Carrageenan Free Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Olives & Cucumber
Bright, herby, and loaded with Mediterranean flavor, this grain salad is the kind of dish that gets better the longer it sits in the fridge. Carrageenan — a thickener and stabilizer derived from seaweed — sneaks into a surprising number of packaged dressings, flavored rice blends, and even some deli olives, making store-bought versions of dishes like this a minefield. Here, every component is built from scratch with whole, recognizable ingredients: brown rice cooked in plain water, a punchy lemon-oregano-cumin dressing whisked together from pantry staples, and a lineup of fresh vegetables that speak for themselves. Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, crisp English cucumber, and red onion bring color and contrast, while flat-leaf parsley and optional fresh mint keep things lively and aromatic. The dressing emulsifies beautifully with just olive oil and fresh lemon juice — no additives, no fillers, nothing to second-guess. It works equally well as a make-ahead lunch, a potluck side, or a light dinner base, and it holds up in the refrigerator for up to three days without losing its texture or punch.
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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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