Rice salad is THE Italian summer dish. This is my vegan rice salad, made completely from scratch!
Questa ricetta è disponibile anche in italiano
With its thousand variations, rice salad is widely consumed both as a first course and as a main course.
Colourful, tasty and also nutritious, this cold Italian style rice salad features a mix of sweet and sour vegetables, with a pickle-y aftertaste, that is balanced out with a delicious mayonnaise dressing* (or simple oil, for a lighter version) and can be enriched with diced vegetable cheeses, meat-free alternatives to cured meats and tuna**, and also from very tasty vegan hard-boiled eggs (in the link my super-loved recipe). *-** soon on the blog my 100% vegan versions.
Along with Russian Salad, it is one of the most consumed summer dishes throughout Italy.
Rice salad should be served cold, that's why it can easily be prepared in advance, and it keeps for two or three days in the fridge. It is the perfect meal Italians like to take to the beach or to summer gatherings, but it is also a good food for picnics, barbecues and potlucks, for a tasty and satisfying snack or side dish.
Vegan Italian Rice Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
200 g Rice (parboiled/long grain easy cook)
½ cup Vegan Mayo
10-12 Olives
2-3 Whole Artichokes in Oil
½ cup Vegan Tuna (optional)
½ tablespoon Capers (or to taste)
...for the veggie mix...
2-3 Cauliflower Florets (big)
2 Small White Onions (or 1 big)
1 Carrot
1 Celery Stalk
½ English Cucumber
1 Bell Pepper (red or yellow, or ½ red and ½ yellow)
½ cup Frozen Peas
...for the marinade...
2 cup White Vinegar
2 cup Water
⅓ cup Brown Sugar
2 tablespoon Sea Salt
50 g Vegetable Oil
Method:
1. Dice all the veggies of the vegetable mix (except for peas) and set aside.
2. In a large pan add all the ingredients for the marinade, stir well and bring to a boil on medium heat.
3. Add the hard diced vegetables first (carrots, onions, peppers), and boil for 3 minutes. Next, add the remaining vegetables and boil for an extra 5 minutes. Finally add the peas and turn off the heat.
4. Allow the vegetables to marinate in the liquid for at least 30 minutes (for a milder pickled taste) up to 2 days (for a strong vinegary taste).
5. Boil the rice in salted water for around 15 minutes or according to packages instructions. Drain well and rinse under cold water.
6. Drain the marinated vegetables (you can re-use the liquid for pickling other vegetables).
7. To a large bowl add cooked rice, pickled/marinated vegetables, capers, olives (sliced), artichokes (chopped or sliced), vegan tuna (if using) and vegan mayo.
8. Stir it all together and place the vegan Italian rice salad in the fridge for at least one hour before serving.
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