Whole Grain Rice Salad

The whole grain rice salad is a versatile and healthy dish, perfect for a summer meal or as a side dish. Here is a classic Italian version of the whole grain rice salad that you can try.

Ingredients

• 250g of whole grain rice
• 200g of cherry tomatoes
• 150g of canned tuna (in oil or natural, according to preference)
• 100g of corn
• 2 bell peppers
• 1 red onion
• 1 handful of pitted black olives
• Fresh basil
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Rinse the whole grain rice under running water, then cook it in abundant salted water according to the times indicated on the package. Whole grain rice usually requires more cooking time than white rice.
2. Meanwhile, wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half or into quarters depending on the size. Clean the bell peppers and cut them into small cubes. Drain the tuna and flake it with a fork.
3. Peel the red onion and slice it thinly, then let it soak in cold water with a little vinegar to make it more digestible and to soften its strong flavor.
4. Once the rice is cooked, drain it and cool it under a jet of cold water to stop the cooking.
5. In a large bowl, combine the rice with the cherry tomatoes, tuna, corn, bell peppers, olives, and the drained onion. Add the basil torn by hand.
6. Dress with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix the rice salad well to blend all the ingredients.
7. Let it rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to come together and intensify.

You can further personalize this salad by adding ingredients such as beans, grilled zucchini, arugula, or whatever you prefer based on your tastes and what you have at home.

Curiosity

The rice salad is a dish that lends itself well to countless interpretations and can be enriched with ingredients of both plant and animal origin. It is also an excellent solution to use up leftovers of vegetables or other foods that you have in the refrigerator.