Mediterranean Cold Rice Salad with Feta
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The taste of fresh herbs, buttery olive oil, and tangy feta cheese give this cold rice salad a decidedly Mediterranean flavor. It’s perfect for a potluck picnic or as a delicious, versatile side dish!
Easy Summer Rice Salad
This Mediterranean cold rice salad recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free, making it the perfect dish to bring to any gathering. It’s also an excellent side dish for just about any meal!
My brown rice feta salad can also be easily modified to suit your family’s tastes. Switch the brown rice for white, the feta for mozzarella, or the cannellini beans for garbanzos. It’s a great way to use any leftover rice that you may have in your fridge.
How to Make Mediterranean Cold Rice Salad
This recipe for cold rice salad comes together quickly and is chock-full of delicious, fresh herbs. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (It is important to use the best quality olive oil you can afford, as the flavor really comes through in this salad.)
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chives, minced
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Bring the water, rice and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 40 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let it stand, covered, for 5-10 minutes.
Spread the rice out on a platter or tray and place it in the fridge to help it cool faster.
Meanwhile, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and herbs in a bowl. Toss over the cooked, cooled rice. Add beans and feta, mixing just until combined.
Season to taste. Rice salad recipes can be served at room temperature or chilled.
If you love feta cheese as much as I do, try this Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Feta and Fresh Mint, or my Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Pesto and Feta.
How Long Can You Keep Cold Rice Salad?
Some think that eating cold rice can lead to food poisoning. However, the issue is really how you cool and store the rice.
While the rice is cooling, it’s important to spread it out on a large plate or tray and, if possible, put it in the fridge to help it cool faster. Bacillus cereus, the disease-causing bacteria found in some rice, can grow more quickly if the hot rice cools slowly (as in a pot or bowl). Don’t leave rice at room temperature for more than an hour.
Once you’ve made your cold salad with rice, keep it stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3-4 days, though the rice may get a little mushy. This is one of those cold rice dishes that is best served fresh!
Mediterranean Cold Rice Salad With Herbs And Feta
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chives minced
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring water, rice and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook for about 40 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Let stand covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with fork. Cool to room temperature.
- In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and herbs. Toss over cooked, cooled rice. Add beans and feta, mixing just until combined.
- Season to taste.
- Can be served at room temperature or chilled.
Notes
- White rice can be substituted for the brown rice.
Nutrition
This is a beautiful and tasty salad! And there are so many fun ingredients you can add to it, which is what I love to do! Fabulous!
Thanks Mimi!
You know I love all that fresh herb flavor, but the feta, white beans and lemon juice…Mediterranean lovefest. Delicious.
Thanks Libby! We do love our feta!
What a fabulous salad! I’ve see thought to make a salad with rice before and it’s so healthy, too! Love the options to change out the beans and cheese.
We’ve made it with goat cheese too!
So many fresh flavors! I could just dig right in.
Thanks Brandon!
This is great! And, it’s a whole meal in a bowl. I think this would be perfect for a lunch. I always make my husband’s lunches, so this will have to go on the menu!
It’s a great vegetarian meal Debi!
This sounds really nice. I never thought to make a salad like this from rice. I am married to a rice fiend so you know I just have to give this a shot!
Thank you Miralanda! My husband loves rice too!
This rice looks amazing!! I love yummy side dishes and I need to make this asap! Pinned!! 😉
Thank you so much Cyndi!
I can’t wait to try this. my husband is going to love it
So glad, let me know what he thinks!
Oh this is perfect for Spring! And I have a batch of freshly cooked brown rice in the refrigerator, so this recipe is perfect timing!
Thanks Susan! It’s great for using up leftovers!
This is a great looking salad Cynthia! I love salads like this – they make a great salad to take for work lunches!
sorry for not responding Kristi, I guess this comment got buried! Thank you!
Dear Cynthia, this is right up my alley. What a wonderful side dish. I love adding crumbled feta to rice. Delish! xo, Catherine
thank you Catherine! Feta is great in so many dishes!
Love those Mediterranean flavors!
me too Sylvie!
Love all the flavors in your rice salad. What a great dish for potluck!
Thank you Laura! It’s definitely a popular dish in the summertime at BBQs!
This is my kind of salad – great flavors here! Paired with a big pile of leafy greens, this is all I would need for lunch.
me too Faith! it’s definitely the perfect light meal!
You had me at “Mediterranean!” I love all those flavors together and love the combination of rice and beans for a complete protein. Perfect for summer!
haha Carol! me too!
Such a gorgeous side dish! Love, love, love all of these flavors together!
Thank you Becca…it is a delicious salad, and great for the summer.
I wouldn’t normally think of combining those ingredients with brown rice, but you sold me!
Thanks Matt!
I don’t know how I would rather eat this – cold or hot! Both sound so fresh and tasty.
We’ve eaten it both ways! Delicious either way!
This looks wonderful! I love all the herbs and feta and I’m slightly addicted to cannellini beans at the moment, so this is a must try!
Yes, I prefer cannellinis to just about any other bean!
Such a gorgeous salad! Love this Cynthia. Fresh lemon juice and all those fresh herbs. Delish!
Thank you!
I love your use of fresh herbs and cannellini beans in this rice dish. The bump up the nutrient factor and help keep you full longer. Nic!
Thank you!
This is my kind of side dish! I love Mediterranean flavors and the more feta the better!
This is the perfect salad for summer. I love anything with feta!