Southwest Rice Salad

blue serving bowl of rice salad with veggies.

Bright fresh veggies, a super simple dressing, and the perfect blend of rice make this a summer side dish you'll turn to over and over.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Southwest

Keyword: cowboy rice salad, Summer

Servings: servings

Calories: 314kcal

Author: Katie

Equipment

Rice Cooker or stovetop pot
Large mixing bowl
small bowl
Whisk
Colander
Plastic wrap or lid

Ingredients

1½ cups Royal Blend Rice Texmati Rice Blend (uncooked)
½ cup olive oil
⅓ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
pinch cayenne
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 green bell pepper (diced)
1 15 ounce can black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 ½ cups pico de gallo
1½ cups corn (canned or frozen are both fine)

Instructions

Cook the rice. Cook the rice according to the package instructions or your preferred method (stovetop or rice cooker both work well). Once done, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool slightly. It doesn’t need to be fully cooled before adding the other ingredients, but avoid adding them while the rice is piping hot.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne until well combined. Pour the dressing over the warm rice, stirring gently to coat the rice evenly.
Add the veggies. Stir in the black beans, diced green bell pepper, corn, and pico de gallo. If you’re preparing the salad more than 4 hours ahead, wait to add the cilantro just before serving to keep it fresh.
Chill and serve. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

If the rice mix you’re looking for isn’t available, use 1 cup of long-grain white rice and 1/2 cup of wild rice. Mixing these two types of rice makes the salad more interesting because they feel different when you eat them. But be careful not to cook the rice too much; it should still be firm to mix well with the dressing.

It’s best to use fresh pico de gallo or make your own. The fresh taste of tomatoes, onions, and cilantro makes the salad better. You can also use the one from the store, but fresh ones add a unique flavor.

If you want it spicier, add more cayenne pepper or some chopped jalapeños. If spicy food isn’t your thing, leave out the cayenne, and the salad will still taste great.

Adding fresh cilantro gives the salad a fresh, green flavor that improves it. If you don’t like cilantro, it’s okay to skip it. But if you do like it, make sure to include it because it makes a big difference.

This salad is flexible. You can eat it cold straight from the fridge or warm it to room temperature. Either way is good, so just do whatever fits with the rest of your meal.

For a bit of extra crunch, add some crushed tortilla chips, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), or sunflower seeds just before serving it. This gives a nice crunchy texture that goes well with the soft rice and veggies.

Nutrition