Turmeric Rice Salad is a Mediterranean inspired salad that's a great way to bulk up a salad or use leftover rice - easily customizable and ready in minutes!
If you’re looking to turn your salad into a full meal, a great way to do that is by adding grains, like rice. In this Turmeric Rice Salad, I add a turmeric spiced white rice to a Mediterranean inspired salad. It adds a beautiful color, great texture and a lot of nutrition that’s going to keep you full!
What is turmeric good for?
Turmeric is a brightly yellow-colored spice that is similar to ginger. It’s the spice that gives curry its vibrant color, and so it’s very common in Indian cuisine, but also in Mediterranean recipes well. Turmeric is becoming increasingly popular in the last decade because of its amazing medicinal benefits, ranging from anti-inflammation to even lowering the risk of cancer.
I use turmeric to make golden milk turmeric latte, Lebanese turmeric cake (sfouf), and even just to add color to vegan desserts like lemon pudding and lemon bars.
How do you make turmeric rice?
Making turmeric rice is as easy as stirring the spice with the rice and water and allowing it all to mix together as the rice cooks. I recently tried organic ready-to-heat turmeric rice in packets that come with only a simple ingredients. And that’s what I use in this recipe today.
What to put in rice salad?
It’s really whatever you want. For my turmeric rice salad, I infuse Mediterranean flavors to complement the turmeric rice. So I use spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, chickpeas, olives, parsley and feta cheese.
For the dressing, I mix together olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, pomegranate molasses, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. It’s a great simple dressing that’s versatile for most salads and really complements the flavors of this turmeric rice salad!
Tips for making rice salad
- Fluff the rice after cooking. Whether you’re making the rice from scratch or using the ready-to-heat kind, it’s important to fluff the rice after cooking by using a fork to separate the grains
- Use warm rice. Even though we often think of salads as cold meals, there’s something very comforting about the rice being served warm. It keeps the rice moist, and blends more equally into the salad.
- Don’t use short grain rice. If you’re cooking the rice from scratch, opt for long grain rice for the best consistency. I find that the short grain rice ends up being too sticky when used in a salad.
- Avoid using lettuce. Rice salads tend to be more hearty and are great for leftovers. Including lettuce in the salad though may create a soggy situation the next day. If you want to use greens, opt for spinach or kale that don’t release too much moisture.
Frequently asked questions
How long does rice salad last?
That will depend a lot on what you have in your salad and whether it’s been mixed yet. The rice itself will last in the fridge for up to 5 days. For best results, I recommend storing everything separately and assembling as needed.
Do you eat rice salad hot or cold?
Like most salads, this rice salad should be served cold. However, I do personally enjoy the rice being warmed slightly because it creates a more moist consistency.
Can you freeze rice salad?
Yes you can as long as it’s not mixed with any fresh vegetables or dairy. If you toss the rice salad with olives, chickpeas and herbs for example, it would freeze very well for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, just reheat in the microwave.
For more Mediterranean salads
For more rice recipes:
This turmeric rice salad is one of those salads you can easily throw together as long as you have a well stocked pantry with some type of beans and some vegetables in your fridge. I love how bright and colorful it is and how easily customizable it is to whatever you have on hand and whatever flavors you like.
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feelgood Turmeric Rice Salad recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Turmeric Rice Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked turmeric rice
- 2-3 tablespoons kalamata olives sliced
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup English cucumbers sliced
- 1/4 cup feta cheese crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove pressed
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Whisk the ingredients for the salad dressing together in a small mason jar until well combined. Set aside.
- Prepare rice according to package instructions. Allow one minute to cool, then fluff with a rice to separate the grains.
- Assemble all the ingredients for the salad into two bowls or one large bowl. Pour the dressing over, toss and serve.
