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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!

Mediterranean Rice Salad With Herbs And Feta in a white bowl.

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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.

Mediterranean cold rice salad in a white bowl.

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 Rice Salad With Herbs And Feta

Mediterranean Cold Rice Salad With Herbs And Feta

Cynthia
This Mediterranean cold rice salad recipe is tossed with fresh herbs, lemon and feta for a light and healthy vegetarian side or main dish.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 6 servings
Calories 246 kcal

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

Serving: 1servingCalories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 610mgPotassium: 108mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.03gVitamin A: 214IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Mediterranean rice, mediterranean rice recipe
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Gluten free summer side dish, Mediterranean Cold Rice Salad with Feta and Fresh herbs.
cynthia

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Comments

  1. mimi says

    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!

    Reply

  3. Christina says

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply

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