You'll find a version of rice salad in many French cookbooks, and for good reason. It's "fancy" yet simple and can be made with what you have on hand.
Rice salad is also a delightful lower-carb alternative to potato or pasta and is perfect to serve at parties. Even though you don't need an exact recipe, it is a great idea to save this to your recipe app or list of recipes so you remember that when you have leftover rice, you can make rice salad with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Here’s how.
Cooked white long-grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Your choice of additions:
Peas
Corn
Scallions
Bell pepper
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Herbs such as parsley, tarragon, and basil
Shrimp
Crab
Your choice of sauces:
Homemade mayonnaise (egg yolk, olive oil, Dijon)
Vinaigrette (olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, garlic)
Olive oil — and maybe a splash of sherry, red wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
Cook the rice. You can find an easy tip for making rice here.
Mix the cooked rice with whatever you like. One of my favorite combinations is corn, peas, finely chopped scallions, parsley, and red bell pepper.
Cherry tomatoes and shrimp or crab meat are classic additions — and lovely for entertaining. I’ve also added basil and tarragon.
Mix the salad with one of these dressing options:
Olive oil and maybe a splash of vinegar (like red wine, sherry, champagne) — it’s simple and divine!
You can make the rice and dressing separately and then assemble the salad when it's time to serve, making it convenient for parties.
