This Mediterranean recipe is perfect as a main for vegetarians and vegans or as a fresh side salad in spring and summer. It also makes a great chilled sharing dish for BBQs and parties.
Our easy Italian-style Rice Salad combines a crisp chopped salad with chilled long-grain rice, tossed in a bright dressing of olive oil, lemon, herbs and garlic. It’s simple, adaptable and ideal for serving cold.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Italian Style Rice Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 200 grams Long grain rice (uncooked weight; makes ~600 g once cooked)
- 310 ml cold water
Italian Dressing (make your own or use store-bought)
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning / dried herb mix (oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, sage, red pepper flakes)
- 2 tsp garlic purée or 4 cloves minced
Italian Salad (use these or swap to taste)
- 8 sun‑dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 orange pepper, diced
- ½ cucumber, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 100 g cherry or plum tomatoes, quartered
- 100 g sweetcorn (tin)
- 60 g green and/or black olives, pitted
- 4 tbsp pine nuts
- 3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Optional extras
- 130 g cooked diced pancetta
- 1 tin tuna, drained
- 200 g mozzarella, balls or chopped
Instructions
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Cook the rice: rinse 200 g long-grain rice until the water runs clear. Add the drained rice to 310 ml cold water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 8 minutes without lifting the lid. Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 5–10 minutes, then fluff the grains with a fork. Chill the rice in the fridge until cold.
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Make the dressing: combine 5 tbsp olive oil, juice of ½ lemon, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning and 2 tsp garlic purée in a jar or small bowl. Shake or whisk until emulsified.
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Assemble: place the chilled rice in a large mixing bowl and add all chopped salad ingredients (sun‑dried tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, sweetcorn, olives, pine nuts, basil and parsley). If using pancetta, cook it first and let it cool before adding.
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Dress and serve: pour the dressing over the rice and salad, toss gently until evenly coated, and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with extra fresh herbs and serve chilled or at cool room temperature.
Notes
How to cook rice for salad
To keep grains separate, use a ratio of 1 cup rice (≈200 g) to 1¼ cups (≈310 ml) cold water. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. After cooking, allow the rice to rest covered, then fluff with a fork and chill in the fridge before combining with salad ingredients.
- Rinse the rice until water runs clear.
- Add rice and measured water to a pan and bring to the boil.
- Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 8 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Turn off the heat and leave the lid on for 5–10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Transfer to the fridge to cool while you prepare the salad.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 361 kcal • Carbohydrates: 43 g • Protein: 6 g • Fat: 20 g • Fiber: 3 g • Sugar: 5 g
This post was updated on 07/03/2025 to improve layout and make the recipe card easier to use.
Keep reading for equipment tips, serving ideas, make-ahead guidance and storage advice.
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Large chopping board
- Large saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Jar or container for dressing
- Serving dish
Ingredients
Ingredients listed above serve 6 as a side. Adjust quantities if you want more servings or a main portion.
Rice
We recommend long-grain rice for a salad, but basmati works well too. Brown or wild rice are good alternatives—adjust water and cooking times accordingly.
Homemade Salad Dressing
Italian dressings are quick and delicious. Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar, seal and shake for an instant vinaigrette.
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (oregano, thyme, basil, parsley, sage, red pepper flakes)
- 2 tsp garlic purée or four cloves minced
Chop the salad ingredients while the rice chills, then mix everything together just before serving.
What to put into a Rice Salad?
Typical mix: sun‑dried tomatoes, orange pepper, cucumber, red onion, plum tomatoes, sweetcorn, green and black olives, pine nuts, fresh basil and parsley. Swap or add ingredients to match your fridge and taste.
It works well as a self-serve salad at a BBQ—guests can scoop and customise their plates.
Mix the cooled rice, chopped salad and dressing together and serve, garnished with extra herbs.
Finish with extra fresh herbs for colour and aroma.
Serving Suggestions
If you want meat on the plate, chop cooked sausages or kebabs and stir through, or add cooked pancetta fried briefly in sun‑dried tomato oil for an Italian touch. Tuna or mozzarella make it more substantial as a main.
How to make rice suitable for a salad
Key points: rinse to remove starch, use the 1 : 1¼ rice-to-water ratio, cook without stirring, rest covered, then chill. Using cold rice prevents clumping and keeps the salad light and fluffy.
Make Ahead
Prepare each component separately and refrigerate: cooked rice in an airtight container, chopped salad ingredients in another, and dressing in a sealed jar. Combine just before serving for the freshest texture and flavour.
Storage
Store rice salad in an airtight container in the fridge. Pack up and refrigerate within one to two hours of serving. Use within one day for best quality. This recipe is not recommended for freezing.
When ready to serve, bring chilled rice and salad items together, add dressing and toss so every bite is fresh.
More Salad Ideas
Try other Mediterranean salads or swap ingredients to create new flavour combinations. This rice salad adapts well to many variations and makes a bright, crowd-pleasing dish.
Please leave a comment to tell us what you add to your cold rice salad — we love hearing variations and tips from readers.