Insalata di Riso (Italian Rice Salad)

Insalata di Riso or Italian rice salad is packed with Mediterranean flavors and tossed with a simple dressing made with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and basil. Serve it as a side dish in your cookouts or as a quick and light lunch for any weekday meal.

this recipe

Insalata di riso is an Italian cold rice salad that typically includes cooked rice, diced vegetables, olives, capers, tuna, and sometimes also hard-boiled eggs.

This rice salad it’s a crowd-pleaser. Whip it up for a picnic, serve it as a side dish at a barbecue, or pack it for a potluck—it never disappoints. Plus, it’s a refreshing delight on hot summer days, offering a satisfying, cool bite with every forkful.

I love insalata di riso—I mean, it’s a frequent dish in my kitchen. My husband, being Italian, happens to be a big fan of it. So, along with other delicious salads like insalata di tonno e patate or insalata di pomodori is now a staple at my home.

Ingredients

• Rice: Parboiled is always my first choice for making Italian rice salad. Because it can cook faster and keep the texture nice and firm. Other types of rice that work well are Carnaroli, Vialone Nano rice, or long-grain rice like Jazmin or Basmati.
• Canned veggies. Pickled and/or packed-in-oil vegetables are a must, you can add any type you like such as zucchini, aubergines, bell peppers, dried tomatoes, capers, olives, baby onions, artichokes, pickles, mushrooms, sweet corn, etc. Here in Italy is pretty common to use a mix of canned vegetables called condiriso or fariciriso (condiments for rice), which is just a mix of pickled veggies.
• Fresh vegetables. You can use cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, celery, arugula, bell peppers, onions, etc.
• Fresh herbs: Basil and parsley.
• Cheese. Mozzarella is always the first choice. You can add it cut into cubes or use mozzarelline (little mozzarella morsels, perfect to use on salads). But also Pecorino, Fontina, or Emmentaler are common choices.
• Salumi (cold cuts). Prosciutto cotto (ham), salami, speck, mortadella, bresaola, etc.
• Other proteins. Traditionally, insalata di riso is made with canned tuna, but also cubes of breast chicken salted in olive oil is a good option.
• Extras: Boiled eggs cut into wedges or cubbed and mayonnaise are some extras that you’ll find often in the traditional Italian rice salad.

How To Make Insalata Di Riso

Add rice and 1 tablespoon of salt to a stock pot. Pour water to cover the rice by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until al dente.

Top Tip: Al dente means that the rice is cooked so that it is firm to the bite, but not soft or mushy.

Place rice on a strainer and give it a quick rinse under cold water to remove any starch that remains. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

Add rice to a large bowl and pour over 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well and let the rice cool down.

Add to the bowl the can of vegetables, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, dried tomatoes, artichokes, mortadella, and tuna.

Mix to combine. Then add the fresh herbs, eggs, and season with salt, more extra virgin olive oil, and vinegar if needed.

Let insalata di riso rest in the fridge for half an hour before serving and Buon appetito!

Tips, Tricks & Notes

• To achieve al dente rice it is important to follow the cooking instructions on the package carefully and to taste the rice frequently as it cooks, to make sure it doesn’t become overcooked.
• To avoid rice grains sticking to each other after cooking, mix them with a little bit of oil while you finish preparing the rest of the ingredients.
• To enhance the flavors, give some time to this Italian rice salad to rest before serving.
• Balance the flavors of your insalata di riso. Taste as you add the ingredients and adjust by adding a little bit more of this or that. Is all about balance.
• In Italian cuisine, insalata refers to a salad, typically made with a combination of vegetables, fruits, and sometimes also cheese, meat, or seafood. Insalata can be served as an appetizer or a side dish, and there are many different varieties of insalata popular in Italian cuisine like pesto rice salad.

How To Store Italian Rice Salad

Allow the rice salad to cool down to room temperature. So the salad doesn’t become soggy from the steam generated by warm rice.

Transfer insalata di riso to an airtight container to keep it fresh and prevent the absorption of any odors from other items in the refrigerator. The salad will store nicely for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Tip: Before eating a stored Italian rice salad, check for any signs of spoilage, such as sliminess, off-odors, or mold. If you notice any of these signs, discard the rice salad immediately.

More Italian Salads

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