Spinach Pecan Brown Rice Salad makes a satisfying and refreshing weekday lunch or a hearty dinner salad. It’s make-ahead ready and travels easily to picnics and potlucks. It features texture-rich cooked brown rice, toasty pecans, hearty spinach, buttery green olives, salty feta, and a lemony dressing.
A Brown Rice Salad on Repeat
Brown rice fans, you’re going to love this nutty, toothsome, and hearty rice salad. Brown rice is a blank canvas for so many fresh and in season veggies, but especially in hearty cold rice salads.
But what’s also so convenient about this cold rice salad is that it can hang out in the fridge for up to three days. I love prepping it on the weekend and having it ready to go for week day lunches on repeat. It makes the work week less stressful!
This Recipe Is
- crunchy, creamy
- perfect for meal prep, for weekday lunches or potlucks
- make ahead ready
If you enjoy homemade salad recipes and recipes with fresh spinach, you’ll enjoy this tasty brown rice salad.
About the Key Ingredients
I would have never thought these ingredients would mingle so well together, but once this hearty salad is tossed with the lemony dressing, it’s a delicious combination of creamy, crunch, salty and a touch of lemony sour.
- Brown Rice – adds bulk, earthy flavor, and toothsome texture. The recipe calls for short-grain brown rice, but long-grain brown rice can be used if needed.
- Pitted California Green Ripe Olives – they’re smooth and buttery and without a sharp, briny flavor. They come in green or black, both of which have a rich and mild flavor.
- Fresh Spinach – for color, texture and bulk. The spinach is chopped small so you can use baby spinach or larger leafed spinach.
- Feta Cheese – for a salty flavor and a creamy texture. Look for sheep and goat milk cheese for ultimate creaminess.
- Optional Chive Blossoms – I add these for color when they’re growing in the herb patch. If you can get your hands on chive flowers, incorporate them into your salad (organic gardens only). They’re edible!
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How to Make Spinach Pecan Brown Rice Salad
step by step
We’re cooking brown rice like pasta, for fluffy, tender, and evenly cooked brown rice. I find it easier too, than the traditional method.
I don’t often write a review. However, this salad more than exceeded my expectations. Made this for a girlfriends lunch. All brought salads or appetizers. Not only was this good, but over the next couple of days, the flavor absolutely blossomed. So wonderful, that I think I would make it a day ahead next time!
Janette
Traci’s Tips
- Meal Prep: since short grain brown rice takes a while to cook and chill, it can be prepped ahead of when needed, at least two days in advance. When ready to assemble the salad, toss all the ingredients together and share.
- Give it Time: this salad improves with a little time, so the flavors can marry. It’s even better on the second day. Before serving, let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to the fats have time to soften.
Spinach Pecan Brown Rice Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 cup (210 grams) Short Grain Brown Rice
- 5 cups (4.1 kilogram) Water
- 3/4 cup (90 grams) Pecans halves
- 1 cup (130 grams) Green Bell Pepper small dice, about one large
- 3/4 cup (125 grams) Pitted California Green Ripe Olives sliced in half, can sub black olives
- 1/4 cup (40 grams) Purple Onion, small dice
- 2 cups (80 grams) Fresh Spinach chopped into bite size pieces
- 1/2 cup (80 grams) Feta Cheese crumbled
- 1/4 cup (6 grams) Fresh Parsley chopped, curly or flat leaf
- Optional Chive Blossoms*
For the Dressing:
- Zest of one Lemon
- 3-4 tablespoons Lemon Juice from about 1 1/2 – 2 lemons, add more to taste
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt + more to taste
Instructions
- In a 3 quart stock pot, add water and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse the rice in a fine mesh strainer. Once the water is boiling, add the rice. Reduce heat to simmer. Lid, leaving the lid slightly ajar for a steam vent. Cook for about 22-25 minutes or until the rice is tender, yet has a chewy texture. Thoroughly drain through a fine mesh strainer (tossing the rice frequently to help it drain). Let it set in the strainer for about 3-5 minutes to steam off. Transfer the rice to a parchment-lined sheet pan, spreading the rice in an even layer. Cool in the freezer for about 10 – 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F. Toast the pecans for 11-13 minutes, or until fragrant and slightly darker. Set aside to cool. Chop into small pieces.
- Combine the rice, pecans, bell pepper, olives, onion, spinach, feta and parsley. Set aside.
- To make the dressing, squeeze the lemon juice and zest into a bowl, whisk in the olive oil, salt and pepper (alternatively, put the ingredients in a jar and shake it up). Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well.
- For best flavor, chill for at least 1/2 an hour then serve. Store in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Its flavor improves with time.
This recipe has become a standard “go to”. My husband loves it, too! I often add grilled chicken breast. Delish!
Best news ever, Robin! Thank you for your note and five star rating!
This is soooo good! I’ve been making it for 10 years, and it’s still one of my favorites among your recipes. It travels well, perfect for potlucks, as you mentioned, and just about anybody can eat it. Thank you!
I’ve made this salad 3 times now in less than a month. Seems I can’t get enough of it. I use red bell peppers and black olives and it’s absolutely delicious. I’ll be making this one frequently.
Hi Marilyn! Red bell peppers and black olive sound sooo good! Thank you for your note and review.
I was in a hurry to get this salad on the dinner table and didn’t cool the rice, but it was delish and the family loved it.
Hi Karen! Thank you for your note and giving the salad a go! SO happy to hear you’re enjoying it – warm too!
This was simple to make and very delicious.
Hi Eva! Thank you for your note. It’s a win-win!
This was easy to make and delicious to eat!
Thank you, I’ll be making this often.
SO happy to hear, Caryn! Thank youuuu for your note!
I don’t often write a review. However, this salad more than exceeded my expectations. Made this for a girlfriends lunch. All brought salads or appetizers. Not only was this good, but over the next couple of days, the flavor absolutely blossomed. So wonderful,that I think I would make it a day ahead next time! Thank you for the fantastic recipe Traci.
Hiii Janette! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note. Hooray for a salad that exceeds expectations!… isn’t brown rice such a flavorful base for this salad?
I LOVE this salad! This is on constant rotation in the summer and is PERFECT for meal prep! We feel so good eating it and it makes great leftover lunches!! Thanks Traci for yet another DELICIOUS recipe!
Hi Colleen! Thank you for your note and giving the recipe a try! SO happy to hear you’re enjoying the salad and how it fits into meal prep for you. To have it on the ready in the fridge is such a delight!
Absolutely delicious!! I can always count on your recipes to deliver. Loved it!
Hiii Christine! Hooray! SO happy to hear and, I appreciate your note!
So, so good! I’ve been making this almost every week during the summer when I can’t bear the thought of standing over a hot stove! It’s perfect for meal prep and is Hearty, nutritious and it has my favorite- olives! Thanks Traci for another great recipe!
Hi Colleen! SO happy to read your note. Thank you for giving the recipe a go! Isn’t it such a delicious hearty salad for Summer? And yes to those olives (swooon!)!
I added vegan Feta cheese (vegan brand) and this was DELICIOUS!!!
My husband loved it and asked for more!
I make this regularly. I’m not a fan of olives…I added about a cup of golden raisins and dried cranberries. I also used Myer lemon oil for that extra kick and about 1/4 c of organic honey. Soooooo yummy!
I just made this for the first time. Wow! This is a keeper. (I’m not a huge fan of feta and subbed it with queso fresco. It’s perfect!)
Hi Ann! Thank you for your note. So happy you’re enjoying the recipe. Queso fresco sounds fabulous!
Not a large fan of feta either so your substitution is brilliant.
I LOVE this salad and so does my husband! I’ve been making it once a week since I discovered it about a month ago. The only change I make is to add an extra tablespoon of olive oil =)
So happy to hear this, Jen! This salad is one of my favorites on the blog… I make it frequently! Thank you for your note!
hey I love your recipe! I surely will try this myself
Thank you Matt! :D
Just made this and it was amazing. I’m so bored with lettuce salads and found it so tasty and easy to make. Even my meat loving husband keep sneaking into the fridge w a spoon. Made him a contain of his own. it, Thank you so much for sharing it.
Hooray Robin! Thank you so much for sharing and enjoying the recipe. I know what you mean about lettuce salads. One needs variety, right? I LOL at your husband! Rob just requested this salad yesterday.. I’ve not made it in a while.. so it’s time! He loves it too! ;D