Salads that are their own meal are my favourite salads. There is enough carbohydrates or protein in them that fill you up without making too much mess in the kitchen, especially on those busy days when your managing kids activities or need to make a quick week night dinner.
Its for this reason, we love this crispy rice salad! Its crunchy, spicey, sweet and fresh; everything you want in a satisfying salad. The rice is a great starchy carbohydrate for this recipe. The vegetables are crisp and seasonal, and can be swapped with other vegetables if you need. I make this a couple of times a week, because it makes an amazing lunchtime salad.
This crispy rice salad is great when hosting a large crowd or meal prepping for the week ahead. All the fresh ingredients are best in season during autumn.
Ingredients
- spring onion - in my opinion, the best onion for a salad is always a spring onion. They have enough kick without being too overpowering
- cucumber - fresh and crisp, cucumbers are a great way to bulk up a salad
- chilli - not too much chilli, there is chilli in the dressing too
- red cabbage - not just a lovely colour, but crunch and good for the gut
- sesame seeds (not pictured)
See recipe card for quantities.
- cooked rice - I cook and cool the rice the day before, it makes for crunchier rice
- tamari - the gluten free soy sauce is delicious, but use soy sauce if you prefer
- cayenne pepper - just a little, it adds an extra layer of heat in the salad
- olive oil - extra virgin olive oil is my preference, but sesame oil or coconut oil are both great too
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
The only cooking you'll need to do is baking the rice and toasting the sesame seeds, et voila!
- Step 1: To make the crispy rice, combine the rice, tamari, cayenne pepper and olive oil in a bowl.
- Step 2: Transfer the rice mixture into a baking tray and cook on high until crispy.
- Step 3: Chop and shred all the fresh ingredients and sesame seeds and place in a large bowl. Add the crispy rice.
- Step 4: Make the dressing and pour over the salad ingredients. Mix well to coat all the ingredients.
Hint: Use day old rice to achieve an even crispier rice. Just cook the rice as usual, allow to cool, then store in an airtight container in the fridge. It can keep for up to 3 days.
Substitutions
You can use any salad vegetables you like for this recipe, here are a few of my favourites;
- Snow peas - sliced into slivers, they give a yummy crunch!
- Green cabbage - an obvious swap, still looks and tastes good
- Capsicum (bell peppers) - pick a colour, slice them up and they make a lovely substitute for the cucumber
- Sesame oil - my preference is always olive oil, but if you want a depth of nutty flavour, replace the olive oil with sesame oil
See this link for my ginger and tahini dressing recipe.
Equipment
We all generally have the basic necessities for a high functioning kitchen, but one thing I know saves me so much time is a good micro plane grater! Ginger, garlic, zest its the best! This is my favourite , and it washes up so well. You'll be enjoying it for many years.
Storage
Once the salad is made, it can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. The rice will absorb more of the dressing and be less crunchy. Keep some dressing aside if your meal prepping, to add to the salad before serving.
Not suitable for freezing.
Top Tip
When toasting sesame seeds, or any nuts, always use a dry pan. That means there are no oils in the pan. The seeds and nuts slowly release their own oils whilst on the heat, so they won't stick to the pan. But do not leave the pan, seeds and nuts toast fast!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favourite dishes to serve with crispy rice salad:
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200℃. In a large bowl combine the cooked rice, tamari, cayenne pepper and half the olive oil. Mix well, then lay the rice out onto a baking tray and bake in the oven until golden and crispy, stirring a couple of times until you have reached your desired crispiness, about 20 minutes.
- In a large bowl, place the cucumber, cabbage, spring onion, carrot, sesame seeds and chillies.
- In a small bowl, combine the tahini, honey, ginger and rice wine vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing has emulsified.
- Remove rice from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before adding it to the large bowl with the vegetables.
- Pour the dressing over and combine well. Enjoy!
Let me know if you have tried this recipe