted peanuts, but you can use unsalted ones if you’re trying to cut down on sodium.
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro is a vibrant fresh topper. Use parsley if you find cilantro soapy.
• Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil will give the simple dressing the best taste.
• Lemon juice: Lemon adds bright acidity to the salad, making every flavor sing. Use freshly squeezed juice if you can.
• Seasonings: Cayenne pepper adds mild heat, while ground cumin lends earthy warmth.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the rice

In a large saucepan, bring the water and rice to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer the rice for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Let the rice stand, covered, for five minutes or until it’s tender. Rinse the rice with cold water and drain it.

Transfer the rice to a large bowl.

Editor’s Tip: Rinsing the rice helps flush excess starch, which can make rice sticky.

Step 2: Saute the vegetables

In a small skillet, saute the green pepper, onion and carrot in oil until they’re crisp-tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute longer.

Editor’s Tip: Always add garlic to the saute pan at the very end of cooking. It doesn’t take long to soften, and if it burns, it tastes quite bitter.

Step 3: Toss the salad

Add the cooked vegetables to the rice.

Stir in the corn, beans, tomatoes, peanuts and cilantro.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cayenne and cumin. Pour the dressing over the rice mixture, tossing to coat.

Step 4: Chill the salad

Cover the salad and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve it.

Mexican Rice Salad Variations

• Change the grain: It might seem silly to take the rice out of rice salad, but you can replace it with almost any grain: nutty quinoa, chewy sorghum, warm millet, hearty farro or healthy brown rice.
• Add veggies: Virtually any vegetable works in rice salad. Steamed green beans, snow peas, asparagus or potatoes; roasted broccoli, peppers, zucchini, sweet potatoes or winter squash; and any fresh veggie, from sugar snap peas to cucumbers. Any soft, leafy fresh herb works, too, from dill to parsley to basil.
• Play with protein: Use chickpeas or white beans instead of black beans. Add cubed cooked chicken or crispy tofu. Consider adding crumbles of feta, goat cheese or cotija cheese, too.
• Customize the spices: Lean into the Mexican flavors by spiking the salad with chili powder, coriander, dried oregano, smoked paprika or even a good taco seasoning. Or, take the salad in a totally different direction by using your favorite seasoning blend.

How to Store Mexican Rice Salad

Keep Mexican rice salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The salad will keep fine fully assembled, though the vegetables will lose some crunch as they sit. If you know you won’t be eating the salad immediately, it’s best to store the rice, veggies, beans and dressing in separate containers. Toss them together just before serving the salad.

How long will Mexican rice salad last?

In the refrigerator, the assembled Mexican rice and bean salad keeps for up to four days. If storing each element separately, the rice and cooked veggies will keep up to four days, and the dressing will last at least a week.

Mexican Rice Salad Tips

What can you serve with Mexican rice salad?

Rice salad is a go-to make-ahead lunch, ideal for eating at your desk or carrying outside for an impromptu picnic. Pair it with an apple or a pear for the simplest meal. The rice salad also makes a substantial side dish for Mexican dinners, with tacos, enchiladas, salsa verde chicken casserole or a burrito skillet as the centerpiece. Serve the rice salad with a bowl of soup, like chicken tortilla soup or black bean soup, for a lighter dinner.

How do you avoid soggy rice?

The best way to avoid mushy rice is to use the proper ratio of water to rice when cooking. Follow the recipe, don’t just eyeball it. If your rice ends up sticky or soggy, spread it on a baking sheet and bake it for about 10 minutes at 350°F to evaporate some of the excess moisture.