This easy rice salad captures the bright, fresh flavors of the Mediterranean. Rice, crisp cucumbers, bell pepper and protein-packed chickpeas are tossed with fresh herbs and a lemon-olive oil dressing for a light, satisfying dish.
It’s a versatile, healthy salad you can make year-round: in winter use brown rice, hothouse cucumbers and jarred roasted red peppers; in summer switch to white rice and garden-fresh vegetables for a lighter result.
This salad works well as a side for grilled chicken or fish, or served with warm pita for a simple lunch. The components are easy to swap—use different cooked grains, add olives or swap pepper colors—so it’s simple to adapt to what you have on hand.
Ingredients.
Cooked rice – any rice or cooked grain will do. Brown rice adds fiber and nutrients; white rice makes the salad lighter.
Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) – canned, rinsed and drained are fine. If you cook dried chickpeas from scratch, they’re even better.
Cucumber – remove the seeds if you prefer a less watery salad. Use hothouse cucumbers in winter or fresh garden cukes in summer.
Red bell pepper – diced. Fresh in season, or use jarred roasted red peppers if needed. Yellow or orange peppers also work.
Green onions, dill and parsley – thinly sliced or chopped to taste; they add brightness and herbaceous flavor.
Lemon juice – fresh squeezed for the best flavor.
Olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper – to finish the dressing and season the salad.
Step by step instructions.
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds if desired, then quarter and slice thinly. Place in a large bowl.
Seed and dice the red bell pepper and thinly slice the green onions. Add them to the bowl.
Add the cooked rice to the bowl.
Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas well, then add them along with the chopped parsley and dill.
Season with salt, black pepper, fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Let the salad rest for a few minutes if you have time so the flavors meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
This Mediterranean rice salad is a great make-ahead dish and holds up well for lunches, picnics or potlucks. Add grilled chicken or fish for a heartier meal, or mix in kalamata olives or feta if you like.
Recipe.
Mediterranean Rice Salad
Salad
Mediterranean
20 minutes
20 minutes
6
199kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 14 oz chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 green onions sliced thin
- ½ tablespoon fresh dill chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
-
Cut the cucumber in half, scoop out the seeds if desired, then quarter and thinly slice.
-
Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon, salt or pepper as needed.
Notes
Yellow or orange bell peppers work equally well.
Optional: add chopped kalamata olives or crumbled feta for extra Mediterranean flavor.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 29g
|
Protein: 7g
|
Fat: 7g