Barley Free Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Olives & Cucumber
This vibrant grain salad is everything you want on a warm day — bright, herby, and packed with Mediterranean flavors that just work together. Juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, briny Kalamata olives, and fresh parsley all come together over nutty brown rice, then get tossed in a zippy lemon-oregano dressing with a hint of cumin. The whole thing is built entirely on wholesome, naturally grain-safe ingredients, so there's no need to scrutinize labels or worry about hidden barley sneaking in through a store-bought dressing or seasoning blend. Brown rice is the star here, and it holds up beautifully — especially after a rest and cool-down period that keeps every grain fluffy and separate rather than clumped. The dressing comes together in minutes with pantry staples, and the salad actually gets better as it sits, making it a fantastic make-ahead option for lunches or potlucks. A handful of fresh mint stirred in at the end adds an optional but genuinely lovely brightness that takes the whole bowl to another level.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the rice
- 1 cup long-grain brown rice
- 2 cups water
- ¼ tsp salt
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the salad
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 english cucumber, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the brown rice, water, and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and cook until the water is fully absorbed and the rice is tender, about 40–45 minutes.
- 2
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then spread it out in a large mixing bowl and let it cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
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