Spinach Pecan Brown Rice Salad

Spinach Pecan Brown Rice Salad makes a satisfying weekday lunch or a hearty dinner salad. It's make-ahead ready and travels easily to picnics and potlucks. It features texture-rich brown rice, toasty pecans, hearty spinach, buttery green olives, salty feta, and a lemony dressing. This recipe is vegetarian, easily vegan, and gluten-free. Note, there's some overlap in cook and prep time.

Course Lunch, Side

Cuisine American

Diet Vegetarian

Keyword Brown Rice Salad, Cold Rice Salad, Rice Salad

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Resting Time 15

Total Time 1 5

Servings -7 Servings

Calories 364kcal

Author Traci York

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.

Video

Notes

*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 are edible!

*Update (8/2024): I updated the recipe to cook the brown rice like pasta for tender, fluffy and thoroughly cooked rice. Otherwise, the recipe remains unchanged.

Inspired by Skagit Valley Co-Op

Nutrition