This Southwestern brown rice salad is served cold. It’s loaded with feel-good ingredients like hearty brown rice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, and creamy avocado. It’s flavorful but not overpowering- something that you could serve as a side dish or for a light lunch. It would be a great addition to a barbecue or potluck spread because it doesn’t wilt and stays nice and fresh on the table. We love this as a main dish during the summer months with grilled chicken or shrimp on the side.
Ingredient Notes
- Rice – Brown rice is sturdy and holds up well in recipes like this. While you could theoretically make this with white rice, brown rice is definitely what I recommend. If you were to sub anything, I’d go for quinoa or another grain like bulgar before I’d do white rice. To easily make the perfect amount of rice for this recipe, follow these instructions. This can be done ahead of time!
- Olive oil – Use your favorite olive oil. You could also use a neutral oil like avocado oil.
- Honey – Honey adds a touch of sweetness to the dressing. Spray your measuring spoons with a little non stick spray to ensure every drop your measured slides out!
- Garlic and lime – Use fresh garlic and fresh lime juice.
- Jalapeño – The jalapeño adds a little kick to this salad, but it is not overwhelming. Seed or partially seed your jalapeño if you’re worried about heat; every time I’ve made this, I’ve completely seeded the jalapeño and the salad hasn’t been hot at all. I also choose to leave the jalapeño out sometimes (like in these photos!) and it’s great without it as well.
How To Make Southwestern Brown Rice Salad
- Start with the dressing: You’ll need extra-virgin olive oil, honey, the juice and zest of a lime, ground cumin, and some minced garlic. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until smooth and combined. Set aside (the dressing can be made and refrigerated up to 48 hours before serving).
2. In a large bowl, combine brown rice, halved grape/cherry tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and jalapeno.
3. Drizzle the mixture with the dressing, toss together, and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the avocado last of all so it doesn’t fall apart. If you’re prepping the salad a few hours ahead, save the avocado and add right before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes. You can prepare your rice a day or two ahead of time as well as the dressing. Chop your other ingredients the day of, and wait to dice and add your avocado until right before serving. Sometimes dressings with fresh citrus juices can lose their tang if made ahead, so another squirt of fresh lime juice when tossing everything together wouldn’t hurt.
Related Recipes
This salad would be perfect to serve at a potluck, a lunch event, or alongside grilled meats and veggies at a barbecue. Looking for similar side dishes? Check out some of these Our Best Bites favorites:
Classic Potato Salad
Southwest Pasta Salad
Greek Pasta Salad
German Potato Salad
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Tabbouleh
Did You Make This?
I’d love to hear from you! Snap a picture and tag me on Instagram, then come back and give this recipe a rating!
Southwestern Brown Rice Salad
Ingredients
- 3 3/4-4 cups cooked cooled brown rice (1 recipe of this brown rice, cooked and cooled)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 1 lime about 2 tablespoons
- zest of 1 lime
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 cloves garlic pressed or very finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 10 ounces grape tomatoes halved
- 1 jalapeno seeded and finely minced (optional, if you'd like to leave out)
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 5-7 green onions chopped
- 1 medium avocado peeled and diced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, and cumin. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, gently toss together the rice, tomato, jalapeno, cilantro, and green onions. Drizzle with the dressing and salt and pepper to taste. Gently toss in avocado, and serve immediately, or refrigerate. **I like to mix everything but the avocado, and chill for a couple hours before serving. Just toss the avocado in before you serve so it stays nice and green.
