A Bright Mediterranean Salad Tossed with Brown Rice

You need 3 cups of cooked brown rice to build a substantial base for this fast Mediterranean brown rice salad. The Dijon mustard thickens the simple dressing so it clings to the grains. A Bright Mediterranean Salad Tossed with Brown Rice mixes tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh herbs for a quick lunch.

The brown rice base

You want cooked grains that hold their shape. Do not use mushy or overcooked brown rice for the Base Ingredients. The rice needs to be cooled but not cold. Cold rice hardens in the bowl and becomes unpleasant to eat. You can swap the brown rice for white rice, jasmine or basmati varieties, or wild rice. Quinoa, couscous, pearl barley, and farro also work well.

The Lemon Mustard Dressing

The recipe uses lemon juice, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and black pepper. You can use 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon of table salt. A small amount of Dijon mustard binds the dressing. The mustard thickens the liquid to help it cling better to fine grains. You can use yellow mustard in place of Dijon mustard, or you can omit the mustard entirely for a thinner dressing.

Find a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Measure all the dressing ingredients into the jar. Close it up and shake it hard until the liquids combine into a smooth dressing.

The fresh vegetables and herbs

The salad relies on fresh produce for moisture and crunch. You will need diced tomatoes and cucumbers. You can use two standard cucumbers or one long English cucumber. Half a chopped red onion brings a sharp bite. You can swap the red onion for green onions, eschallots, or French shallots.

Arugula adds a contrasting texture to starch-based salads. You can substitute the arugula with sliced baby spinach, regular spinach, marinated kale, or cabbage. Marinate tough greens like kale to soften them before mixing them into the salad.

Fresh dill and cilantro provide a bright flavor. You can sauté extra vegetables in oil with garlic, salt, and pepper before adding them to the bowl.

Mixing the Base Ingredients

Grab a spacious mixing bowl. Drop in the cooked brown rice, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, arugula, cilantro, and dill.

Pour the Lemon Mustard Dressing over the vegetables and grains. Toss everything thoroughly so the dressing coats every bite. Move the mixed salad into a serving bowl.

Optional Toppings

You can add extra ingredients to change the texture or turn the salad into a main dish.

• Toss in pepitas, sliced almonds, or walnuts to give the dish a wonderful crunch.
• Avoid adding peanuts as their flavor may clash with the other ingredients.
• Black olives serve as an optional Mediterranean addition.
• Serve your salad as a comforting main dish by mixing in feta, parmesan, or yogurt. Canned tuna, canned salmon, and pieces of poached chicken are wonderful additions too.
• Top the salad with 7 oz (200 g) of pan-fried halloumi slices. Slice the cheese and pan fry it in a little olive oil until golden and crispy, then arrange the slices directly over the grains.

Serving and leftovers

Serve the salad at room temperature to avoid hard grains. The salad keeps well for up to three days in the refrigerator. Tomatoes lose some of their juiciness by the second day of storage. Reserve a portion of the dressing to drizzle immediately before serving leftovers.

Brighten your leftovers with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and a light drizzle of olive oil. You can easily remove the chill from the cold salad by warming it in the microwave using short ten-second intervals. If you have extra refrigerated halloumi, chop the cheese into little sticks, warm them in the microwave, and toss them directly into the bowl.