Last summer I ate a lot of different variations of rice salad. I was cooking a lot from Mark Bittman’s How To Cook Everything Vegetarian. In the salad section he has a table full of different twists you can take with rice salads. I think I made almost everyone listed.
I made a big pot of brown basmati rice one weekend and every night as I packed my lunch for the next day I would dish out my rice and make a single portion rice salad.
Rice Salad Primavera comes from the July/August 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times. The addition of tofu to the salad makes it a complete meal. I love the colors: red tomatoes, orange bell pepper, yellow squash, and green onions.
The salad is dressed in a simple vinaigrette made of hearty spicy brown mustard, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. It’s light, refreshing and perfect for a summer lunch or picnic or for Vegan Tuesday.
Rice Salad Primavera
Adapted from July/August 2009 Vegetarian Times
- 1 cup brown basmati rice
- 1 8 0unce package of Italian garlic baked tofu, cubed
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 1 small cucumber, peeled, quartered, and sliced (1/2 cup)
- 1 small yellow squash, diced (1/2 cup)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons hearty spicy brown mustard
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and fresh ground pepper
- Bring rice and 2 cups water to boil in covered saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
- Stir tofu, tomatoes, green onions, bell pepper, cucumber, and squash into rice.
- Whisk together vinegar and mustard in small bowl. Whisk in oil until mixture forms smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir vinaigrette into rice. Chill well before serving.
Serves 8.
We’ve had a bounty of locally-grown blueberries, so for something sweet I made the Banana-Blueberry Sorbet from The Perfect Scoop. Even though there is no dairy, it’s creamy from the bananas. It’s light and refreshing without the heaviness of ice cream. Perfect on a summer night. I also think it would be great frozen into popsicles. You can find the recipe HERE.
(Of course, when I mentioned to the co-workers the great tasting blueberries they wondered when something baked would show up. Can’t take this to work. 😛 )
I can’t wait to make this rice salad. The more veggies the better. The sorbet looks good to. I love The Perfect Scoop! I really need to get out my ice cream maker, it is time!
Both of these look like great summer dishes. Awesome job. I especially like the little flecks in the sorbet. YUM!
I love both of your colorful dishes! That sorbet sounds really delicious. I can’t wait until blueberries are abundant here…probably another few weeks for us.
There’s nothing like a rice salad in the summer – so versatile! – and this one looks delicious. The sorbet is an interesting combination; I can see how the banana would smooth it out. I made the blueberry fro-yo which we enjoyed (but not the first day).
Summer is not complete without salads!
These two dishes are just perfection for hot summer’s days. My family would enjoy the salad followed by your wonderful sorbet.
I love your salad! I have Mark Bittman’s book; I should check into it to get more ideas when I make rice salads!
The rice salad sounds like the perfect summer lunch!
I love checking your blog. The pictures are always so beautiful and everything you make looks so delicious. This salad is no exception. It sounds heavenly. I wish I had some right here in front of me!
Yay – Vegan Tuesdays are back! I love seeing what you’ve come up with –
What a great way to celebrate summer veggies – yum! The sorbet looks amazing as well, I wouldn’t have thought to pair blueberries and bananas!
What a great rice salad. Perfect for this time of year!
I don’t think I’ve ever had a rice salad – but that looks really good! So does the sorbet!
I love this kind of rice salad. You can eat it hot or cold, it’s so non fuss. And it’s filling. Love filling vegetarian foods.
My mouth is watering. I wish i had an ice cream maker… I would run home and make that sorbet right now!
I am definitely trying this rice salad, and thanks for pointing out Bittman’s in HTCEV. I just got the book, love it, but it’s a little overwhelming to even know where to begin. I’m not sure I’ve ever even had rice salad, but this one looks beautiful. And the sorbet – you know I’m trying that one!
I’m a big fan of rice salads too, warm or chilled, and this one sounds like it will definitely need to be added into my rotation of recipes!
The rice salad looks delicious – and is so bright and colourful. Love the deep purple of the sorbet.
I definitely want to give this rice salad a try! I can just imagine how delicious it is.
That rice salad looks so good.
I really need to get that Perfect Scoop book with all the ice cream I’ve been making lately. Sounds like the “perfect” book to have! 😉 Happy 4th!
I’ll have a portion of each…the rice salad and the blueberry ice cream to chase it down! Both look outstandingly delicious. Your camera (and you) take the most amazing photos.
That’s a really colorful salad, I’m always looking for something I can make and eat for lunch several days in a row. Especially since all the veggies are in season now.
I am a big rice salad fan. I am finishing off some lentil and rice salad right now. Though I still can’t get on board with the tofu, I just don’t like it 😦