This rice salad is great for using leftover rice and can be made in advance. It has a great combination of sweet and savory flavors with a light lemony dressing and lots of flavor and texture in every bite. It also makes great leftovers!Hint: prep all the veggies while the rice is cooking to save time.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Total Time35 minutesmins
Course: Entree, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4side dish servings, or 2 large servings
1tablespoonmaple syrup(optional, but really delicious)
½tablespoonlemon juiceor more, to taste
2tablespoonparsley leavesfinely minced
2tablespoonmint leavesfinely minced (or use more parsley)
salt and pepperto taste
Instructions
Cook the rice according to packaging, but make sure to add a little salt or vegetable base to the water so the rice is flavorful.
While the rice is cooking, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic in ½ tablespoon olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until the onion softens.
Add the torn kale and chopped apple, stir, cover, and allow to cook down oved medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and continue cooking until the kale is cooked to your liking (another 2-3 minutes).
In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, sautéed kale and apple, and the rest of the ingredients, along with a drizzle of olive oil (½ - 1 tablespoon). Mix well and adjust the flavor to your liking with salt, pepper, lemon juice, or maple syrup. Serve warm or chilled.
Notes
Tips:
To toast sunflower seeds, just toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and aromatic. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
Make the rice ahead of time for a super quick side dish.
Ingredient notes:→ Rice: I recommend using any kind of rice other than white rice. Red rice, forbidden black rice, whole grain rice mix, brown rice... or use instant rice for a super quick side dish!→ Make it healthier and lighter: You can decrease the rice and increase the amount of kale (and apples, if you want), so you get a nice sautéed kale salad with red rice instead of a rice salad with kale.... if that makes sense :)→ Add dried cranberries: a little more sweetness in every bite is always a good thing!→ Add some sliced celery to the chopped onions while sautéing: more veggies, more crunch.→ Use crushed pecans or walnuts, or slivered almonds in place of sunflower seeds. I recommend toasting them first.→ Sautéed spinach is also an option instead of kale, it just doesn't have as much of a chewy texture, but it cooks much faster.→ Switch up the herbs: Use a few teaspoons of fresh sage and thyme or rosemary for a more classic Fall side dish flavor.