A simple gluten-free, veggie-packed salad that pairs well with so many dishes and is perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd!
Confetti Rice Salad
Colorful, Flavorful and Crowd-pleasing!
I first made this salad last Spring and it was a huge hit all season long!
Recipe adapted from Silver Palate, it’s rice + a ton of diced vegetables and herbs, all tossed in a dijon-red wine vinaigrette and it is DELISH!
It’s the type of salad that goes with everything… it works well with a grilled protein– chicken, steak, tofu or burgers of any kind, or even other grilled vegetables.
It’s packed with flavor but no one flavor is overpowering, it’s light and refreshing, satisfying and crowd pleasing.
It is made with real, whole foods and is entirely adaptable to tastes.
You can add your favorite veggies or skip some. Last year I made it with cooked rice, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, scallions, shallot, petite, black olives, parsley and dill.
This is what it looked like
Recently I made it again but added some more greens! Some steamed asparagus and some green beans.
I loved it with the additional greens! I love the flavor and the texture but you can adapt it to your tastes if you want more rice or more veggies.
Plus I added currants which give just a little sweetness.
Best part is it’s super easy to make and makes a large quantity (also doubles well) so it’s perfect for meal prep or a party or just feeding a crowd.
And it comes together quickly.
Literally all you do is make the rice and while the rice cooks, chops the veggies and whisk together the dressing.
The dressing is just olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper and a touch of sugar. And it is the best flavor!
Add the cooked rice to a large bowl. Mix with half the dressing. Add in the veggies and add more dressing to taste.
That’s it!
Easy, adaptable and so tasty!
Plus it tastes great warm or room temp!
Hope you love it as much as we do!
Scroll down for recipe and leave a comment if you try.
This simple gluten-free, veggie-packed salad is perfect for meal prep or feeding a crowd. It's rice + a ton of diced vegetables and herbs, all tossed in a dijon-red wine vinaigrette. It's the type of salad that goes with everything. Recipe doubles well, is easily adaptable to tastes and saves well in the refrigerator for a few days. Recipe adapted from Silver Palate.
½ 10 oz pkg frozen petite peas, de-thawed (about 1 cup)
⅓ - ½ cup steamed asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
⅓ - ½ cup fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
½ cup currants (optional but adds an nice and unexpected touch of sweetness)
¼ cup black olives, diced
⅛ cup parsley, chopped (I've made it with both curly and flat leaf parsley)
¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
Dressing (makes 1 cup -- you may not need it all so save the rest for a salad)
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cane sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Rice
If you haven't made rice, do so now in whatever method you prefer. We use both a multipot and basic water and rice boil according to package.
If you haven't steam asparagus, so do now too.
Takes about 3-5 minutes until tender crisp
Dressing
Combine ingredients in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup and whisk until well combined.
Salad
Place cooked rice (while still warm) in a large bowl. Pour ½ cup dressing over rice and stir to combine.
Add veggies and toss to combine.
Taste and add additional dressing, salt or pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Stays well in refrigerator for several days and can be enjoyed cold, at room temperature or warm.
This was an absolute refreshing salad. I followed recipe to the letter the first time. Second time I made it with tricolored orzo and added sliced perrerocini peppers. Third time I made salad with Israeli couscous and added dried cranberries. All three a super, tasty hit. Keep these fantastic recipes coming.
Hi! My name is Karen, and I’m the mom in our Healthy Gluten-Free Family. My posts and pictures here and on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter are labors of love that allow me to share a very personal journey with you, one our family has taken together — learning, experimenting and sharing how to raise a healthy happy gluten-free family. Read more ...
Looks wonderful. Making it with Quinoa. Thanks for the super recipe. We all need to eat more of this kind of food.
Thank you! I bet it will taste great with quinoa! Let me know how it works out!
This was an absolute refreshing salad. I followed recipe to the letter the first time. Second time I made it with tricolored orzo and added sliced perrerocini peppers. Third time I made salad with Israeli couscous and added dried cranberries. All three a super, tasty hit. Keep these fantastic recipes coming.
Happy you love it so much! Thank you!
Happy you love it so much! Thank you!