Name: Quick and easy brown rice salad recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 750.00 ml cooked brown medium-grain rice; 6 spring onions sliced; 1 red capsicum finely diced; 1/2 cup currants; 2 tbs sunflower seeds; 2 tbs pepitas; 1/4 cup sunflower oil; 4 tbs soy sauce; 2 tbs lemon juice fresh; 1 garlic clove crushed

by batt14 Last updated on 02/03/2025

Just as you would expect, this brown rice salad is tasty, vibrant, filling and good for you. Packed with seeds, crunchy red capsicum and tangy currants, it is the perfect “bring a salad” recipe or barbecue side.

How to make brown rice salad: key tips

This is a great salad for using up leftover rice, or you can cook it fresh, if you like. Brown rice takes a lot longer to cook than white rice – about 25 minutes, no matter whether you’re using a rice cooker, the absorption method or gentle boil method. The grains should still be a little firm when cooked, and not mushy at all.

Finely chop the capsicum so that it will be more evenly distributed in the salad. Large pieces are heavy and would make their way to the bottom of the bowl when the salad is tossed. Chop the spring onions on a diagonal for no other reason than it looks much nicer when they’re chopped this way.

Key ingredients in this brown rice salad recipe

Brown rice has a nutty flavour that is delightful in a salad. You could also use other types of rice such as basmati, wild rice, or a combo rice. You could also try microwave brown rice for convenience.

Dried currants provide intense pops of sweetness and tang in this rice salad. In my mind, they are what really makes a brown rice salad sing.

Sunflower seeds and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) give the salad a welcome texture and crunch, and they’re nutritious to boot. Sunflower oil, which has quite a neutral flavour, is used in the dressing. You could swap it for olive oil, peanut oil, or any other oil that isn’t too overpowering.

Rice salads are so satisfying as a side or light meal. Here are some of our best rice salad recipes. And here are another 12 rice salads that could star at your Christmas feast.

This recipe was originally submitted by batt14, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

- Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

3 cups cooked Woolworths brown medium-grain rice
6 spring onions sliced
1 red capsicum finely diced
1/2 cup currants
2 tbs sunflower seeds
2 tbs pepitas
1/4 cup sunflower oil
4 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs lemon juice fresh
1 garlic clove crushed

Method

Step 1

Place the rice, sliced spring onions, diced capsicum, currants and seeds In a large salad bowl, then toss to mix.
Step 2

In a screw-top jar, add the sunflower oil, soy sauce, lemon juice and garlic.
Step 3

Shake well to mix and then pour over the salad, stirring to coat all ingredients.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

How can I boost this brown rice salad?

This is a nut-free salad, but it would taste lovely with a sprinkle of finely chopped hazelnuts, pecans or cashews. You could also add drained canned corn kernels for bursts of sweetness.

How long will this brown rice salad keep?

You can keep this brown rice salad in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. It may become a little drier, as the rice will soak up some of the dressing. To eat, bring to room temperature, or warm it gently in the microwave.